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Find the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in San Diego

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    San Diego License Attorney

     600 B St
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: (858) 665-2455

    Website: https://www.sandiegolicense.com/ Our professional license defense law firm is founded on the premise of assisting professionals in protecting the licenses they have worked hard to obtain. We have decades of legal experience advocating for clients’ interests and defending their professional licenses. San Diego License Attorney knows the importance of protecting your license and livelihood. We have the knowledge and experience to vigorously defend your reputation.

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    Blair Defense Criminal Lawyers

     255 Broadway Ste 1740
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: (619) 357-4977

    Our San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer at Blair Defense Criminal Lawyers has over a decade of experience in criminal defense cases such as domestic violence, violent crimes, drug cases, and more. Website: https://blairdefense.com/

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    Elite Criminal Defense

     3111 Camino Del Rio N #350
    San Diego, California 92108
    United States

    Phone: 619-642-2310

    As a criminal attorney in the San Diego area, Elite Criminal Defense handles all misdemeanor and felony charges. Elite Criminal Defense is well known for the aggressive representation of clients for misdemeanor and felony DUI cases. We also handle white-collar crimes, theft-related crimes, expungements, drug offenses, domestic violence, lewd conduct, and all other criminal defense cases throughout San Diego County. We are dedicated to providing you with the most honest yet most aggressive repres

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    Bernal Law, APLC

     750 B St. Ste 1710
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 619-736-9092

    Bernal Law, APLC is headed by experienced San Diego criminal defense attorney Pedro Bernal, Esq.. Our lead criminal justice attorney served as a prosecutor for over a decade, and uses his knowledge of the prosecution to employ the most effective defense strategies for his clients. If you’ve been charged with a white-collar crime, drug possession, DUI, a violent offense, and more, Bernal Law, APLC is here to fight for your freedom. | Website: https://bernal-law.com/

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    Law Office of Nicole Irmer

     2550 Fifth Ave
    San Diego, California 92103
    United States

    Phone: (619) 237-6130

    Nicole Irmer is the Founder and Principal Attorney. She has practiced law for more than 15 years. During this time she has proven herself to be a compassionate, diligent and zealous defense attorney. She is committed to each and every client and believes that each case is as individual as the person involved. She appreciates the magnitude of stress that clients and their families are under when accused of professional wrongdoing or charged with a crime.

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    Griffin Law Office, APC

     1350 Columbia St #9th
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: (619)269-2131

    Griffin Law Office, APC located at San Diego, CA. Our attorney Mr. Griffin has represented over 900 clients as a lawyer and successfully defended nearly every type of criminal case, from first degree murder to driving under the influence. Our San Diego defense lawyers will provide you with a consultation that provides advice that can help minimize charges and either eliminate those allegations or reduce the judgments of each. Visit us : https://patrickgriffinlaw.com

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    San Diego Criminal Attorney

     Symphony Tower Llc 750 B St. #2510
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: (619) 880-5474

    Website: https://www.sandiego-criminalattorney.com/ Here at SDCA, we understand the tremendous stress, confusion, and helplessness our clients feel. Indeed, facing criminal charges can be one of the most terrifying and unnerving experiences in your life. That is why we offer a free of charge, in-person consultation, 7 days a week. We will take the time to meet our clients, answer any questions, and make sure that your questions are answered.

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    The Law Office of Bradley R Corbett, Criminal Defense Attorney

     8880 Rio San Diego Dr. Suite 800
    San Diego, California 92108
    United States

    Phone: 6198004449

    The Law Offices of Bradley R. Corbett specializes in a wide range of criminal defense cases. Whether you’re charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, your case is very important to us. We’re available 24/7, nights and weekends, to consult with you. Call (760) 208-1619 to see if you can get your charges dismissed or reduced.

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    The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC

     750 B St #2840
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 6193044696

    If you have been arrested for a serious criminal offense, you should hire a San Diego criminal defense attorney who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect your rights, freedom and future. At The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC, we believe that the mark of an effective lawyer goes far beyond their defense skills – it is about how far they are willing to go to protect your best interests.

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    El Bufete De Defensa Criminal

     3500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 308
    San Diego, California 92103
    United States

    Phone: 619-722-5858

    En El Bufete De Defensa Criminal, nuestro excepcional equipo de abogados cuenta con amplia experiencia y el conocimiento necesario para atender sus necesidades en materia legal. El alto nivel de compromiso y profesionalismo en la representación de cada uno de nuestros clientes; la atención al detalle al evaluar minuciosamente las circunstancias de cada caso en concreto, y por supuesto; la excelencia en la asesoría, procurando siempre ayudarlo a comprender sus derechos; son rasgos diferenciado.

