Indexed from official State Bar of California records · Identity verification · Updated regularly

The RegistryCounty Record · California

Criminal Defense Lawyers in Contra Costa County, California

Searching for a criminal defense lawyer in Contra Costa County? Counsel for the accused: from arraignment through trial and record clearance. This page indexes the county's criminal defense coverage from the State Bar of California's official roll, with identity-verification markers where available.

An East Bay county of more than a million residents stretching from the Carquinez Strait refineries to the Highway 4 and 680 suburbs; the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez anchors its civil calendars. Venue for most criminal defense matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa, seated at Martinez.

Deadlines shape these cases before merits do · most misdemeanors: one year to charge; most felonies: three years (Cal. Penal Code §§ 799–802). Charging deadlines scale with the offense: crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment, and embezzlement of public money, may be prosecuted at any time (Cal. Penal Code § 799). After arrest, arraignment must generally occur within 48 hours (Cal. Penal Code § 825).

This page is the Contra Costa County chapter of the registry's statewide record · Criminal Defense Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

Most misdemeanors: one year to charge; most felonies: three years.

Cal. Penal Code §§ 799–802

Charging deadlines scale with the offense: crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment, and embezzlement of public money, may be prosecuted at any time (Cal. Penal Code § 799). After arrest, arraignment must generally occur within 48 hours (Cal. Penal Code § 825).

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa.

County seat: Martinez

Main courthouse: Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, 725 Court Street, Martinez, CA 94553

Help with forms without a lawyer: the court's self-help center (source: The court's official website, read 2026-09-27).

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: contracosta.courts.ca.gov

Criminal Defense · Contra Costa County roster

341 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list criminal defense among their practice areas with an address of record in Contra Costa County.

326 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.

The roster concentrates in Martinez (169), Walnut Creek (56), Richmond (26) and Lafayette (15).

7 hold a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist designation, a certification issued by the State Bar's Board of Legal Specialization, and not a rating or a ranking.

For 3, the registry records a language other than English, almost always from a firm website published in that language; that describes the website, not an attorney's own ability.

Admission years on this roster run from 1966 to 2025.

The employers most represented here are Contra Costa County Public Defender (28), Contra Costa County District Attorney (26) and Contra Costa District Attorney (12).

The full Contra Costa County roster · 326 attorneys with an active license and a criminal defense practice area: is listed by surname in the 2 sections below.

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Criminal Defense matters in Contra Costa County

The matters this field covers, as Californians search for them. Each attorney's own profile states which of these they take.

  • felony charges
  • misdemeanor charges
  • drug possession and sales charges
  • theft, burglary and robbery charges
  • assault and battery charges
  • weapons and gun charges
  • domestic violence charges
  • homicide and murder charges
  • sex crime charges
  • fraud and white-collar charges
  • gang-related charges
  • arson charges
  • warrants and bail
  • probation violations
  • expungement and record sealing
  • juvenile matters

From the answer files

Can I get a conviction expunged in California?Cal. Penal Code § 1203.4How long does California have to file criminal charges?Cal. Penal Code §§ 799–802How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in California?Cal. Penal Code § 987

Every criminal defense attorney in Contra Costa County, by surname

Abea – Katz163 attorneysKessler – Zelis163 attorneys

Related counsel in Contra Costa County

Civil Rights Attorneys in Contra Costa County42 U.S.C. § 1983 / Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1Immigration Lawyers in Contra Costa County8 C.F.R. § 1003.38All practice areas in Contra Costa CountyCounty record

Criminal Defense in nearby counties

Criminal Defense in Solano County126 attorneysCriminal Defense in Sacramento County758 attorneysCriminal Defense in San Joaquin County192 attorneysCriminal Defense in Alameda County653 attorneysCriminal Defense in San Francisco County1,004 attorneysCriminal Defense in Marin County138 attorneysCriminal Defense Lawyers in CaliforniaStatewide record

Source: Cal. Penal Code §§ 799–802 · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.

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