Curriculum Vitae
Judicial and Elective Service
- Judge Pro Tem; San Diego County Superior Court (1993 - Present)
- Presiding Arbitrator: San Diego County Bar Association (1998 - Present)
- Elected City Official, Carmel Valley Community Planning Board (2008 - Present)
Education, Degrees and Certifications
- B.A. University California at Berkeley (Dbl. Major: Political Science & Psychology, 1980)
- J.D. Thomas Jefferson School of Law (1985)
- Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, CA Board of Legal Specialization (1998)
Accreditations and Awards
- Recipient Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (2007 - Present)
- Special Directors Award for commitment to Capital Case Litigation (2008)
- Selected San Diego Super Lawyers (2010 - Present)
- Martindale-Hubble AV-rated Attorney (Highest legal standards and ethics)
- Qualified as an expert witness in the subject of Criminal Defense Practice by the San Diego County Superior Court
Courts of Admission
- Supreme Court of California (12/15/86)
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (9/19/91)
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California (12/15/86)
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California (9/10/92)
- U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois (10/12/95)
Current Affiliations
- National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
- Federal Bar Association
- California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
- Criminal Defense Lawyers Club
- San Diego County Bar Association
- Lawyer Representative - United States District Court, Southern District of California (2006- Present; Attendee of District and Ninth Circuit Judicial Conferences)
Speaker and/or Panelist at Legal Seminars
- Impact of Identity Theft; So. District of CA Judicial Conference (2008)
- Capital Case Litigation; So. District of CA Judicial Conference (2007)
- Legal Ethics and Negotiations; San Diego County Bar Association (2006)
Book Credits
- True Story of Murder and DNA, Pointing From the Grave; Author, Samantha Weinberg
- Justice and Science; Author, George Woody Clarke
Published and Notable Cases
- People v. Frediani, SCN106844; First degree murder case w/special circumstances
- People v. Bernal, SCD145055; First degree murder case w/special circumstances
- People v. Pina, SCD169824l; First degree murder case
- People v. Guadalupe, SCD134364; First degree murder case
- People v. Garcia, SCD142867; State attorney general case involving Medi-Cal fraud involving numerous doctors in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties
- People v. Salguero, SCD130079; Rape and kidnapping case
- People v. Puentes, SCD222529; International kidnapping case
- U.S.A. v. Foster, 985 F.2d 466 (9th Cir. 1993); Published Fifth Amendment Case
- U.S.A. v. Malley, 91CR0433; The As Bandit Case, Largest bank robbery case every prosecuted in Southern District of California.
- U.S.A. v. Medrano Reyes, 98-509(A); Operation Casa Blanca, Largest money laundering case in U.S. history, prosecuted in Central District of CA
- U.S.A. v. Bogle, 00-411-A; Large bi-coastal narcotic distribution case prosecuted in Eastern District of Virginia.
- U.S.A. v. Martinez-Fajardo, 00CR3233; Represented U.S. Border Patrol officer charged in large marijuana conspiracy
- U.S.A. v. Palomares, 01CR1953; Represented Los Angeles police officer charged in large cocaine conspiracy
- U.S.A. v. Chapny, 01CR1652; Largest maritime cocaine drug seizure in U.S. history (10 tons)
- U.S.A. v.Balentine, 06CR2646; First degree cold case murder case prosecuted in Southern District of CA
- U.S.A. v. Arellano-Felix, 06CR2646; One of first death penalty cases prosecuted in Southern District of CA
- U.S.A. v. Navarro-Montes, 09CR0577; Second Degree Murder Case involving the death of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent prosecuted in Southern District of CA
- U.S.A. v. Holiday, 09CR1209; Largest real estate fraud case to be prosecuted in Southern District of CA
An attorney you can depend on.
Proud member of the Better
Business Bureau since 2002.
be happier.
