1. Wallin and Klarich, A Law Corporation
Practice Focus: Criminal defense including sex crimes, drug offenses, theft crimes, assault and battery, DUI/DWI, domestic violence, juvenile defense, and child dependency cases.
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, federal crimes, DUI/DWI, drug offenses, violent crimes, sex crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, assault and battery, murder, manslaughter, robbery, burglary, fraud, expungements, DMV hearings, restraining orders, and warrants.
Legal Services: Trial defense, preliminary hearings, arraignments, bail hearings, plea negotiations, motion practice including motions to suppress evidence, appeals, expungements, DMV administrative hearings, probation violation defense, and post-conviction relief.
Background: Established in 1981 by Paul J. Wallin. The firm has more than 40 years of experience defending clients in Southern California courts. Paul J. Wallin earned his B.A. from UCLA and his J.D. from an accredited California law school. He is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, the United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and the California Supreme Court. The firm holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Wallin has served as a professor at UCI teaching Advanced Legal Procedure and has been a speaker at numerous legal and educational conferences throughout the country.
Location: 1161 N. Raymond Avenue, Suite 140B, Anaheim, CA 92801
Contact: (714) 710-7917 | (888) 749-0034 | https://www.wklaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available. Payment plans offered. Available around the clock.
2. Fakhimi and Associates
Practice Focus: Criminal defense, DUI/DWI defense, drug crimes, domestic violence, federal crimes, employment litigation, and civil rights cases.
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, federal crimes, DUI/DWI, drug possession, drug distribution, drug trafficking, assault, robbery, homicide, domestic violence, white collar crimes, sex crimes, and juvenile offenses.
Legal Services: Trial defense, jury trials, preliminary hearings, plea negotiations, federal court defense, motion practice, appeals, and investigation defense.
Background: Founded by Houman Fakhimi, California State Bar Number 195638. Mr. Fakhimi graduated with honors from the University of California, Irvine in 1992 and earned his J.D. from Whittier Law School in 1998. He has over two decades of legal experience and personally oversees all litigation carried out by the firm. He is a member of the California Public Defenders Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and the Association of Federal Defense Attorneys. The firm has received recognition from Finance Monthly as Criminal Lawyer of the Year and maintains a Clients’ Choice rating on Avvo.
Location: 3 Hutton Centre Dr, Suite 620, Santa Ana, CA 92707 (serving Anaheim and Orange County)
Contact: (714) 705-6701 | [email protected] | https://www.fakhimi.com
Consultation: Free consultation available.
3. Law Offices of William W. Bruzzo
Practice Focus: Exclusively criminal defense practice for over 30 years, including DUI/DWI, domestic violence, drug offenses, violent crimes, theft, juvenile law, military justice (UCMJ), and restraining orders.
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, domestic violence, assault and battery, drug possession, drug sales, vehicular manslaughter, murder, juvenile crimes, elder abuse, speed contests, driving on suspended license, and military criminal defense.
Legal Services: Trial defense, jury and bench trials, DMV administrative hearings, plea negotiations, pretrial motions, motion to suppress evidence, probation violation defense, and expungements.
Background: William W. Bruzzo earned his J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1992 and his B.A. from the University of Rochester in 1989. He began his legal career in 1993 as a military lawyer in the United States Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of Major before his honorable discharge in 2000. He is admitted to the California State Bar, the Pennsylvania State Bar, and the Federal Bar for the Central District of Southern California. He has represented clients in Superior Courts throughout Southern California including Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Mr. Bruzzo continues to defend service members accused under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Location: 17592 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780 (serving Anaheim and Orange County)
Contact: (714) 547-4636 | https://www.bruzzolaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available.
4. Johnson Criminal Law Group
Practice Focus: Criminal defense, juvenile dependency/CPS cases, DUI/DWI, drug crimes, domestic violence, appeals, expungements, and federal defense.
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug possession, drug manufacturing, drug transportation, drug distribution, domestic violence, theft crimes, fraud, sex crimes, gun crimes, violent crimes, juvenile offenses, and CPS/dependency cases.