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    George H. Ramos, Jr. & Associates

     427 C St
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 6192311830

    At George H. Ramos, Jr. & Associates, our San Diego criminal defense lawyer has the experience you need for your criminal case in California. Attorney George H. Ramos, Jr. is one of the most experienced criminal lawyers in San Diego with a deep understanding of the law. Whether you are facing charges related to drug crimes, domestic violence, or sex crimes, we can help defend your rights. Call today.

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    Law Offices of John D. Kirby, A.P.C.

     401 West A Street Suite 1150
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: (619) 557-0100

    John D. Kirby is a prominent Federal Criminal Defense Attorney, experienced San Diego Criminal Lawyer and former U.S. Federal Prosecutor defending and protecting the rights of his clients with unparalleled success. If you’re facing serious criminal charges or drug offenses we know that every detail matters and we’ll develop exceptional strategies to protect your rights and liberty.

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    Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers

     3500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 203
    San Diego, California 92103
    United States

    Phone: (855) 569-7300

    Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers is a nationally recognized federal defense law firm that handles cases throughout the United States. Our accomplished attorneys have more than 40 years of combined experience defending the rights of clients charged with drug-related offenses, white-collar crimes, fraud offenses, violent crimes, sex crimes and more, and we treat our clients with the respect and individualized attention they deserve.

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    San Diego Criminal Attorney

     750 B St Suite 2775
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 619-880-5474

    Our reputation starts with our integrity; we litigate all of our cases with professionalism. That is, we will be courteous, but firm. We will negotiate faithfully, but never back down against our clients’ interest. Our integrity is a key element of our success: other criminal justice professionals in San Diego have come to recognize us for our professionalism and zeal. They know that we mean business every time we step into court.

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    Stewart Law Group

     600 B Street Suite 2050 San Diego
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 6197024123

    The Stewart Law Group is lead by Attorney L. Marcel Stewart, who has significant trial and litigation experience at very high levels. Early in his career, he worked on the largest civil lawsuit of the time, known as the “Tobacco Litigation.” Then, he was part of a team of civil trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice, who sued the tobacco industry for civil RICO conspiracy.

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    Dod Law, APLC

     RONSON J. SHAMOUN BUILDING
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 619-814-5110

    With 14 years of experience practicing criminal defense law, Dod Ghassemkhani and his law firm Dod Law, APC, in Vista and Downtown San Diego, California, have worked on more than 6,500 criminal cases in and out of the courtroom in the San Diego area. This experience includes nearly every type of criminal case, including more than 75 jury trials and 400 preliminary hearings. Mr. Ghassemkhani also is uniquely qualified by the California State Bar to handle serious capital offenses.

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    The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC

     2214 2nd Ave
    San Diego, California 92101
    United States

    Phone: 619-234-2300

    Our criminal defense attorneys in San Diego have a proven track record of success with over 35 years of combined experience in handling criminal cases. If you have been arrested anywhere in California, we at Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong are here to help you. Contact us now at 619-268-4682 to get help immediately. || Website: https://sddefenseattorneys.com

What does a Criminal Defense Attorney do?

So what does a criminal defense attorney actually do? Many people’s conceptions about the job of a defense attorney come from what they see in movies, TV and what they read in fiction-based novels.

How much of popular media’s depiction of criminal defense work is accurate? Well that all depends. Some media outlets do a good job of replicating some of the aspects of the profession, but what you often don’t see are the more “boring” or mundane aspects of the job. Do defense attorneys make brilliant speeches at the ends of trials during their closing arguments? Yes, some attorneys adopt a more bombastic style, but that’s a rarer occurrence than movies like to let on. The truth usually is that there is no closing statement because the case settles way before a trial comes close to occurring.

Criminal defense attorneys deal mostly with the prosecutor that will be trying a case. When a person is arrested by police, it is the area’s prosecutor that decides what charges will be filed against the criminal defendant, or whether that defendant will be charged at all in the first place.  Most cases begin with some form an investigation of an allegation against criminal defendant wherein the authorities speak to witnesses and gather evidence. There are multiple directions a case can go after this preliminary investigation. The authorities can decide they need more time and continue to search for evidence or they can seek an indictment.

