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2024

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Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Riverside

Our Recommended Top 19

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Riverside Criminal Defense Attorneys on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

231Reviewed

146Curated

19Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

3600 Lime Street, Suite 216 – 230, Riverside, CA 92501
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (88)
Avvo
4.9 (36)
Yelp
5.0 (33)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Kirk Tarman & Associates serves clients in Riverside and the neighboring areas. It provides aggressive legal representation to individuals who are facing criminal charges, such as assault, battery, kidnapping, and manslaughter. It also handles expungement proceedings and Proposition 47 re-sentencing. Attorney Kirk M. Tarman uses a hands-on approach when handling cases. This involves conducting investigative research, gathering pieces of evidence, interviewing witnesses, and challenging the prosecutor's defense. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

  • Juvenile Crimes
  • Expungement
  • DWI/DUI
  • Assault
  • Drug Crimes

422 E Ramsey St, Suite 101-B, Banning, CA 92220
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (69)

Why choose this provider?

Southwest Legal has been offering legal services for individuals in Riverside facing anxiety and the uncertainty of criminal arrests, investigations, and charges since 1991. Its team of attorneys handles various criminal defense matters, including assault and battery, domestic violence, drug and gun offenses, hit and run, and theft. They also represent drivers accused of DUI charges. Additionally, they assist victims and families in filing personal injury claims following tragic accidents that lead to injuries or death.

  • Criminal Defense
  • Drug Crimes
  • Federal Crime
  • Hit and Run
  • Domestic Violence
  • Assault and Battery
  • Gun Crimes
  • Probation Violation
  • Theft

402 W Broadway #400, San Diego, CA 92101
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (188)
Google
5.0 (98)
Yelp
5.0 (16)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Shaffer Cormell caters to clients in Riverside and the surrounding areas. Its main practice area is criminal defense, handling cases related to DUI, drug abuse, theft, and probation violations. Legal guidance for people seeking record expungement is also available. Shaffer T. Cormell retains memberships with the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the California Public Defenders Association. He has over 28 years of legal experience and is a former Judge Pro Tempore.

  • Gun Crimes
  • Drug Crimes
  • Domestic Violence
  • Probation Violation
  • Theft
  • Federal Crime
  • Hit and Run
  • Assault and Battery
  • Criminal Defense

4229 Main St Ste A, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.6 (95)
Google
4.6 (52)
Yelp
5.0 (20)

Why choose this provider?

Wallin & Klarich, A Law Corporation is a criminal defense firm located in Riverside and serving the Southern California region. Founded in 1981, it represents clients charged with misdemeanors and felonies, including driving under the influence, sex crimes, assault, burglary, robbery, and murder. The firm's attorneys have successfully represented clients at the state and federal levels. They subpoena evidence, including the arresting officer's report and body-cam footage, conduct witness and expert interviews, and analyze data in defense of their clients.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Stephen Klarich - Founding PartnerActive43 yrs
Matthew Wallin - PartnerActive16 yrs
Paul Wallin - Founding PartnerActive47 yrs

325 W. Hospitality Lane Suite 212, San Bernardino, CA 92408
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (10)
Yelp
5.0 (4)
Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of James McGee provides legal representation to individuals in Riverside charged with criminal offenses. Its principal attorney, James McGee, handles complex violent crimes such as arson, assault, rape, homicide, and murder. In addition, the firm defends clients accused of white-collar crimes, including insurance fraud, forgery, embezzlement, and identity theft. James McGee has been a lawyer for 20 years. Before transitioning into private practice, McGee worked as a prosecutor for over 12 years. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

  • Domestic Violence
  • Drug Crimes

7095 Indiana Ave Ste 200, Riverside, CA 92506

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.7 (17)
Avvo
4.6 (11)
Yelp
3.5 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Grech & Packer is a criminal defense attorney's office that serves clients in Riverside and the surrounding areas. The firm represents clients who are facing DUI, domestic violence, drug, sex, federal, and white-collar crime charges. It assesses the charges to help uncover flaws or inconsistencies and develops a strategy to protect the rights of their clients. Grech & Packer also handles civil rights cases. They have more than 50 years of combined legal experience.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Trenton Packer - PartnerActive19 yrs
Paul Grech - PartnerActive42 yrs