Legal Services: Trial defense, jury trials, appellate advocacy, juvenile dependency representation, CPS defense, expungements, motion practice, plea negotiations, and bail hearings.
Background: Founded by Lauren Johnson-Norris, who has nearly 20 years of experience defending clients in criminal and juvenile cases. She earned her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, where she received the Archie A. Gorfinkle Award for the Most Promising Graduate Entering the Field of Criminal Law. She is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College. Ms. Johnson-Norris served as a Deputy Public Defender with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office before launching her own firm in 2009. She is the Past President of the South Orange County Bar Association and currently serves as Chair of the Appellate Section of the Orange County Bar Association. She authored the winning appeal in the landmark juvenile medical marijuana case In re Drake M. (2012) 211 Cal.App.4th 754. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and Top Women Lawyer in Southern California by Los Angeles Magazine.
Location: 19200 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 400, Irvine, CA 92612 (serving Anaheim and Orange County)
Contact: (949) 622-5522 | [email protected] | https://www.californiacriminaldefender.com
Consultation: Available for consultation. Contact office for details.
5. Chudnovsky Law
Practice Focus: Criminal defense, DUI defense, professional license defense, and criminal immigration matters. Focus on defending licensed professionals including nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers facing criminal charges.
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug offenses, domestic violence, theft crimes, fraud, professional licensing matters, Board of Registered Nursing cases, Medical Board of California investigations, DEA investigations, and criminal immigration consequences.
Legal Services: Trial defense, plea negotiations, DMV administrative hearings, professional license defense, immigration consequence analysis, jury trials, motion practice, and expungements.
Background: The firm includes attorneys Tsion Chudnovsky with more than 20 years of experience focusing on criminal defense, DUI, and immigration law (fluent in Spanish and nationally recognized for criminal defense for non-U.S. citizens), and Robert K. Weinberg, a former Orange County Prosecutor with over 30 years of experience handling more than 5,000 cases and jury trials. The firm has achieved recognition as Top 100 Trial Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers and rated among the best criminal defense attorneys in Orange County by Expertise.com. The attorneys have handled cases at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana and courts throughout Orange County.
Location: Offices in Santa Ana and Orange County (serving Anaheim)
Contact: (949) 750-2500 | https://toplawyer.law
Consultation: Free consultation available. Hablamos Español. Affordable fees and payment plans offered.
Criminal Defense Regulations in California
California attorneys must pass the California Bar Examination and be admitted by the State Bar of California to practice law. The State Bar of California is the licensing and regulatory body that oversees attorney conduct, maintains disciplinary records, and enforces the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The State Bar offers a Criminal Law Specialist certification through its Board of Legal Specialization. Attorneys seeking this designation must demonstrate substantial experience in criminal law, pass a written examination, fulfill ongoing continuing legal education requirements, and receive favorable evaluations from judges and fellow attorneys familiar with their work.
California operates a county-based public defender system. In Orange County, the Public Defender’s Office provides representation to individuals who cannot afford private counsel. Eligibility for a public defender is determined at arraignment based on financial need, typically using federal poverty guidelines as a reference.
Attorney advertising in California is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct and Business and Professions Code. Attorneys must avoid false, misleading, or deceptive communications and cannot guarantee specific case outcomes.
California requires attorneys to complete 25 hours of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) every three years, including required hours in legal ethics, competence issues including elimination of bias, and recognition of substance abuse.
The attorney-client privilege in California is codified in Evidence Code sections 950-962, providing strong protections for confidential communications between attorneys and their clients.
California categorizes felonies using a determinate sentencing structure with specific terms for each offense rather than a letter-grade classification system. Felony sentences generally range from 16 months to life imprisonment depending on the offense. Wobblers are offenses that may be charged as either felonies or misdemeanors at the prosecutor’s discretion. Misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of one year in county jail.
California has speedy trial requirements under Penal Code section 1382: felony trials must begin within 60 days of arraignment on the information or indictment, and misdemeanor trials must begin within 30 days if the defendant is in custody or 45 days if released.
California’s bail system operates under the Uniform Bail Schedule, which sets presumptive bail amounts for various offenses. Judges have discretion to deviate from the schedule based on factors including flight risk and public safety.
