Choosing the best theft attorney in Sacramento.
If you are looking for a theft attorney in Sacramento, start with the question that matters most: who will actually be handling your case? I am Chris Parkhurst, Esq. I have been defending cases in Sacramento 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 theft and property crime defense. To find out what happens next in your case, call.
Theft charges I defend.
These are the theft matters I handle for clients in Sacramento and across Sacramento County.
- Petty theft. Below the statutory threshold, and the most commonly filed offence here.
- Grand theft. Above the threshold, or specified property including firearms and vehicles.
- Burglary. Entry with intent formed beforehand. Nothing needs to be taken.
- Receiving stolen property. Requires knowledge the property was stolen, often the weakest element.
- Shoplifting. Retail loss figures are frequently given at full price rather than cost.
- Embezzlement. Theft by someone entrusted with the property.
- Identity theft. Chargeable per incident, which is how counts multiply.
- Vandalism. Graded by repair cost, supplied by the complainant and contestable.
If your charge is not listed, call me. Working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
What I look at first.
What I examine first in a theft case out of Sacramento:
- Whether intent to deprive permanently can actually be established
- Where the value figure came from, and whether it is retail or cost
- Whether knowledge that property was stolen is supported or assumed
- Whether the search that produced the property was lawful
- Whether diversion or civil compromise is available
- Whether a felony filing can be reduced under Penal Code 17(b)
None of that happens on its own. It happens because somebody asked for it early, while it still existed.
Who arrested you in Sacramento.
Sacramento Police Department. 5770 Freeport Blvd #200, Sacramento, CA 95822. (916) 808-5471.
- Sacramento County Sheriff. the unincorporated county surrounding the city, and the Main Jail where people are booked.
- California Highway Patrol. Interstate 5, Highway 50, Interstate 80 and Highway 99, which all meet in or beside the city.
- Sacramento Regional Transit police. the light rail system and the stations along it.
- Sacramento State and UC Davis Medical Center forces. their respective campuses, each with its own jurisdiction.
Sacramento is the largest city in the region and the county seat, so both the volume of cases and the machinery that handles them are concentrated here. Four major routes meet in or beside the city, and the CHP writes a large share of the traffic reports as a result. Midtown and the K Street corridor produce most of the late-night calls, the light rail system has its own transit police, and two campuses add their own forces. Which of those agencies made the arrest is the first thing worth establishing, because they do not keep records the same way.
Where a Sacramento case is heard.
A theft case arising in Sacramento is prosecuted by the Sacramento County District Attorney at 901 G St, Sacramento, CA 95814 and heard in Sacramento County. The date and location printed on your citation or release paperwork is the authority rather than anything on this page.
Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse
720 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 874-5522
How this office charges cases and what happens between arrest and arraignment is set at county level. See Sacramento County.
Areas I serve around Sacramento.
Sacramento is large, and the city boundary meets unincorporated county on several sides.
- Downtown and the court district. where the courts, the District Attorney's office, the Main Jail and my office all sit.
- Midtown and the K Street corridor. the main bar and restaurant district, and the source of most late-night arrests.
- Oak Park and Land Park. residential neighbourhoods south of the centre, policed by Sacramento PD.
- Natomas and North Sacramento. north of the river, with the Interstate 5 and Interstate 80 corridors running through.
- Arden-Arcade and the unincorporated ring. Sheriff territory rather than city police, and the boundary is not obvious.
I also cover Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, West Sacramento.
Sacramento questions I hear most.
What is the difference between petty theft and grand theft?
Value, and the type of property. Proposition 47 and Penal Code 490.2 narrowed grand theft considerably, so a great deal of what is described as grand theft is now petty theft.
Can I be charged with burglary if I did not break in?
Yes. Burglary is entry with the intent to commit theft or a felony, formed before entering. No breaking is required and nothing needs to be taken.
The store says the items were worth more than they were.
Loss figures generally come from the complainant and retail figures are often given at full price rather than at cost. Where the figure sits near a threshold it is worth testing.
Is there a criminal court in Sacramento?
Yes — Sacramento is the county seat, so the court is here.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf. Felonies generally require your presence. Which applies depends on the charge, so it is worth asking early rather than assuming.
What does defending a theft case in Sacramento 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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