Chatsworth Criminal Defense Lawyer

Chatsworth Criminal Defense Lawyer

LAPD Devonshire officers pull you over on Devonshire Street at 2 AM Saturday—say you were speeding, ask if you’ve been drinking, you admit “a few drinks” at a bar in Chatsworth, now you’re doing field sobriety tests on the shoulder while cars slow down to watch. You blow 0.10% on breathalyzer, arrested for DUI, booked at LAPD Devonshire Station (10250 Etiwanda Avenue), they set your arraignment at Van Nuys Courthouse (14400 Erwin Street Mall) six weeks away. You post bail, you’re back home in Chatsworth, you’re thinking “I need a lawyer but how much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in California? Is $400 an hour a lot for a lawyer, can I afford this, should I just use the public defender who handles 500 cases and has 7 minutes to review my file?”

How Much Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Cost?

How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in California? Hourly rates vary by experience—entry-level defense attorneys charge $250 to $350 per hour, mid-level experienced attorneys charge $350 to $500 per hour, senior trial s charge $500 to $750 per hour, top-tier attorneys charge $750 to $1,200+ per hour. Flat fees depend on charge complexity—simple misdemeanor like petty theft or simple possession runs $2,500 to $7,500, complex misdemeanor like DUI or domestic violence runs $5,000 to $15,000, felony drug possession runs $10,000 to $25,000, felony theft or fraud runs $15,000 to $40,000, violent felony runs $25,000 to $75,000, serious felonies like murder run $75,000 to $300,000+. What you get at each price point—at $2,500 to $7,500 you get basic representation covering arraignment and plea negotiations, at $10,000 to $25,000 you get full investigation including expert witnesses and suppression motions, at $50,000+ you get private investigators, jury consultants, aggressive pretrial litigation. The Los Angeles County Public Defender is free if you qualify based on income, but average public defender at Van Nuys courthouse handles 500 active cases—they have seven minutes to review your file before arraignment, they cannot spend 20 hours investigating your Fourth Amendment claim, they cannot hire forensic toxicologist to challenge breathalyzer calibration. The Sixth Amendment guarantees you a lawyer, not an effective lawyer. Private attorney billing $500 per hour can spend 20 hours researching warrantless vehicle searches, file suppression motion, force prosecutor to defend legality of the stop—if evidence gets suppressed, case gets dismissed. Is that equal justice under law when access depends on your ability to write $25,000 check?

How Much is a Retainer?

How much is a retainer for a criminal defense lawyer? Retainer is advance payment deposited into attorney’s trust account—attorney bills hourly against retainer balance, sends monthly invoices showing hours worked, either refunds unused portion or requires additional payment if retainer runs out. Typical retainer amounts—misdemeanor cases require $5,000 to $15,000, felony cases require $15,000 to $50,000+, murder or serious felonies require $100,000+. How billing works—you pay $10,000 retainer, attorney bills 20 hours at $400/hour ($8,000), you get $2,000 refund. If attorney bills 30 hours ($12,000), you owe additional $2,000. Flat fees are predictable but higher upfront, hourly retainers are cheaper if case resolves quickly but expensive if goes to trial. Read retainer agreement carefully—some attorneys include non-refundable retainer clauses where they keep entire retainer even if your case settles after one hour of work. California State Bar rules require retainers be reasonable, but “reasonable” is subjective. Retainer system advantages defendants who can pay $50,000 upfront—Chatsworth residents who cannot afford retainer get appointed counsel, creating two-tier justice system where access to investigation and aggressive litigation depends on wealth, not guilt or innocence.

How to Pick the Criminal Defense Lawyer

How to pick the criminal defense lawyer? Start with Van Nuys courthouse experience—has this attorney tried cases in Department A through W at Van Nuys courthouse, does this attorney know prosecutors who work Van Nuys branch of District Attorney’s office, has this attorney handled cases from LAPD Devonshire Division? Local experience matters because criminal prosecution is intensely local—different DA offices have different policies, different judges have different views on suppression motions, different courthouses have different procedures. Trial experience is critical—has this attorney taken cases to jury trial, or do they just negotiate plea bargains? Attorney who has never tried case to verdict has no leverage in plea negotiations because prosecutor knows they won’t actually go to trial. Specific charge expertise—does this attorney specialize in DUI defense, drug crimes, violent crimes, or theft? DUI defense requires understanding of breathalyzer science, Title 17 regulations, rising blood alcohol defenses. Drug defense requires knowledge of search and seizure law, confidential informant issues, lab testing procedures. Communication and fee transparency are non-negotiable—does this attorney respond to calls and emails, explain options clearly, provide written retainer agreement with itemized billing? Red flags—attorney promises specific outcomes (“I guarantee dismissal”—no ethical attorney can promise outcomes), attorney has no trial experience (only does plea bargains), attorney has no local experience (practices in different county), attorney provides vague fee structure (won’t provide written retainer agreement).

Is $400 an Hour a Lot for a Lawyer?

Is $400 an hour a lot for a lawyer? $400 per hour is MID-LEVEL experienced attorney in Los Angeles County—not entry-level, not top-tier. Entry-level attorneys charge $250 to $350 per hour, senior trial s charge $500 to $750 per hour, top-tier attorneys charge $750 to $1,200+ per hour. What $400/hour gets you—attorney with 10 to 15 years experience, has tried cases to jury verdict, can handle motion practice (suppression motions, Pitchess motions, Marsden motions), can take case to trial if necessary, knows Van Nuys courthouse judges and prosecutors. When worth paying more for $750/hour top-tier attorney—complex felony with multiple charges, federal charges, serious charges carrying life sentence, charges requiring extensive expert witnesses (forensic accountants, DNA experts, ballistics experts). When you can pay less for $250 to $300/hour entry-level attorney—simple misdemeanor with straightforward facts, first offense, prosecutor offering reasonable plea deal. The hourly rate question isn’t “is $400/hour expensive”—question is “what am I getting for $400/hour and is that value worth it for MY case?” You’re facing felony drug charges with search and seizure issues, you need attorney who can file suppression motion and take case to trial if motion denied—$400/hour attorney with motion practice experience is worth it. You’re facing simple possession misdemeanor, prosecutor offering deferred entry of judgment (no conviction if you complete drug program), you don’t need $750/hour top-tier attorney—$300/hour entry-level attorney can negotiate that plea. Hourly rates create access inequality—wealthy defendant pays $50,000 for top-tier federal defense team (private investigators, forensic experts, jury consultants), working-class defendant gets public defender with 500 cases and 7 minutes per case. Same courthouse, same charges, different outcomes based solely on ability to pay hourly rate.

212-300-5196.