About Joshua D.
Joshua D. Xerri is an attorney at Tarlton Law PLLC whose background crosses national systems of law. He began his formal legal education in the United Kingdom, earning a B.A. from Birmingham City University in 2018. He followed that with a Graduate Diploma in Law and the Bar Professional Training Certificate from Cardiff University School of Law, completed in 2020. He later moved to the United States to pursue an LL.M. in Criminal Law at Wake Forest University, concluded in 2022. Those steps map a steady progression from general legal training to specialized study in criminal law.
His career reflects that educational path. After completing the Bar Professional Training Certificate in the UK, he transitioned into practice in the United States and secured admission to practice in North Carolina and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. That combination of qualifications gives him exposure to both trial-level and appellate procedures. He has handled matters that require understanding of state criminal statutes as well as federal appellate rules.
Xerri’s work concentrates on criminal law and appellate practice. He prepares briefs for appellate courts, drafts motions for trial courts, and appears in hearings where appellate strategy matters. He approaches cases by focusing on the record, statutory text, and procedural posture. He also spends time on investigative and evidentiary issues early in a case to shape how disputes will look if they reach an appellate panel.
Colleagues and clients have found his background useful when cases raise questions that cross procedural lines or involve nuanced criminal-law issues. His education in both the U.K. and the U.S. informs how he frames legal questions and responds to opposing arguments. He is equally engaged in preparing written advocacy and in oral argument work. He also works on sentencing and post-conviction matters, where appellate considerations often overlap with trial advocacy.
At Tarlton Law PLLC, Xerri handles state and federal criminal matters and appellate work, representing clients in North Carolina and before the Fourth Circuit. He currently focuses his practice on criminal defense and appeals in those forums.
