McCleary Law Offices, PLC - Woodstock, Virginia

ethan B.

I would like to share my experience after hiring Mrs. McCleary for my case. When we went to court, she briefly spoke with the prosecutor and reviewed what I assume was the discovery. She then returned and informed me that the prosecution had a strong case against me. At no point before or during this interaction did we go over the discovery together.

The prosecutor offered a plea deal of two years’ probation with a conviction on my record—this being my first-ever charge. I declined the offer because I was innocent and had not committed the offense I was accused of. As a result, we agreed to continue the case to a later date to better prepare. The prosecutor also agreed to provide the discovery before the next court date.

I specifically requested that Mrs. McCleary obtain the body camera footage from the arresting officer, Officer K. Taubenberger of the Woodstock Police Department. She sent a single email regarding this request, which seemed to be the extent of her efforts. After expressing my dissatisfaction and stating my intention to report these actions to the bar, I received the discovery within a week. Upon reviewing it, I found that Officer Taubenberger’s statements regarding my arrest were significantly different from what he initially told the magistrate. This made me even more determined to obtain the body camera footage, as it would prove inconsistencies between the officer’s report and the alleged victim’s statements.

One week before the finalization of my case, Mrs. McCleary reached out via email to both the state prosecutor’s office and the Woodstock Police Department. It was then discovered that Officer Taubenberger had “misclassified” the body camera footage, causing it to be automatically purged. I found this explanation confusing, as did Mrs. McCleary, who admitted she had never encountered such a situation before.

Rather than advocating for me in light of this critical issue, Mrs. McCleary took a passive stance, leaving the decision entirely up to me. Standing in the courthouse, facing the possibility of a year in jail for a crime I did not commit, I expected my attorney to fight for me. Instead, I felt unsupported and misrepresented. I believe this was not only a failure to fulfill professional obligations but also a serious moral failure.

Kari D. N.

Mrs. Mccleary was an amazing attorney. She was very prompt with communication. She was so knowledgeable, caring, and understanding. She kept me updated and had great communication with the prosecutor. She is great at her job and you will be blessed to have her as your attorney.

Alex W.

I highly recommend Dragana McCleary! I came to her a week away from my trial date after firing a previous lawyer who had forgotten key details of my case, among other concerning things that made me question his ability to represent me. It was not an ideal scenario for Mrs. McCleary to be thrown into but she exceeded expectations.

Immediately upon calling her office, I was given invaluable peace of mind regarding my situation. She was able to assess the details of my case, give me reasonable expectations of potential outcomes, and answer any and all questions I had. That was night and day from my previous counsel so I hired her immediately. She quickly got to work reviewing the evidence and putting together a strategy. We were in fluid communication throughout and I always felt like I was fully aware of the circumstances at play and what our plan was. She was easy to contact and was quick and concise with her replies.

She was very knowledgeable of the underlying case law and was able to defend my case from a position of strength while deftly maneuvering negotiations with the prosecutor. We were able to reach a favorable outcome which was probably the best possible outcome, and certainly better than anything I was expecting. It was a huge relief after a chaotic week of uncertainty and upheaval.

She was professional but also approachable - I always felt like I was dealing with a real person who was invested in the outcome of my case and cared about her personal integrity to fight on my behalf.

I cannot thank her enough! Contacting Dragana McCleary was easily the best decision I made during this process, and my only regret is that I didn’t reach out to her sooner.

Reyne P.

If I could posted no star I would have done so!
This attorney accepted my case. She met me 10 minutes before the trial and ask me questions regarding the incident. I had a seat in the waiting room, and she left me there for approximately 30 minutes. She then came back and ask if my husband was there and I pointed him out. She went over to him and talked to him. I check the time and she had been speaking with him for 20:22 minutes!
She informed me she was trying to get him to drop the case. Then she left me sitting there alone again until they called the trial.
When we finally made it to the court room 1-half hour later than our scheduled time. My husband was asked to speak. When it was time for me to speak this attorney would not permit me to state my testimony. The judge made a decision based on only my husband’s testimony, which some of his testimony he lied under oath!
The outcome:
I was thrown out of my home with absolutely nothing, not able to see or visit my dogs or on OUR property for which my husband requested one year and rewarded him.This attorney said nothing! She didn’t rebuttal not once!
This entire event was a set-up my husband had be planning for months. He began violently arguing with me beginning February 2024. He wanted to break me to anger ans he had anbsndoned me ans his wife 2 years prior to this, and in June he was successful. I’d been beaten die too much verbal, mentally and emotionally!
He filed a PO and is now planning to file for a divorce.
I have been homeless since June 26, 2024 and my husband has cut off all communication access.
If this attorney would allowed me to speak I would have been able to have a chance to prove this entire charade would have been revealed!
This attorney took my home, my dogs and my life from me. It has been almost 4 months and I have no means of hiring an attorney for spousal support because the attorneys are not available or extremely expensive.
Also to mention, the judge informed my husband is to communicate with me via text messages. At NO TIME did any legal person state my husband didn’t need to answer my text messages. She never spoke up and said A word. Later, when I need to text my husband and he didn’t reply, I called this attorney and she told me (with no remorse) “oh he doesn’t have to reply he’s an adult and it’s his choice.” Why wasn’t I informed of this in the court room or I MAY ASK WHY DIDN’T SHE OBJECT AND STATE THIS RIGHT THEN IN COURT? She was paid thousands and did absolutely NOTHING! I decided to hire her because she has many 5 star reviews but these reviews must be by people she knows or friends, because she did nothing for me but place upon me grief!
So, I say to you seeking counsel and representation you better think long and seriously about hiring this attorney. SHE DESTROYED MY LIFE!!
I recently was told my husband stated in conversation “he just doesn’t have time for me!”
Isn’t a trial based on two testimonies and the determining outcome decided by the judge accordingly? Is this justice?

Tammy W.

Dragana McCleary is an excellent lawyer. She is very intelligent, respectful, & someone who you can trust. I'm extremely thankful to her for her help & guidance in choosing how to handle my situation. Her legal advice was 110% correct! Thank you to The McCleary Law Firm🙂

Amy S.

When it comes to legal matters you're likely already on edge and stressed out over the situation. I am glad we chose Mr. McCleary to help us in court.
He is extremely knowledgeable and personable.
He took great care with our case and I was pleased with the outcome.
I would recommend him to anyone. He has went above and beyond my expectations.

Brianna W.

I have worked with Dragana and Jeremy for eight years now and they have remained consistent with providing exceptional service. They are honest with potential outcomes, and make sure you are beyond prepared prior to walking into a court room by going over details of the case and making sure you understand how to present yourself in front of a judge. I will continue to use the Mccleary’s for the remainder of my children’s adolescence because they always represent what the best interest of my children are and will fight for them. I cannot thank the McCleary’s enough for all that they do!

Bernie K.

Dragana and Jeremy are both brilliant lawyers who care about their clients and I would highly recommend them to handle any matter related to family or criminal law. Both are very thoughtful and deliberate in explaining legal particulars to clients and are extremely thorough and knowledgeable. In the courtroom, they both displayed a confident presence and disposition that demanded respect and attention. I absolutely recommend this law firm.