Choosing the best criminal defense attorney in Lodi.
If you are looking for a Lodi 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 San Joaquin 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 Lodi case is heard.
Lodi 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 San Joaquin County District Attorney and heard at the Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, in Stockton. The same court, the same prosecutor's office and the same charging practices apply as they would to a case out of Stockton. The police department changes from city to city. The court does not.
Practically, that means your court date is in Stockton, not in Lodi, and it means San Joaquin County's charging practices are the ones that matter. Those are set out on the San Joaquin County page.
Who arrested you, and where it happened.
Lodi Police Department. 215 W Elm St, Lodi, CA 95240. (209) 333-6727.
- California Highway Patrol. Highway 99 and Highway 12, which cross just outside the city.
- San Joaquin County Sheriff. the surrounding vineyards and unincorporated farmland.
Lodi sits on Highway 99 in the middle of wine country, and that shapes its enforcement pattern. Downtown around School Street produces late-night calls, the tasting rooms and events in the surrounding county produce their own share of DUI allegations, and Highway 99 produces the traffic stops. Outside the city limits it is Sheriff territory, and the boundary is not obvious among the vineyards.
What I defend in Lodi.
I defend the full range of charges arising out of Lodi.
- DUI. Wine country events and Highway 99 between them account for most Lodi DUI allegations.
- Criminal defense. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Domestic violence. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Violent crimes. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Drug crimes. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Theft and property. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Weapons charges. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Sex crimes. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Homicide. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- White collar. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Juvenile defense. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Licence and DMV. Defended across San Joaquin County.
- Expungement. Defended across San Joaquin County.
If your charge is not listed, call me. I defend all criminal charges in San Joaquin County, and working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
Why Lodi clients call me.
I know San Joaquin County's courts
Lodi cases are filed by the San Joaquin County District Attorney and heard in Stockton, about twenty minutes south. I have been appearing in San Joaquin County since 1999.
I know the agencies that make arrests here
Lodi PD covers the city, the CHP covers Highway 99 and Highway 12, and the Sheriff covers the vineyards. At a winery event just outside the city it is likely to be the Sheriff rather than Lodi PD.
Getting to me from Lodi
My offices are in Sacramento and Roseville, about forty minutes north on Highway 99. The court itself is in Stockton, to the south.
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 Lodi.
Lodi is surrounded by unincorporated vineyard country.
- Downtown and School Street. the historic centre and the main late-night area.
- Kettleman Lane. the main east-west commercial corridor.
- Highway 99 frontage. where most traffic stops originate.
- Surrounding wine country. unincorporated and Sheriff-policed, with a seasonal event pattern.
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.
Lodi questions I hear most.
Is there a criminal court in Lodi?
No. Lodi has its own police department but no criminal court. Cases are filed by the San Joaquin County District Attorney and heard in Stockton. See San Joaquin County.
I was arrested at a winery outside Lodi.
Outside the city limits it is likely a San Joaquin County Sheriff arrest rather than Lodi PD, and the boundary is not obvious among the vineyards. The case is still filed by the same District Attorney and heard in Stockton, but the report comes from a different agency.
Lodi is close to Sacramento County. Which court applies?
The court follows where the arrest happened. An arrest in Lodi goes to San Joaquin County and is heard in Stockton. A few miles north and it is Sacramento County instead, with a different prosecutor and a different court.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf. 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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