Steven Law Firm brings a war chest of motions, tactics, and human persuasion to bear to advocate for innocence or mitigate guilt. We practice in the Portland Metro Area, primarily in Multnomah County but also in Clackamas and Washington Counties.
Public Defenders
Time is of the essence. Exonerating evidence is rarely sought by the police. Every day you delay in hiring an aggressive defender lowers your chances to decisively clear your name and win your case. Many public defenders in our area are great attorneys but they are saddled with excessive caseloads, underpaid and/or unmotivated investigation staff, and are unable to conduct a thorough and immediate response.
If you are unhappy with the public defender you were assigned by the court, you do not have a right to get a different one. If you want choice, you must hire a private criminal defense attorney.
Steven Law Firm employs only the best. As soon as you make your investment in liberating yourself from the clutches of the criminal system, we engage the best of the best investigators, scientific and forensic experts, mitigation specialists, and other experts as is appropriate to your case.
We can also assist with alternatives to criminal conviction, such as diversion and discharge programs in appropriate cases.
The Court
Do you have to go to all of your court appearances? If in doubt, yes--show up. In person. If you have an attorney, you may be able to phone in or file paperwork to avoid going to most of your court dates. Talk to them about it.
The Multnomah County Courthouse is located at 1200 SW 1st Ave, Portland, OR 97204. For most court dates, this is where you will need to go. However, for initial appearances (arraignments) or probation matters, you may be required to appear in the Justice Center (JC), located at 1120 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204.
Multnomah County DA
Your attorney should know your opponent well. The DA's office is composed of a wide variety of deputies and staff, all of whom have their own views on the goals of the criminal legal system. The elected DA as of this writing is Nathan Vasquez (former Republican, currently Independent), and he was elected on a law-and-order platform. He has proven to be less lenient than his predecessor. Regardless, his office supports many programs that divert people from prison to rehabilitation and treatment.
To get the best results in negotiation with this office (plea bargaining) it is important to have an attorney who has a good reputation as a trial lawyer, and who also works in this county enough to know the attributes of the deputies handling your case. Having practiced here since 2018, Steven Law Firm knows the power brokers at the Multnomah County DA's office better than most, and how to persuasively present an offer to individual deputies and their supervisors.
Warrants and the Jail
If you are unfortunate enough to have a warrant (search for your name here to check--if the last record says "Bench Warrant" you have a warrant) you will likely need to turn yourself in to the Justice Center to clear it, but not always. If you have an attorney, talk to them first.
Turning yourself in is inconvenient but it is also viewed by the judges and the DA as taking accountability, and you may be more likely to be released. If you anticipate any possibility of release the same day, it is best to turn yourself in by 3am to ensure that you get on the morning docket.