Santa Barbara Criminal Defense Attorneys

Arrested? Contact Us Today at (805) 467-6060!

An arrest can bring a great deal of fear and anxiety about your freedom and future. As former prosecutors with over 40 years of combined experience, our Santa Barbara criminal defense lawyers have seen the devastating impacts a criminal conviction can have. Whether you are accused of DUI or other crimes, it is important to get high-caliber defense right away. We understand the concerns you may have and will work tirelessly to help minimize the impacts of your charges, fighting to prevent a charge from becoming a conviction.

To increase your chances of achieving a favorable outcome in your case, it is in your best interests to hire our legal team immediately because time is of the essence, especially when your driving privileges or legal rights are on the line. For years, clients throughout Santa Barbara have trusted us to provide aggressive advocacy and compassionate counsel when they need it most. As such, you can depend on our attorneys to go above and beyond to pursue the best possible result for you.

Get started on your fight for freedom when you contact us right away. We offer free consultations!

Why Hire an Attorney?

Far too many individuals resort to public defenders or try to navigate their case alone. However, public defenders are notoriously overworked and have little time to dedicate their full, undivided attention to a single client. This is one of many reasons you’re better off with a lawyer who exclusively practices criminal defense. Handling your case alone will inevitably hurt you more than help you.

With these considerations in mind, our private lawyer can significantly benefit your case because:

We know the court system. Our prosecutorial insights and extensive experience in criminal defense give us a well-rounded insight into the state and federal court systems.

We have connections with judges and prosecutors. As former prosecutors ourselves, we have strong relationships with the very people who are working to convict you. We’ve formed trusting relationships with judges throughout Santa Barbara and beyond, meaning we have a better chance of compelling judges and prosecutors that you deserve a positive outcome in your case.

We have experience with cases like yours. With four decades of collective experience, we’ve seen just about everything. We have represented clients facing all types of charges, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies at the state and federal levels.

We know the laws, procedures, and strategies. No one knows the laws and court operations like a lawyer. After all, we are educated and trained in navigating the criminal court system, giving us knowledge of building effective case strategies.

We can negotiate for a favorable outcome: Believe it or not, prosecutors want to avoid going to trial just as much as defendants do. That’s why plea bargains are so common. As such, our attorneys can strategically negotiate for outcomes such as less jail time, lower fines, diversion to drug court, and more.

We invest substantial time, focus, and resources: As we mentioned before, a public defender has little time on their hands to provide personalized attention and effective case strategies for every client. A private law firm like ours, on the other hand, takes a smaller caseload in order to provide high-quality service — we prefer quality over quantity.

Your freedom depends on the attorney you hire to represent you, so turn to Appel & Morse for all your criminal defense needs. We welcome individuals in Santa Barbara to contact (805) 467-6060 today!