J. Patrick Nelson

J. Patrick Nelson is an Illinois attorney and solo practitioner with The Law Office of J. Patrick Nelson, PC in Wheaton. His practice focuses on family law, criminal defense, and juvenile matters, with extensive experience handling contested cases in court. He has worked within several parts of the Illinois legal system since beginning his legal career in 1999. His courtroom background includes years of criminal defense and family litigation, allowing him to represent clients facing difficult disputes involving their families, freedom, finances, driving privileges, and criminal records.

Patrick earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Bradley University and a J.D. from The John Marshall Law School. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1999. His education in criminal justice, sociology, and law provided a foundation for a career involving courtroom advocacy, client counseling, and the evaluation of complicated family and criminal matters. After law school, he worked in public defense and private practice before establishing his own law office in 2010.

Patrick has a family law practice that includes divorce, child custody, visitation, child support, maintenance and alimony, allocation of assets and debts, qualified domestic relations orders, modification of support or maintenance, orders of protection, paternity matters, and DCFS abuse and neglect cases. His criminal practice covers DUI, traffic violations, domestic violence, felonies, misdemeanors, juvenile delinquency, driver’s license reinstatement proceedings, and expungement matters. He draws on years of litigation experience when preparing cases, negotiating disputed issues, presenting evidence, and representing clients during contested hearings and trials.

J. Patrick Nelson served as a Senior Assistant Public Defender with the DuPage County Public Defender’s Office and as an Assistant Public Defender in Knox County before entering solo practice. He later worked as an associate attorney with Beck, Houlihan & Scott, P.C. and was a partner with McDonough, Casey, Nelson, Holman & Sullivan, LLP. His background has given him substantial exposure to criminal proceedings, family disputes, juvenile matters, and courtroom litigation. He continues to represent clients from his Wheaton office, combining decades of legal experience with a practice centered on family law, criminal defense, and juvenile cases throughout DuPage County and surrounding Illinois communities.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, The Law Office of J. Patrick Nelson, PC
• Member, Illinois Bar Association
• Member, DuPage County Bar Association

Licensed State

• Illinois

Education

• John Marshall Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Bradley University
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges