Choosing the best criminal defense attorney in Lincoln.
If you are looking for a Lincoln criminal defense law firm, start with the question that matters most: who will actually be handling your case? I am Chris Parkhurst, Esq. I have defended criminal cases in Placer County since 1999, and my State Bar number is 203402. You work with us directly rather than with an intake team or a call center.
What that means in practice is straightforward. I read your file before I tell you what I think of it, I explain what it actually supports, and I give you the realistic range of outcomes rather than the encouraging end of it. For the detail on the charge itself, see criminal defense. To find out what happens next in your case, call.
Where a Lincoln case is heard.
Lincoln has its own police department. It does not have its own criminal court. That surprises people, and it is the single most useful thing to understand early.
Your case is filed by the Placer County District Attorney and heard at the Placer County Superior Court, in Auburn. The same court, the same prosecutor's office and the same charging practices apply as they would to a case out of Rocklin. The police department changes from city to city. The court does not.
Practically, that means your court date is in Auburn, not in Lincoln, and it means Placer County's charging practices are the ones that matter. Those are set out on the Placer County page.
Who arrested you, and where it happened.
Lincoln Police Department. 770 7th St, Lincoln, CA 95648. (916) 645-4040.
- California Highway Patrol. Highway 65, the main route through the city and the source of most local traffic stops.
- Placer County Sheriff. the surrounding unincorporated farmland and the western county area.
Lincoln has grown quickly, and most arrests here are traffic stops on Highway 65 or calls in the newer residential developments around Twelve Bridges and Sun City. The older centre around 7th Street has its own pattern. The city is at the western edge of Placer County, so the drive to either courthouse is a real consideration.
What I defend in Lincoln.
I defend the full range of charges arising out of Lincoln.
- DUI. Highway 65 accounts for most Lincoln DUI stops, and it is usually the CHP.
- Criminal defense. Defended across Placer County.
- Domestic violence. Defended across Placer County.
- Violent crimes. Defended across Placer County.
- Drug crimes. Defended across Placer County.
- Theft and property. Defended across Placer County.
- Weapons charges. Defended across Placer County.
- Sex crimes. Defended across Placer County.
- Homicide. Defended across Placer County.
- White collar. Defended across Placer County.
- Juvenile defense. Defended across Placer County.
- Licence and DMV. Defended across Placer County.
- Expungement. Defended across Placer County.
If your charge is not listed, call me. I defend all criminal charges in Placer County, and working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
Why Lincoln clients call me.
I know Placer County's courts
Lincoln cases are filed by the Placer County District Attorney and heard in Placer County, at Auburn or Roseville depending on the matter. I have been appearing in those courts since 1999.
I know the agencies that make arrests here
Lincoln PD covers the city, the CHP covers Highway 65 and the Placer County Sheriff covers the unincorporated land around it. Which one stopped you determines what records exist.
Getting to me from Lincoln
My office is in Roseville, about twenty minutes south. For most Lincoln clients that is closer than the Auburn courthouse.
Whether hiring an attorney is worth it depends on what you are facing. On a first misdemeanour with no record, there are people who reasonably handle it themselves. Where there is a felony, a prior, a professional licence or an immigration question, the consequences compound in ways that are difficult to undo. Call me and I will tell you honestly which situation you are in, and what representation would cost.
Areas I serve around Lincoln.
Lincoln sits at the western edge of Placer County, on Highway 65.
- Twelve Bridges. the largest of the newer developments, east of Highway 65.
- Sun City Lincoln Hills. the large retirement community on the western side.
- Downtown Lincoln. the older centre around 7th Street, where the police department sits.
- Highway 65 corridor. the main route through the city and the busiest enforcement area.
What a conviction can cost.
Which of these apply depends on the charge and on your record, not on the city you were arrested in.
- Custody. County jail or state prison, depending on the offence and whether it is charged as a misdemeanour or a felony.
- Probation conditions. Programmes, testing, search terms and reporting, often for years.
- A permanent record. Public and searchable, and it appears in background checks long after the sentence ends.
- Professional licensing. Boards reach their own conclusions, on their own timelines, independently of the court.
- Firearm rights. A lifetime prohibition on a felony, and a ten-year one on several misdemeanours.
- Immigration. Some convictions carry consequences far more serious than the sentence. This needs looking at before a plea.
- Employment and housing. The consequence most people feel longest, and the one discussed least in court.
What your exposure actually is depends on the count charged. That is a conversation, not a webpage.
Lincoln questions I hear most.
Is there a criminal court in Lincoln?
No. Lincoln has its own police department but no criminal court. Cases are filed by the Placer County District Attorney and heard in Auburn or Roseville. See Placer County.
I searched for a Lincoln attorney and got results in Nebraska.
That happens, and it is worth mentioning because it also affects the advertising you will see. Lincoln, Nebraska is far larger than Lincoln, California, so a great deal of search data and paid advertising for the name refers to the wrong state. This page is about Lincoln in Placer County.
I was stopped on Highway 65. Which agency was that?
On Highway 65 it is usually the California Highway Patrol rather than Lincoln PD. They keep separate records and separate footage, and the difference matters most in DUI cases. See DUI defence.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf, which matters here because the courthouse is not close. Felonies generally require your presence.
What does a criminal defence lawyer cost?
It depends on the charge, whether it is a misdemeanour or a felony, and whether the case is likely to resolve or be tried. Call and I will tell you what representation in your situation would cost before you commit to anything. For the general picture, see what a criminal defence lawyer costs in California.
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