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

The RegistryCounty Record · California

Criminal Defense Lawyers in Merced County, California

Searching for a criminal defense lawyer in Merced 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.

A San Joaquin Valley county where dairy and row-crop agriculture anchor the economy and UC Merced, opened in 2005, is the University of California's newest campus; the courthouse sits in the city of Merced. Venue for most criminal defense matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Merced, seated at Merced.

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 Merced 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 Merced.

County seat: Merced

Main courthouse: Ogletree Jr. Courthouse, 2260 N Street, Merced, CA 95340

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: www.merced.courts.ca.gov

Criminal Defense · Merced County roster

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

The roster concentrates in Merced (51), Los Banos (4), Atwater (2) and Gustine (1).

1 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 1, 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 1971 to 2026.

The employers most represented here are Merced County Public Defender (6), Merced County District Attorney's Office (5) and Merced County Public Defender's Office (4).

Have a criminal defense matter? Submit your case for review.

Open a free case file, choose how attorneys may contact you, and review any terms they send. You decide whom to contact and whether to proceed.

In the last 30 days attorneys have read 11 filed matters on the registry.

Submit your case for review

Legal information, not legal advice

Criminal Defense matters in Merced 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

Related counsel in Merced County

Immigration Lawyers in Merced County8 C.F.R. § 1003.38All practice areas in Merced CountyCounty record

Criminal Defense in nearby counties

Criminal Defense in Stanislaus County138 attorneysCriminal Defense in Mariposa County4 attorneysCriminal Defense in Madera County50 attorneysCriminal Defense in Fresno County351 attorneysCriminal Defense in San Benito County16 attorneysCriminal Defense in Santa Clara County605 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.

Read the record. Then decide.

Describe your matter once, review the verified records, and place the call; the choice is always yours.

Find Your Counsel

279,000+ attorney records · 58 counties · Official State Bar records