Criminal defense · California
Stopped, cited or charged?
Make the right first call.
DUI arrests and DMV hearings, traffic tickets and license points, police questioning, criminal charges and clearing an old record. Tell us what happened and we connect you with an independent criminal defense attorney licensed in California who reviews your situation and quotes a fee before any work starts.
A free, no-obligation first call. Flat fee quoted before any work starts.
A citation, a notice or a call from a detective: the next step matters.
How we can help
What happened?
Perhaps you recognize yourself here. If not, simply tell us about your situation.
DUI and DMV hearings
The criminal case in court and the separate license case at the DMV, with its short deadline.
Learn more 02Traffic tickets and points
Contest a citation, protect your license from negligent operator points and deal with a missed court date.
Learn more 03Police questioning and charges
Contacted by a detective, arrested or charged with a misdemeanor or felony.
Learn more 04Record clearance
Dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4, Prop 47 reductions and California's automatic relief.
Learn moreI was arrested for DUI and got a pink notice from the officer.
A detective left me a message and wants to talk.
An old conviction keeps coming up in background checks.
It starts with listening
Behind every citation
is a person with a lot at stake.
A DUI arrest after a dinner out, a stack of tickets that now threatens your license, a voicemail from a detective or an old conviction that keeps showing up in background checks: these situations feel urgent and personal. Tell us what happened. We connect you with a criminal defense attorney who looks at the whole picture before you decide anything.
Tell us about it
You don’t need
to have everything ready.
Who is behind First Call Defense
Leon E. Johnson
Managing Partner, Omnilex · San Francisco
First Call Defense is part of Omnilex. Leon leads Omnilex’s US business from San Francisco. He is a California attorney and spent about twelve years at Goodwin and Kirkland & Ellis before joining Omnilex.
Leon does not take on the individual matters that come through this site. Your matter is handled by the independent California attorney you choose to engage, who works in criminal defense law.
- Admitted in California since 2015 (State Bar #302786), also Utah; Texas inactive
- JD, Harvard Law School · BS Finance, Brigham Young University
- Speaks English, Spanish, Russian
Free tools
Check your dates in a minute.
Quick calculators for the deadlines that matter most. General information, not legal advice.
When is my DMV hearing deadline?
Enter the day you received the notice of suspension and see the last day to request a DMV hearing and when the temporary license runs out.
Open the calculator 02Could a conviction be dismissed under 1203.4?
Answer five short questions and see whether a dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4 may be worth discussing with an attorney.
Open the calculatorEasy to start
No big leap.
Just a first step.
You tell us what is going on. We find the right attorney for it.
- 01
A few words about your situation.
Choose your topic and leave your contact details. You don’t need a complete file to get started.
- 02
A free first call.
Our intake team gets in touch, clarifies what you need and connects you with an independent attorney licensed in California.
- 03
A flat fee before any work.
The attorney reviews your case and quotes the scope and a fee in writing. You decide whether to go ahead.
For later, not for now
What you can have
ready for the call.
You don’t need to upload anything in the form. These documents can help later:
- Your citation, charging documents or any letter from the court, DMV or police
- Court dates, DMV deadlines and the county where the case is
- A short timeline of what happened, written while you still remember it
This form is not an emergency line. If someone is in custody or has a court date tomorrow, contact the court, the public defender's office or a criminal defense attorney directly now. An enquiry does not stop any deadline.
You may still be wondering …
Before we
talk.
Is First Call Defense a law firm?
No. First Call Defense is operated by Omnilex AG, which is not a law firm. Our intake team connects you with independent criminal defense attorneys licensed in California. Legal advice and representation come only from the attorney you choose to engage.
My case is outside California. Can you still help?
Criminal and traffic cases are handled by the courts of the state where they were filed, and you generally need an attorney licensed there. Our partner attorneys are licensed in California for now; tell us where your case is and we let you know whether we can help.
What does the first call cost?
The first call is free and without obligation. If you want an attorney to take on your matter, the attorney quotes the scope and fee in writing before any work starts.
What happens after I send my request?
Our intake team reviews your request and gets in touch to clarify it and arrange the call. Sending the form does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not book an appointment.
The first step is free
Let's look at your next step together.
Time for your situation.
Clear, personal and without obligation.