Joel D. Hand

Joel Hand is an experienced and widely respected litigator who knows that one of the keys to success is building strong relationships with his clients and providing a personal touch to legal representation. Joel forged his trial skills while working as a deputy prosecutor handling cases of the highest level of complexity including many homicides, drug crimes, robberies, burglaries and even a death penalty case. Joel was Indiana's 1st Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor where he was responsible for training prosecutors and police how to properly investigate and prosecute DUI/DWI/OWI and other traffic cases.
Now Joel uses his vast experience to help individual clients like you to seek the best possible results and attain your goals. Joel is a 1995 graduate of Indiana University McKinney School of Law and a 1992 graduate of DePauw University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Secondary Education. Joel is a private solo practitioner with offices in Indianapolis and Fishers, Indiana. Previously, Joel worked for more than a decade as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Marion, Hamilton and Carroll Counties during which time he tried in excess of 100 jury trials including a Capital Murder case. For his efforts, Joel has received numerous awards and recognition including the 2007 M.A.D.D. National Prosecutor of the Year Award and the 2006 Indiana Governor’s Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year Award.
Put Joel's wealth of knowledge and experience to work for you. Call today for a FREE initial consultation.

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Indiana

Since 1995

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

Since 1995

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Since 1995

Principal/Owner

The Law Offices of Joel D. Hand

2011 - Current

Private solo practice of law concentrating in criminal defense, juvenile law, education law, family law, administrative law & legislative lobbying/government relations

Chief Deputy Prosecutor

Carroll County Prosecutor's Office

2009 - 2010

Prosecuted all misdemeanor & felony cases in Superior Court Conducted 5 jury trials, including Class A Felony Child Molest Organized, supervised and drafted procedural protocols for Indiana's 1st watercraft sobriety checkpoint Completed Reid School of Interview & Interrogation

Conflict Public Defender

Rush County Public Defender's Office

2009 - 2009

Served as contract public defender for all levels of felony & misdemeanor cases on which the Rush County Public Defender had a conflict of interest

Director of Legislative & Governmental Affairs

Indiana Department of Education

2007 - 2009

Directed the legislative initiatives of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Drafted proposed legislation and amendments Worked with legislators and legislative staff Apprised Department staff of legislative changes & proposals Coordinated & provided Department testimony at legislative hearings

Deputy Prosecutor

Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office

2006 - 2007

Supervisor of prosecutors in Superior Courts 4, 5 & 6 Conducted approximately 15 misdemeanor & felony jury trials Fatal Alcohol Crash Team Prosecutor Liaison to Hamilton County Traffic Safety Partnership Liaison to the Hamilton County Council on Alcohol & Other Drugs

Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor

Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council

2004 - 2006

Served as Indiana's 1st Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Designed curriculum for and taught numerous continuing legal education courses focused on DUI/DWI and traffic law Served as faculty at the National District Attorneys Association National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina Advocated for and helped draft DUI/DWI legislation Provided research and guidance for prosecutors and law enforcement officers throughout Indiana National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Public Service Award National District Attorneys Association Traffic Safety Prosecutor of the Year Award Indiana Criminal Justice Institute Executive Directors Award

Deputy Prosecutor

Marion County Prosecutor's Office

1996 - 2003

Prosecuted all levels of criminal offenses from traffic infractions to Capital Murder. Successfully prosecuted death penalty case of State of Indiana v. Benjamin Ritchie Created, obtained federal grant money for and supervised the Fatal Alcohol Crash Team Supervised 30+ deputy prosecutors in the misdemeanor and D Felony division Conducted more than 60 felony jury trials & hundreds of bench trials Liaison to Marion County Traffic Safety Partnership Completed crash reconstruction school Levels I & II Completed Standardized Field Sobriety Training

Legal Counsel to State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Indiana Department of Education

1995 - 1996

Administrative Law Judge Counsel to the Special Education Board of Appeals Prosecuted teacher license suspension & revocation actions Provided legal guidance and legislative and regulatory interpretation to the State Superintendent and Department of Education staff as well as local school corporations & the public

Certified Legal Intern

Hendricks County Prosecutor's Office

1993 - 1995

Complied with standing discovery orders in all criminal cases, second chair for five jury trials including murder, burglary, and DUI/DWI. First chair for numerous misdemeanor, juvenile and traffic infraction bench trials.

