Q: My Case is Really Minor, Do I Need an Attorney?
A: Even the smallest charges can come back to haunt you. Often, the "small charges" are the easiest to beat. DAs do not want to take these cases to trial. Juries do not want to be bothered with "petty" things that force them to miss work, get childcare for their kids or miss an important trip or business appointment. DAs know this. It's called having no "jury appeal."

Q: What if I am in Custody and I Want to Hire You?
A: In some circumstances we can appear for you once "specially," which means that we are not yet your attorney and are only standing in as a "friend of the court." After that, you can try to get a family or friend to visit our office to discuss hiring us to represent you.

Q: What if I Already Have an Attorney?
A: You are permitted to hire and/or fire your attorney at any time.

Q: Is there a Difference Between Jail and Prison?
A: There is a big difference. Jail is served locally at the main facility. This is the place where the police take you right after you pick up a DUI or get in a bar fight or get caught with drugs. Prison is San Quentin, Pelican Bay, Folsom. This is where the state incarcerates the much more serious violators of the law. There are many alternatives to jail that the DA may not even inform you about. These include non-custody labor (orange vest on the side of the road picking up trash), EMP (which is house arrest) and community service.

Q: How Does Bail Work?
A: A judge will set your bail at the beginning of your case. In order to get a bail bondsman to post your bail you typically have to pay them 10% of the bail amount. This is a non-refundable payment (it's how they make money) and in exchange they post the remaining amount with the court to ensure that you show up for future court appearances. If the judge sets bail at $10,000, then you would have to pay the bail bondsman $1,000 and they will then post the bond for you. If you fail to come to court, then the bail is forfeited (the court takes $10,000 from the bondsman). That means the bondsman will come looking for you, because he has about 6 months to return you to custody and get his $10,000 back.