Criminal Defense Attorneys in Redwood City, CA

Redwood City DUI and misdemeanor arrests are prosecuted by San Mateo County and can put a job or visa at risk. A California-licensed criminal defense attorney serving Redwood City will review your charges for free.

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How we match your Redwood City criminal defense case

When you submit a Redwood City criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under California law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in California who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

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Criminal Defense cases in Redwood City

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Redwood City is the San Mateo County seat, so the Hall of Justice and the county's criminal courts sit right downtown near Middlefield Road, and cases from across the Peninsula are heard there. Local charges often grow out of DUI stops along El Camino Real and the US-101 corridor, theft allegations at retail centers, and domestic or assault arrests handled by Redwood City police or the Sheriff's Office. Misdemeanors and felonies both proceed in San Mateo County Superior Court, and early decisions about statements and hearings matter. DearLegal matches you with a California-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in Redwood City, with a free review.

State criminal charges from Redwood City are prosecuted by the San Mateo County District Attorney in San Mateo County Superior Court, which sits downtown.
DUI enforcement along El Camino Real and the US-101 corridor and retail theft allegations drive a large share of local cases.
Some conduct, including certain fraud and drug or firearm offenses, can instead be charged federally in the Northern District of California.

California criminal defense rules at a glance

Redwood City cases run under California law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the California page.

Read the full California criminal defense guide →

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment (e.g., murder); 6 years for felonies punishable by 8+ years; 3 years for other felonies (Cal. Pen. Code § 800, § 801, § 799)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 1 year
1 year for most misdemeanors (Cal. Pen. Code § 802)
Sentencing Structure: Determinate Sentencing
Determinate Sentencing Law under Cal. Pen. Code § 1170 — low/middle/high triad with SB 567 (2022) middle-term presumption; Three Strikes enhancements under Pen. § 667/§ 1170.12 (modified by Prop 36, 2012)
Expungement / Record Sealing: Cal. Pen. Code § 1203.4
Cal. Pen. Code § 1203.4 dismissal (post-probation); Pen. § 851.91 arrest sealing; AB 1076/SB 731 automatic relief for many offenses; Prop 64 marijuana reclassification (Pen. § 11361.8)
Bail / Pretrial Release: Cal. Const. Art
Cal. Const. Art. I, § 12 bail right with exceptions; In re Humphrey (2021) requires ability-to-pay findings; SB 10 (2018) cash bail elimination struck down by Prop 25 referendum (2020), so cash bail remains
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Exhibit D

How much do Redwood City criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

California · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in California are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in California work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Cal. Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(d) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases (homicide, capital, federal, multi-count) use hourly billing with substantial retainers. The Los Angeles County, San Francisco, San Diego, and Alameda County Public Defender Offices represent indigent defendants — some of the most respected PD offices in the country.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

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Exhibit F

Redwood City criminal defense questions, answered

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Charges filed by the San Mateo County District Attorney are handled in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City, from arraignment through trial. Federal charges would go to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California instead. An attorney will confirm which system your case is in and what the first hearing requires.

You are not required to answer questions, and statements made early are frequently the strongest evidence against a defendant. You can say you want an attorney and stop the interview. Getting counsel involved before any interview protects options like negotiating charges or challenging the stop.

It is possible depending on the evidence, your record, and whether diversion or a reduction is available for that offense in San Mateo County. Suppression issues with a stop or search can also weaken the prosecution's case. An attorney can review the reports and tell you realistically what outcomes are in play.

No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. California police — LAPD, SFPD, CHP, sheriffs — are skilled interrogators. The Reid Technique is in active use, and what you say in a “casual” pre-Miranda conversation is admissible. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and Sixth Amendment right to counsel clearly: “I’m invoking my right to remain silent and I want an attorney.”

Yes. California misdemeanors carry up to 6 months or 1 year in county jail, fines up to $1,000–$10,000, and collateral consequences (immigration, licensing, firearm rights). Many misdemeanors are eligible for diversion (Pen. § 1001.95, mental health diversion under § 1001.36, military diversion under § 1001.80) — but only with effective advocacy.