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

The RegistryCounty Record · California

Criminal Defense Attorneys in San Mateo County, California

Looking for a criminal defense lawyer near you in San Mateo County? Explore the county record for criminal defense attorneys on the State Bar of California's official roll and review each profile for yourself.

The Peninsula county between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, home to San Francisco International Airport and the headquarters of several major technology companies; the Hall of Justice in Redwood City anchors its civil calendars. The court of record is the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo · counsel who appear there regularly read the local calendar better than any brochure.

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 San Mateo County chapter of the registry's statewide record · Criminal Defense Attorneys 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 San Mateo.

County seat: Redwood City

Main courthouse: Southern Branch: Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063

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: sanmateo.courts.ca.gov

Criminal Defense · San Mateo County roster

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

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

The roster concentrates in Redwood City (121), San Mateo (16), Menlo Park (10) and S San Fran (10).

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 7, 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 1969 to 2025.

The employers most represented here are San Mateo County District Attorney (14), San Mateo District Attorney's Office (6) and San Mateo County District Attorney's Ofc (4).

The full San Mateo County roster · 193 attorneys with an active license and a criminal defense practice area: is listed by surname in the 1 sections below.

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

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Legal information, not legal advice

Criminal Defense matters in San Mateo 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 San Mateo County, by surname

Aaron – Zelinger193 attorneys

Related counsel in San Mateo County

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

Criminal Defense in nearby counties

Criminal Defense in San Francisco County1,004 attorneysCriminal Defense in Alameda County653 attorneysCriminal Defense in Santa Clara County605 attorneysCriminal Defense in Santa Cruz County119 attorneysCriminal Defense Attorneys 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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