3600 Lime St Ste 424, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

My Rights Law Group - Criminal & DUI Attorneys provides legal services in Riverside and Southern California. Its criminal defense attorneys represent clients charged with drug possession, criminal threats, assault & battery, domestic violence, burglary & robbery, extortion, vandalism, and prostitution. Additionally, the firm defends clients charged with driving under the influence. In each misdemeanor or felony case, the legal team fully investigates the circumstances, including a review of the arresting officer's report and body-cam video footage to protect clients' rights.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Evan Vargas - MemberActive20 yrs
Bobby Shamuilian - Founding AttorneyActive12 yrs
Arie Shamuilian - AssociateActive5 yrs
Bobby Shamuilian - FounderActive12 yrs

6809 Indiana Ave #153, Riverside, CA 92506

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (50)
Facebook
5.0 (9)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Attorney Skip Allen Feild is a firm that caters to clients in Riverside. It provides legal assistance to individuals facing disputes like attempted murder, domestic violence, drug charges, assault, theft, and embezzlement. In addition, its attorneys handle cases concerning hit and run accidents due to reckless navigating and driving with revoked and suspended licenses. They also defend clients people with white-collar crimes. The legal firm has more than two decades of combined legal experience in criminal law.

  • DWI/DUI
  • Arraignment

3890 11th Street, Suite 201, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (55)
Avvo
5.0 (17)

Why choose this provider?

Barraza Law serves clients in the Riverside metro. Its lawyers provide assistance to individuals facing criminal offenses, including traffic violations, assault and battery, DUI, murder, misdemeanors, and drug possession. The firm analyzes the case to educate the clients about the filed charges, provides a suitable strategy to help protect their rights, and negotiates with the prosecutor to help minimize the possible consequences they may face. Barraza Law extends its services to Temecula, Anaheim, and Irvine.

3801 University Avenue, Suite 265, Riverside, CA 92501
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (13)
Avvo
5.0 (13)
Yelp
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

The Lin Law Office Inc. delivers legal solutions to individuals in Riverside. The criminal defense firm counsels and represents clients facing criminal charges. It handles cases involving gang, gun, and sex crimes. It guides clients in navigating domestic violence, expungement, and three strikes law cases. It assists individuals with assault and battery, child abuse, criminal threat, and probation violation charges. Paul Leonidas Lin is the criminal defense attorney at the firm. He has defended over 1,200 cases and has managed different stages of criminal proceedings.

  • Domestic Violence

3600 Lime Street Suite 111, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

Sharp Criminal Lawyers, P.C., is a firm that defends the right of people charged with criminal offenses. It represents clients in Riverside that are involved in cases such as robbery, assault, traffic violations, and federal crimes. Its legal team, led by Stephen Sweigart, develops defense strategies for courtroom litigation and devises legal interventions that may lead to the dissolution of charges. Sweigart is a board-certified specialist in criminal law with over 20 years of experience.

  • DWI/DUI

3600 Lime St Ste 312, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (7)
Yelp
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Hampton Law Group is a criminal defense firm that represents residents of the Riverside area. The firm focuses on defending the rights of individuals charged with criminal offenses, such as assault and battery, burglary, domestic violence, DUI, fraud, and homicide. Hampton Law Group prioritizes seeking charge dismissal or reduction through negotiations and strong trial defense. Founding attorney Ben Hampton has practiced exclusively in the Inland Empire and is a former deputy district attorney.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Ben Hampton - PrincipalActive11 yrs

3390 University Ave Suite 640, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (28)
Avvo
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

DeLimon Law is a practice that addresses the legal needs of clients in Riverside and the surrounding areas. It represents individuals who are facing criminal charges such as DUI, domestic violence, white-collar crimes, sex offenses, homicides, and misdemeanors. DeLimon Law also provides legal representation to people whose civil rights have been violated in various ways, including illegal arrests and evidence falsification. Its founding attorney, Daniel DeLimon, is a former prosecutor and a member of The National Trial Lawyers' Top 100.

  • DWI/DUI
  • Drug Crimes

4480 Main St, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.7 (11)
Yelp
3.5 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Richard V. Swanson Criminal Defense Lawyer represents clients in Riverside and San Bernardino. He handles gang-related, theft, fraud, felony, assault, and murder charges, as well as cases on domestic child abuse and violence. Additionally, he takes on less grave charges like DUI, probation violation, burglary, record expungement, and drug use. In the past two decades, Richard has conducted more than 75 criminal felony trials, including 9 death penalties and 20 murder and attempted murder cases.

