Choosing the best white collar attorney in Sacramento.
If you are looking for a white collar 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 white collar and fraud defense. To find out what happens next in your case, call.
White collar charges I defend.
These are the white collar matters I handle for clients in Sacramento and across Sacramento County.
- Embezzlement. Theft by someone entrusted, which makes authorisation the central question.
- Forgery. Requires an intent to defraud rather than merely an error.
- Identity theft. Chargeable per incident, which is how counts escalate.
- Insurance fraud. Frequently referred by an insurer rather than reported by a victim.
- Elder financial abuse. Higher exposure, often where a family arrangement is disputed.
- Theft by false pretences. Reliance is an element, and therefore contestable.
- Bad checks. Requires knowledge and intent at the time.
- Grand theft. The section most financial allegations are ultimately charged through.
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 white collar case out of Sacramento:
- What the records actually show, rather than the summary prepared by the other side
- Whether the conduct is distinguishable from authorised activity or poor bookkeeping
- Where the loss figure came from and what it includes
- Whether anything was said in an internal interview before advice was taken
- Whether a professional licence is exposed
- Whether the matter can be resolved before charges are filed
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 white collar 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.
I have been asked to explain some transactions at work.
That is the most useful moment to get advice. Internal audits routinely precede any police involvement, and what is said in them becomes the foundation of the criminal case.
What is the difference between a civil dispute and criminal fraud?
Intent. A failed arrangement or poor bookkeeping can produce the same records as a fraud. What has to be established is a dishonest intent at the time.
The company says I took far more than I did.
Loss figures are usually assembled by the complaining party and frequently include amounts that are disputed or duplicated. Value drives grading, enhancement exposure and restitution together.
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 white collar 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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