About Stephen H Carpenter
Stephen H Carpenter Jr. trained in foreign affairs before turning to law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and later took his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law, receiving a J.D. in 1995. He is also enrolled in an LL.M. program at Georgetown University Law Center, a credential currently pending.
His early career began in private criminal defense. In 1995 he worked at Carpenter Law Office handling criminal matters. Four years later he joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, serving as both trial counsel and trial defense counsel. That period gave him courtroom experience in military justice at multiple levels.
After uniformed service he moved into public sector prosecution. In 2004 he served as an Assistant Attorney General in Washington State. He later returned to private practice and to roles that intersected with military law. By 2007 he was a senior associate at Blankenship Law Office and in 2008 listed as a court-martial defense lawyer with Court & Carpenter, PC.
Carpenter’s practice crosses federal and military lines. He holds admissions in Washington and Oregon, and he is admitted to practice before the Federal Circuit. His memberships in military appellate bars include the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (since 2003), the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals (since 2010) and the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals (since 2012). He is also listed on the Military Commissions Civilian Panel for Guantánamo Bay, a registration that dates from 2010.
Professional education and certification have been a feature of his career. He completed Criminal Trial Advocacy training through the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also participated in bar-affiliated groups that provide legal assistance to military personnel; he served as Chair-Elect of the Legal Assistance to Military Personnel Section of the Washington State Bar for 2011–2012.
Today he is associated with Court & Carpenter, PC. His caseload has included court-martial defense and other criminal matters that involve both civilian and military jurisdictions. He represents clients before state courts, federal appellate tribunals, and military appellate courts, and he continues work on his LL.M. at Georgetown.
He currently practices at Court & Carpenter, PC, handling criminal defense and military justice matters, including appellate work.
