Choosing the best criminal defense attorney in West Sacramento.
If you are looking for a West Sacramento 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 Yolo 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 West Sacramento case is heard.
West Sacramento 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 Yolo County District Attorney and heard at the Superior Court of California, County of Yolo, in Woodland. The same court, the same prosecutor's office and the same charging practices apply as they would to a case out of Sacramento. The police department changes from city to city. The court does not.
Practically, that means your court date is in Woodland, not in West Sacramento, and it means Yolo County's charging practices are the ones that matter. Those are set out on the Yolo County page.
Who arrested you, and where it happened.
West Sacramento Police Department. 550 Jefferson Blvd, West Sacramento, CA 95605. (916) 617-4900.
- California Highway Patrol. Interstate 80 and Highway 50, and the bridges crossing into Sacramento.
- Sacramento Police Department. immediately across the river, which is a different city, a different county and a different court.
The single most important fact about a West Sacramento arrest is that it is a Yolo County case, not a Sacramento County one, even though the city sits directly across the river from downtown Sacramento. People are regularly surprised to find their court date is in Woodland rather than a few minutes from where they were arrested. Arrests concentrate along West Capitol Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard, and on the bridge approaches.
What I defend in West Sacramento.
I defend the full range of charges arising out of West Sacramento.
- DUI. Defended across Yolo County.
- Criminal defense. Defended across Yolo County.
- Domestic violence. Defended across Yolo County.
- Violent crimes. Defended across Yolo County.
- Drug crimes. Defended across Yolo County.
- Theft and property. Defended across Yolo County.
- Weapons charges. Defended across Yolo County.
- Sex crimes. Defended across Yolo County.
- Homicide. Defended across Yolo County.
- White collar. Defended across Yolo County.
- Juvenile defense. Defended across Yolo County.
- Licence and DMV. Defended across Yolo County.
- Expungement. Defended across Yolo County.
If your charge is not listed, call me. I defend all criminal charges in Yolo County, and working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
Why West Sacramento clients call me.
I know Yolo County's courts
West Sacramento cases are filed by the Yolo County District Attorney and heard in Woodland, about twenty-five minutes north west. Not in Sacramento, which is five minutes away across the bridge. I appear in both counties.
I know the agencies that make arrests here
West Sacramento PD covers the city. Cross the Tower Bridge and it is Sacramento Police, a different county and a different court. Where exactly the arrest happened matters more here than almost anywhere else I cover.
Getting to me from West Sacramento
My office is in Sacramento, minutes across the river, though the court itself is in Woodland.
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 West Sacramento.
West Sacramento faces downtown Sacramento across the river, but it is a different county.
- West Capitol Avenue. the main commercial corridor and the busiest enforcement area.
- Bridge District and the riverfront. closest to downtown Sacramento, and where the confusion about jurisdiction usually arises.
- Jefferson Boulevard. the main north-south route through the city.
- Southport. the residential area south of the deep water channel.
Nearby, I also cover Sacramento, Davis, Woodland.
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.
West Sacramento questions I hear most.
Is West Sacramento in Sacramento County?
No. West Sacramento is in Yolo County. The river is the county line, so an arrest here is filed by the Yolo County District Attorney and heard in Woodland, not in Sacramento. This surprises people constantly, and it changes the prosecutor, the court and the practices that apply. See Yolo County.
I was arrested on the bridge. Which county is that?
It depends where on the bridge, and it is worth establishing precisely, because the two ends are different counties with different District Attorneys. Sacramento Police and West Sacramento Police are separate agencies with separate records.
Why is my court date in Woodland when I was arrested five minutes from downtown?
Because jurisdiction follows the county, not the distance. Woodland is the Yolo County seat, so every case from this city goes there. See Woodland.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf, which matters here because the court 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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