The initial step in a criminal investigation is often the most crucial. Most cases are made and broken at this stage. It is imperative to have adequate representation from the beginning. That’s where a criminal defense attorney’s duties kick in. Usually, a criminal defendant won’t know that they are under investigation until they are spoken to by police or actually indicted unless there was an arrest made shortly after a crime was alleged.

At this initial stage, not much information other than basic allegations will be made available to the accused which is to say that the criminal defendant may not know how much evidence there is or what witnesses may be saying. This is not to say all criminal defendants need to worry about what a witness might say or that there would be any wrongdoing or guilt assumed, just that a criminal defendant needs to be in the position to understand what is happening as they are unlikely to be the subject of a criminal investigation for no reason.

At this initial stage and throughout the criminal justice process, a criminal defendant needs guidance to know what they should and should not do. Going back to an earlier concept, most people’s knowledge of the criminal justice system is based on what they see on TV. After all, most people are aware that they should not be very talkative at any stage of this process. You may ask yourself why that is?

The simple answer is that everything you say will be scrutinized and if you happen to slightly alter your account of events in any way it may look like you are being misleading or dishonest. It could totally not be the case, people misspeak all the time and say things they do not intend or really mean, so how are you supposed to know what should be said versus what should not be? That’s were having a good attorney comes into play. The attorney is likely to tell you not to talk about the situation and all and will help you fully understand what needs to be said and done if and when you need to speak about the matter.

When would l need a Criminal Defense Attorney?

You will almost definitely know when you need a criminal defense attorney. If you have been arrested or charged with a crime you need an attorney. If police would like to speak to you about some incident, you most likely should speak to an attorney before answering any questions they may have.

The requirement of a criminal defense attorney does not stop at simple crimes. Do you have a business that is heavily regulated by the local or national government such as waste management or chemicals? If you are in a position of authority and have run afoul of certain regulations you may need to seek out a criminal attorney. Do you own a bar or establishment that serves alcohol? Are you keeping up with licensing requirements? If you are not sure, you likely need to speak with an attorney

Even if you haven’t been accused or arrested, be vigilant and discuss borderline situations with an attorney as soon as you possibly can. Whether it be a legal services clinic, the public defender, help hotline or a private criminal defense attorney, feel free to reach out to a criminal defense attorney if the need arises.

Signs you need to speak to a Criminal Defense Attorney

  • You have been arrested
  • Police are requesting to speak with you about a criminal incident
  • You had a criminal record at an early age and what to see if the conviction record is eligible for expungement (record clearing).

How do you choose a Criminal Defense Attorney?

The first thing you need to do is understand the process and determine your means. Often people ask a very crucial question about the ability to pay large amounts for an attorney. People wonder if they need to do this in order to secure successful results. Does the money you spend matter?

This is a complicated matter and depends on many factors including the severity of the charges and your ability to pay. After all, every person’s budget is not the same and all attorneys do not charge the same amounts for their services. However, the stakes of criminal charges often warrant the expense. If you have a major felony allegation on your hands it would only make sense to find the most experienced criminal defense attorney you can find. On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a parking ticket, you may have more options available.

Determine Your Needs

As mentioned above you need to determine what the stakes are. Felony charges come with possibly significant jail time. Misdemeanor charges can also result in jail time , so keep that in mind.  Moreover, you will want to find a criminal defense attorney that has dealt with your type of situation before. You need to know what cases the attorney has taken and what the results they have obtained.

Research Online

Start researching a few local attorneys to see which ones have the most experience in criminal defense.  You should also takes steps to see what local criminal defense attorneys think about your selected attorney. Sites like martindale.com and avvo.com provide peer review resources as well as lawyer directories to help narrow your search.

Check the State Bar Association’s Website for any Disciplinary History

Every state bar association has a disciplinary board that keeps track of all disciplinary actions taken against an attorney in their jurisdiction. These disciplinary actions stem from unethical acts taken by attorney such as misappropriating client funds or unethical practices during their practice of law. While it’s true that there are some attorneys that run afoul of the rules, most do not. You should free to look up the names of any attorneys that you are considering consulting with to see if and what disciplinary actions have been taken against them.

Schedule an Appointment with a Criminal Defense Attorney

Finally, the easiest step, you need to make an appointment to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. If you have already been arrested you may need assistance in a search. You will get appointed a public defender in the meantime, which is not a problem. They will handle your case appropriately and can later be replaced by one of your choosing.

If you are free to search for an attorney or anticipate an imminent criminal issue, you need to conduct your search quickly. As was discussed earlier, the earlier you can have an attorney with you the better. The defense attorney will be able to explain the process and help you understand what can be a frightening and tense situation.