Criminal Defense Fundraiser: Raise Money for Legal Fees

When someone you love is facing criminal charges, the financial reality hits fast. Attorney retainers, expert witnesses, court costs; it adds up before you've even had a chance to process what's happening. PayIt2 helps you collect what you need from the people who want to help.

Start a Criminal Defense Campaign
Stripe-secured • No monthly fees • Funds in 2-3 days

What Criminal Defense Actually Costs

This page provides general educational information about legal defense fundraising costs. It is not legal advice. Consult with a licensed attorney about your specific situation.

Nobody plans for this. One phone call changes everything, and suddenly you're looking at an attorney retainer of $3,000 to $25,000 depending on the charges and jurisdiction. Even a misdemeanor can run $2,500 to $10,000 once you factor in attorney hours, court fees, and required appearances.

Felony cases are a different story entirely. A contested felony typically requires 40 to 100 hours of attorney time at $150 to $500 per hour. Add expert witnesses ($2,000 to $10,000+ each), private investigation fees, discovery costs, and bail, and a serious criminal defense case can blow past $50,000 before trial even begins.

Attorney retainer
$3,000 - $25,000
Due upfront before representation begins
Bail
$5,000 - $50,000+
Set by the court. Bail bond service fees cannot be funded on PayIt2
Additional costs
$4,000 - $20,000+
Includes expert witnesses ($2K-$10K+ each), court filing fees, investigation, discovery
Total estimated cost
$10,000 - $100,000+
Straightforward felonies $10K-$25K; complex cases $50K+

There's no insurance that covers criminal defense costs. No employer benefit. No government program. No safety net. Fundraising is often the only realistic path forward, and time matters because defense costs start accruing the day charges are filed. Start your campaign now and get money moving before the first bills arrive.

This is not a theoretical use of the platform. Law firms and families have raised $2.9 million across five law firms on PayIt2, including criminal defense funds for some of the most publicized trials in the country, on campaigns that stayed up under media pressure because the platform is open, apolitical, and aligned with Stripe's acceptable use policies.

For a detailed guide on setting up a defense fund, budgeting for legal costs, and sharing privately with your network:

Read: A Family's Guide to Funding Criminal Defense

Browse all Legal Defense fundraising options

Related: Immigration Defense · Appeals & Post-Conviction

How It Works

1

Create a Campaign

Sign up and set up your campaign in minutes. Describe the situation factually; a clear explanation and a specific dollar goal based on real costs is what works. You don't need to share every detail.

2

Share Privately

Text your campaign link to family, friends, and trusted contacts first. Personal outreach works better than public posts for sensitive causes. Start with your inner circle of 10 to 25 people, then go wider once you've got some momentum.

3

Collect and Pay

Every dollar goes through Stripe's payment security. Funds deposit in 2 to 3 business days so you can pay the retainer when it's due, not weeks later.

Why PayIt2 for Criminal Defense

Open Platform

PayIt2 welcomes legal defense fundraising for virtually any lawful purpose. No content bans on criminal defense campaigns. We operate in compliance with Stripe's acceptable use policies.

Apolitical

We're not politically affiliated. Your campaign stands on its own, without the partisan associations that discourage donors on other platforms.

Professional

Clean, professional campaigns that reflect the seriousness of your case. Built for attorneys and families who need a trustworthy, no-drama platform for sensitive fundraising.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about criminal defense fundraising

Attorney retainers range from $3,000 to $25,000 depending on charge complexity. Hourly rates run $150 to $500, and even straightforward cases require 40 to 100 hours. Expert witnesses, investigation, bail, and court costs add $5,000 to $50,000+. Most contested felonies total $10,000 to $50,000; complex cases push past $100,000.
GoFundMe explicitly bans campaigns for anyone charged with violent crimes, with no exceptions regardless of context. In December 2024, they removed all Luigi Mangione defense campaigns without warning. PayIt2 welcomes legal defense fundraising for virtually any lawful purpose, operating in alignment with Stripe's acceptable use policies.
Focus on the right to legal representation, not the case details. Don't describe charges or argue guilt or innocence. Keep it to 100 to 150 words, factual and professional. State the funding goal with a specific breakdown: retainer, court costs, expert fees. This approach raises more money and avoids alienating potential donors.
For criminal defense, private sharing through personal calls, texts, and emails typically works better than public social media posts. Direct outreach to your inner circle of 10 to 25 people during the first 48 hours creates the early momentum you need. Many families use private messages rather than public posts to maintain privacy while still reaching their network.
On PayIt2, lawful legal defense fundraising is a welcomed use of the platform, not a tolerated one, and campaigns are not removed because a case is controversial or attracts media attention. The platform operates in alignment with Stripe's acceptable use policies, so the fund must be for a lawful purpose. Law firms running funds for nationally covered trials have raised $2.9 million here precisely because the campaigns stayed up.
Yes. Attorney-organized funds are common on PayIt2: the firm creates the campaign, donations route to a designated account, and the family shares one professional link instead of handling money themselves. See how firms structure this in the law firm case studies or the attorneys page. Trust accounting and fee rules vary by state bar, so the firm should confirm the arrangement fits its jurisdiction's rules.

Ready to Start Your Defense Campaign?

Set up your criminal defense campaign in minutes. No monthly fees, no hidden costs. Funds in your bank in 2 to 3 business days.

Start a Criminal Defense Campaign