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

J.D. (1995) | Law

1992 - 1995

Certified Legal Intern - Hendricks County Prosecutor's Office (1993-1995)

Honors: Dean's List Client Counseling Competition - National Qualifier

Activities: Phi Alpha Delta - Hammill Chapter Co-Justice Client Counseling Competition - Co-Chair Republican Law Coalition - President Christian Legal Society Federalist Society

DePauw University

B.A. (1992) | Political Science & Secondary Education

1988 - 1992

Honors: Delta Sigma Rho - Tau Kappa Alpha - National Tournament Superior Speaker Award (1991, 1992) Delta Sigma Rho - Tau Kappa Alpha - National Tournament Excellent Speaker Award (1990) Kappa Delta Pi - Outstanding Student Teacher (1992) Margaret Nobel Lee Speech Competition Winner (1989, 1990, 1992) Dean's List

Activities: DePauw University Debate Team Delta Sigma Rho - Tau Kappa Alpha - Honorary Fraternity Kappa Delta Pi - Honorary Fraternity Political Science Club - President Indiana Federation of College Republicans - State President Internship - Office of the Vice President of the United States Internship - United States Senator Richard G. Lugar Internship - Indiana Department of Education Internship - Indiana State Senate

Client Service Award

Martindale Hubbell

2013

Responsiveness, communication, cost-effectiveness

Client Service Award

Martindale Hubbell

2012

Responsiveness, communication, cost-effectiveness

Client Service Award

Martindale Hubbell

2011

Responsiveness, communication, cost-effectiveness

Award of Appreciation

Delphi Police Department

2010

Bell Ringer for Education Award

Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction

2009

Indianapolis Bar Association

Criminal Justice Section Executive Committee

2019 - Current

Hamilton County Bar Association

Member

2006 - Current

Government Affairs Society of Indiana

Associate Member

2012 - 2019

Miles Ahead

Advisory Board Member

2011 - 2017

Activities: Helped design curriculum for the Miles Ahead Teen Safe Driving Program. Serves as a continuing advisor to Miles Ahead founders & C.E.O.

Fishers Youth Assistance Program

Board President

2014 - 2015

Activities: Serves at the inaugural president of a new not-for-profit entity to provide preventative services for at-risk youth.

Indiana's New Trial Rules, Criminal Justice Section CLE on New Trial Rules, Indianapolis

December 14, 2023

IndyBar

Review of Indiana's New Trial Rules and how they impact criminal cases.

A Former Prosecutor's Perspective on OVWI Cases, Annual DUI Seminar - 2023, Indianapolis

November 1, 2023

ICLEF

An overview of why prosecutors place such importance on impaired driving cases, the emphasis on training and what prosecutors know that you don't.

Expungements and Specialized Driving Privileges, ICLEF OVWI Seminar, Indianapolis

November 11, 2022

Indiana Continuing Legal Education Foundation

Indiana Education Legislative Update, Annual Members Meeting, Indianapolis

August 20, 2022

Indiana Coalition for Public Education

2020 K-12 Education Legislative Update, Indiana School Public Relations Association Annual Conference, Crowne Plaza Hotel

March 5, 2020

Indiana School Public Relations Association

Q. My kids are being told they can’t attend the school they been going to for the last 3 years just of where we live

September 7, 2024

A: Under Indiana law, a student has a right to attend the public school in the attendance area of the school where the child has legal settlement. Legal settlement is determined by the address where the child resides.

Based on the information you provided, because you and your children now live in Illinois, the children have no right to attend a school in Indiana. The only way that your children could attend school in Indiana is if the school agrees to accept the students and you pay for their transfer tuition. I would not expect the school in Lowell, Indiana to accept students who live in a different state. If you move back to the Lowell school district, your students would once again have legal settlement and be entitled to attend school there. ... Read More

Q. I got a ticket for a suspended license officer wrote previous owners info on ticket, can they charge me after the fact

March 4, 2024

A: Yes. The ticket itself is not the actual charge until it is reviewed and filed by the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office may catch the difference and file the charge correctly. Even if they don't, the prosecutor has the ability to dismiss and re-file the charge with the correct information once it comes to light.

Q. Is it permissible in court to request a DNA test of a hypodermic syringe for proof of innocence?

October 16, 2023

A: First, in criminal defense, it is always important to remember that the defendant does not have to prove anything. It is up to the State to prove that a defendant committed each element of a given criminal charge.

Second, the defense lawyer MAY file a motion to have evidence confiscated by the State tested by an independent laboratory. However, any such testing will be done at the defendant's expense.