About Joseph Alexander
Joseph Alexander Paletta built his legal foundation at Washington & Lee University, where he earned a B.S. in European History in 1982. He continued his studies at Duquesne University School of Law and received his J.D. in 1985. Those academic years set the stage for a career centered in Pennsylvania courtrooms.
Soon after law school, Paletta moved into the public side of criminal defense. In 1985 he served as General Trial Counsel for the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender. That same year he opened a private practice under his own name, Joseph A. Paletta, Esq., and began handling cases in the region. He has balanced public service and private practice throughout his professional life.
Paletta’s courtroom work expanded into judicial and administrative roles. In 1987 a judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania appointed him as a special master. A few years later, in 1990, he joined the arbitration board for the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. Those positions added procedural and oversight responsibilities to his trial work and exposed him to a wider array of dispute-resolution settings.
Outside the courtroom he has been active in professional organizations. He is a founding member of the American Association of Premier DUI Lawyers and a current member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Locally, he serves on the Executive Counsel for the Criminal Litigation Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association. Early in his career he held membership in the Association of Trial Lawyers of America during the mid-1980s. Martindale-Hubbell lists him as 100% Recommended.
Throughout his career Paletta has focused on criminal litigation. His record includes trial advocacy, representation in DUI-related matters, and participation in arbitration and special-master proceedings. He has worked in public defense and private practice, giving him experience on both sides of criminal courtroom dynamics.
In practice today Paletta continues to operate under the name Joseph A. Paletta, Esq., representing clients in Pennsylvania courts and handling criminal and DUI matters. His current practice concentrates on criminal defense and DUI representation.