California does not have the death penalty for new sentences following the Governor’s moratorium, though individuals remain on death row from prior sentences.
Expungement in California is governed by Penal Code section 1203.4 and related statutes. Individuals who completed probation successfully may petition for dismissal of their conviction. Recent legislation including the Clean Slate Act (AB 1076) and SB 731 has expanded automatic expungement for certain offenses. Felonies that resulted in state prison sentences may now qualify for expungement relief under certain conditions. Sex offenses requiring registration and certain violent or serious felonies remain ineligible for expungement.
California has three-strikes sentencing enhancements under Penal Code sections 667 and 1170.12, which impose increased sentences for defendants with prior serious or violent felony convictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where will my criminal case be heard if I am arrested in Anaheim?
A: Most Anaheim criminal cases are heard at the Central Justice Center located at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Depending on the nature of the charge and circumstances, cases may also be assigned to the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, the North Justice Center in Fullerton, or the West Justice Center in Westminster. If you are in custody, your arraignment will typically take place at the Central Men’s Jail or Central Women’s Jail courtroom. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office prosecutes most felonies and certain misdemeanors, while the Anaheim City Attorney may prosecute some infractions and misdemeanors that occur within city limits.
Q: What happens at an arraignment in Orange County and how quickly must it occur?
A: Under California Penal Code section 825, a felony arraignment must occur within 48 hours of arrest, excluding weekends and court holidays. At the arraignment, the court will inform you of the charges filed against you and advise you of your constitutional rights. You will enter a plea, typically “not guilty” at this stage. The court will then address bail, either releasing you on your own recognizance, setting bail according to the Orange County Uniform Bail Schedule, or denying bail in certain serious cases. For misdemeanors, your attorney may enter a plea on your behalf through the informal arraignment process without requiring your physical presence in court, except for domestic violence matters.
Q: What are the penalties for a first-time DUI conviction in Orange County?
A: A first-time DUI offense in California (Vehicle Code sections 23152(a) and 23152(b)) is typically charged as a misdemeanor. Penalties may include up to six months in county jail, fines ranging from $390 to $1,000 plus penalty assessments that increase the total amount significantly, a six-month driver’s license suspension with the possibility of a restricted license after 30 days if you install an ignition interlock device (IID), three to five years of informal probation, and mandatory completion of a three-month or nine-month DUI education program depending on blood alcohol content. Additionally, you have only 10 days from the date of arrest to request a DMV administrative hearing to contest the automatic license suspension; failure to request this hearing results in automatic suspension regardless of the court case outcome.
Q: Am I eligible to have my criminal record expunged in California?
A: Eligibility for expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 generally requires that you successfully completed probation or received early termination of probation, are not currently charged with or serving a sentence for another offense, and were not convicted of certain ineligible offenses. If you served time in county jail under realignment (Penal Code 1170(h)), you may still qualify. Under recent legislation including SB 731, individuals who served time in state prison for certain felonies may now petition for expungement after completing their sentence and waiting two years, provided the offense is not specifically excluded. Expungement allows the court to set aside your conviction and dismiss the case, though the record of conviction is not destroyed and may still be considered for certain purposes including professional licensing, law enforcement positions, and subsequent prosecutions.
Q: What diversion programs are available for criminal cases in Orange County?
A: Orange County offers several diversion and alternative sentencing programs. Deferred Entry of Judgment (DEJ) under Penal Code section 1000 is available for certain first-time drug possession offenses, allowing charges to be dismissed upon successful completion of a drug treatment program. Mental Health Diversion under Penal Code section 1001.36 may be available for defendants with qualifying mental health conditions. Veteran’s Treatment Court provides specialized supervision and treatment for eligible military veterans facing criminal charges. The Community Court in Santa Ana handles certain quality-of-life offenses with an emphasis on connecting defendants to social services. For domestic violence convictions, completion of a 52-week batterer’s intervention program is typically required. These programs are discretionary and require approval from the court and often the prosecution; an experienced criminal defense attorney can advocate for your eligibility and participation.