  • DWI/DUI

5053 La Mart Dr Ste 201, Riverside, CA 92507

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (39)
Yelp
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Bartell, Hensel & Gressley is a criminal and DUI defense firm with offices in Riverside and Temecula. The firm represents clients under investigation or who have been charged with criminal offenses, including assault, battery, child endangerment, criminal threats, domestic violence, or drug crimes. Its legal team handles everything from plea negotiations and appeals to jury selection and courtroom litigation. Criminal defense attorney Donald Bartell has 32 years of experience and is recognized as a Super Lawyer.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Lara Gressley - PartnerActive22 yrs

2900 Adams Street Suite C13, Riverside, CA 92504
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.4 (177)
Facebook
4.5 (32)
Yelp
3.9 (12)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates, LLP, works with clients throughout Riverside. Dedicated to protecting people against injustice, it represents individuals who have been accused of crimes. Some of these cases are arson,  DUI, and juvenile offenses. Attorneys at the firm take on difficult cases that offer a chance to change unfair laws through the courts. Founder Zulu Ali has garnered various accolades for his work, including recognition as one of the Top 10 Lawyers by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys.

  • Theft & Burglary
  • Juvenile Crimes
  • Probation Violation

4192 Brockton Ave Ste 100, Riverside, CA 92501

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (7)
Google
4.2 (5)
Yelp
2.5 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Formed in 2016, Cal-Lawyer PLC is a boutique law firm with its main office in Riverside and satellite offices in Palmdale, Costa Mesa, and Murrieta. The firm represents clients facing misdemeanor charges, including DUI, disorderly conduct, and indecent exposure as well as felony charges involving everything from arson to murder. Attorneys have handled thousands of criminal cases with the primary goal of mitigating the consequences for their clients. Founding attorney, Daniel Tripathi, maintains an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Daniel Tripathi - PrincipalActive18 yrs

5055 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (34)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office Of Allen, McKernan & Associate gives criminal defense counsel to clients living in Riverside. The team handles cases of domestic violence, drug crimes, sex offenses, and DUIs. The firm employs investigators and photography experts to dissect every bit of evidence from the prosecution, picking apart each piece's probative value. Partner Stephen Allen handled over 100 bench trials in his four years of work as a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento District Attorney's Office.

  • Drug Crimes

6809 Indiana Ave., #130-B23, Riverside, CA 92506

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Mirta C. Palmer serves the legal needs of residents in Riverside and its surrounding areas. The sole practitioner helps individuals accused of charges such as assault, battery, domestic violence, DUI, petty theft, and reckless driving. She offers various strategies, which include diversion programs, negotiated pleas, exculpation and affirmative defenses, and motions to suppress evidence. She also represents clients in court proceedings, when necessary. Palmer carries over 20 years of experience in the field of criminal law.

  • DWI/DUI
  • Drug Crimes

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

  • What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in Riverside, California?

    The non-emergency contact number of the Riverside Police Department is 951-354-2007.

  • What are the commonly reported crimes in Riverside?

    The most commonly reported crime in Riverside is larceny, with a rate of 21.6 per 1,000 residents. Other common crimes in the metro include burglary, with a rate of 4.0, and aggravated assault, with a rate of 3.3. Riverside has one of the highest crime rates in the country when compared to communities of all sizes.

  • What crimes in Riverside carry harsh sentences?

    One of the most harshly prosecuted crimes in the metro is driving under the influence, and Riverside is located in one of the few counties in the state that sends first-time offenders to jail. Other aggressively prosecuted crimes are drug-related offenses, for which Riverside often imposes lengthy jail or prison sentences, monetary fines, and probation.

  • What is the criminal process in Riverside?

    After the arrest, criminal defendants in Riverside are booked and placed in a holding cell. Defendants are then allowed to post bail, with the amount corresponding to the severity of the crime. They are required to attend an arraignment within 48 hours of the arrest, where they will be read their charges and asked to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. The likelihood of going to trial depends on the defendant’s plea and the existence of probable cause.

  • How does a Riverside criminal defense attorney assist individuals facing criminal charges?

    One of the common responsibilities of a criminal defense attorney in Riverside is investigating the defendant’s case and procuring any additional evidence that might be helpful. The attorney then negotiates with prosecutors for a plea deal or has the charges dropped altogether. If this is unsuccessful, the attorney will have to represent the defendant at trial.

  • What are the post-conviction options in Riverside?

    One post-conviction option available to individuals in Riverside seeking to modify or clear their criminal record is reducing felony convictions to misdemeanors or modifying other crimes to lesser charges. Another option is requesting to clear one’s criminal record through expungement. Additionally, Riverside criminal defense attorneys may attempt to prove that the defendant was given ineffective legal representation in the first place.