For criminal defense attorneys, winning cases is more than a legal victory. It’s an opportunity to build authority, trust, and search visibility. Case results can be leveraged to improve rankings, increase conversions, and drive higher-quality leads—but only if done with precision and compliance. Many lawyers avoid publishing case outcomes for fear of violating state bar rules. The truth is, when done properly, case results can become powerful SEO assets that comply with legal ethics.
To transform wins into long-term marketing value, criminal defense lawyers must take a structured, ethical, and content-driven approach. Here’s how to turn courtroom success into client-generating SEO content.
The first step to using a case win for SEO is to document key details while the result is fresh. It’s not enough to say “charges dismissed.” You need the type of context that search engines and prospective clients are looking for. This includes the criminal charge, jurisdiction, general facts of the case, and the strategy used.
The goal is not to reveal private or identifying client information. Instead, anonymize your content by removing names, exact dates, or other personal identifiers. Focus on the legal challenge, the outcome, and how you helped. Write it like a news recap, not a personal narrative.
Start with a clear headline that includes the charge and the jurisdiction: “Client Facing Felony Drug Charges in Chicago Sees All Charges Dismissed.”
Then, structure the body of your case result using natural language that includes high-intent keywords. Phrases like “Chicago drug defense lawyer,” “possession with intent dismissed,“ or “Cook County criminal defense attorney“ should occur organically. Explain:
This kind of detail provides Google with rich context while helping visitors see your value. Most importantly, use caution with language. Avoid promising future results or using overly promotional language. Words like “guaranteed“ or “best” can violate bar rules and turn away cautious clients.
Once your case summary is drafted, optimize the page structure so that both Google and potential clients can easily find and interact with the content. This means placing the case result in a dedicated “Case Results“ section or blog category with clear URLs and interlinking.
Your case results should not be buried within other content. Each one should have its own standalone page that can rank independently in search results. For instance:
/case-results/dui-dismissed-cook-county
On that page, include:
You can also enhance the page with rich media. Consider adding a short video summary of the win or an audio clip discussing the defense strategy. Google indexes multimedia and gives preference to rich content that increases engagement.
Client privacy must always come first. If your client consents in writing, you can use initials or paraphrased client feedback. Otherwise, all details should be kept anonymous and general enough to protect the individual’s identity.
Search engines value fresh, detailed, and unique content. Case results tick all those boxes. They add depth to your site, build topical authority, and serve as proof of your legal skill.
Structured data helps Google better understand and present your case results in search results. When properly implemented, schema markup can increase your visibility by making your listings eligible for enhanced features like rich snippets.
For law firms, consider using schema types such as:
Work with your web developer or SEO provider to embed this schema into your site code. Mark up elements like the type of service, outcome, case location, and date (if anonymized). For example, “CriminalDefense“ as a legal service in Cook County with a description like “Client faced Class 2 Felony Drug Possession; charges dismissed.”
By adding schema, your firm may appear in search results with star ratings, FAQs, or case types, which increases the click-through rate. These technical details matter, especially when local competition is high.
Adding structured data doesn’t replace good content, but it amplifies it. The clearer you make your site’s data to search engines, the easier it becomes to stand out.
One Chicago-based criminal defense firm began publishing anonymized case results for every major win. Each result was 400 to 600 words long, focused on specific charges, and included the jurisdiction. They published 4 to 6 results per month on individual URLs linked to relevant practice area pages.
After 6 months, their website traffic from non-branded organic search increased by 72%. More importantly, their contact form submissions more than doubled.
One example that ranked well: “Client’s Domestic Battery Charges Dismissed After Motion to Quash Arrest Filed.“ This page ranked for terms like “domestic battery dismissed Chicago“ and “motion to quash arrest defense attorney.”
They also saw indirect benefits. Google began ranking their main practice pages higher due to increased internal linking and time on site. Their case results built trust with site visitors, who often cited those pages during consultations.
The firm carefully avoided ethics violations by not making promises or using client names. The results spoke for themselves. With consistency and structure, their legal wins became an engine for inbound growth.
Yes, as long as you don’t disclose private client details without consent or make guarantees of outcomes. Keep the language factual, anonymized, and compliant with your state bar’s advertising rules.
Aim for at least 400 words per case summary. This gives you room to explain the charge, strategy, outcome, and legal significance while naturally including relevant keywords and search phrases.
Avoid subjective claims. Instead, focus on objective facts and keyword-rich phrasing like “Chicago criminal defense attorney“ or “felony possession charges dismissed.”
Yes. When published on unique URLs and structured properly, case results add fresh, relevant content that improves topical authority and internal link strength—both of which benefit your site’s SEO.
Consistency matters more than volume. Aim for at least two per month to build momentum and demonstrate ongoing activity to both users and search engines.
If you’re ready to turn your courtroom success into online visibility and real leads, FORWARD Lawyer Marketing is here to help. Our legal SEO team works exclusively with criminal defense firms to create compliant, high-impact content that ranks, builds trust, and generates consultations.
We offer full content writing, on-page optimization, and schema implementation tailored to your practice areas and jurisdiction.
Contact FORWARD Lawyer Marketing at (888) 590-9687 for your free consultation with marketing experts and discover how your case wins can drive consistent growth without ever crossing the ethical line.
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