You have been arrested or charged in Long Beach, and what happens next can shape your record for years. Long Beach cases are heard at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse on Magnolia Avenue, part of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. California charges range from a DUI to serious felonies, and an experienced defense lawyer can push for a dismissal, diversion, reduced charge, or expungement under Penal Code 1203.4. Below are vetted Long Beach criminal defense firms. Most offer a confidential consultation, and many are former prosecutors.
Updated April 9, 2026
Do not talk to police about a criminal charge without a lawyer. In California, your statements are often the strongest evidence used against you, and you have the right to remain silent and to an attorney. A Long Beach criminal defense lawyer steps in early, deals with the prosecutor, and protects you from choices that follow you on a background check.
Whether this is a first DUI or a felony, a good lawyer reviews the police work, challenges an unlawful stop or search, and fights for the best result the facts allow, including diversion programs that can keep a conviction off your record.
Talk to a Long Beach criminal defense lawyer if any of the following describes your situation.
Step 1: arraignment at the Deukmejian Courthouse, where the charge is read, a plea is entered, and bail is addressed. Step 2: for a felony, a preliminary hearing decides whether there is enough evidence to proceed. Step 3: pretrial conferences, where your lawyer and the prosecutor exchange evidence and discuss a plea, diversion, or dismissal. Step 4: motions, including motions to suppress evidence from an unlawful stop or search under Penal Code 1538.5. Step 5: trial before a Los Angeles County jury if the case does not resolve, or a negotiated disposition if it does. Many first-time and lower-level cases qualify for diversion that can avoid a conviction entirely.
Many Long Beach criminal lawyers charge a flat fee for a defined case: roughly $1,500 to $5,000 for a misdemeanor or DUI, and $5,000 to $25,000 or more for a felony depending on the charge and whether it goes to trial. Some bill hourly at about $250 to $500 an hour. Expungement petitions under Penal Code 1203.4 are often a separate, smaller flat fee. Ask whether the fee covers trial or stops at a plea, what is included, and whether a payment plan is available. Get the fee agreement in writing.
Updated April 9, 2026. Verified across Avvo, Super Lawyers, Justia, and firm records. We do not accept payment for placement. Where a firm's aggregate client rating is not yet compiled, we say so rather than invent one.
A Long Beach criminal defense attorney with a strong local reputation and a focus on criminal cases at the Deukmejian Courthouse. A good fit if you want experienced, dedicated local counsel who knows the Long Beach courts and prosecutors.
A long-established Long Beach criminal firm with more than six decades of experience defending adults and juveniles, from DUI to domestic violence, sex offenses, and federal crimes. A strong fit for a serious or complex case that needs deep trial experience.
A Long Beach firm that handles criminal defense exclusively, led by Gabriel Zaragoza with more than 25 years in the field. A good fit if you want a dedicated criminal practitioner focused entirely on defense work in the Long Beach area.
A practice led by Stephen P. Peacock with about 40 years of experience in criminal law and DUI defense in the Long Beach area. A good fit for a DUI or serious driving case where you want a veteran lawyer who has handled thousands of them.
A top-rated team that includes former prosecutors, with decades of combined experience across thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases. A good fit if you want lawyers who have sat on the other side of the table and know how the prosecution builds a case.
Tell us briefly what is going on. We route a confidential request to a best-fit Long Beach firm in this directory. No obligation, and nothing is filed without you.