Reviews

I was facing a 10 year mandatory minimum conspiracy indictment which involved camera pole surveillance, wiretaps and everything else you can imagine. My criminal past was nearly non-existent but could have still muddied my case. Dan was positive, encouraging and worked hard to not only enable me to bond out until sentencing but because of the relationship and reputation he has within the federal courts here in San Diego, this may turn into a time served issue. Because of him, I am now at home with my family rather than in federal custody. Thank you, Dan!

Honest, rapid and expert legal advice. Mr. Smith competently defended me from three spurious claims and helped fully clear my name. If I were faced with a similar situation in the future, he would be my first choice.

Worth every penny. I will not consider using anyone else.

I highly recommend Daniel M. Smith of the San Diego Defenders to anyone having trouble with the law, as was the case with my son. I believe that Mr. Smith is an outstanding lawyer. Mr. Smith took a great deal of interest in my son's situation, and did a significant amount of research to build a case to help him, which led to a sympathetic response of the court, and to a large reduction of his sentence. In addition, he provided a great deal of encouragement and moral support to my son and to his family. I think that my son was lucky to find such an excellent lawyer.

I highly recommend Dan Smith and San Diego Defenders to anyone in need of legal assistance. Dan and his team have not only proven to be extraordinarily capable, but they also vest themselves in their clients well being on a personal level. Over the last 3 years my family and I have lived through a very unfortunate situation that, like many, became much more complicated than necessary once authorities became involved. I have great respect for the police and our legal system, this just wasn't a case that required their involvement. What should have been a simple intervention for addiction became an exaggerated criminal accusation with the State seeking maximum life altering sentences. My wife and I were very fortunate to have had Dan recommended to us and from the very beginning Dan did all that he could do to defend our son from an over-zealous DA. Dan was successful in reducing or clearing some of the charges, although a single felony remained despite his valiant efforts. This is were most attorneys would have given themselves a pat on the back and called it a day, but not Dan. He cared! He continued to fight to help for the early release of our Son to an addiction treatment center which Dan found HIMSELF! Our Son has had a complete turn around in his life, due greatly to Dan and his team's involvement! Even then, our Son had the stigma of a Felony record that has stymied much of his ability to move forward... Until today! Today my wife, our Son and I attended court with Dan's associate Jon who successfully argued for the State to expunge our Son's record!!! Dan's team has yet again gone above and beyond so as to allow us to recover from a past mistake and instead have the ability to look forward to a much brighter future! Thank you to everyone at San Diego Defenders! We will always be grateful!

At this firm, you can expect to interact with genuine individuals who are truly committed to assisting you. Initially, my expectations were minimal, as my prior experiences with legal consultations had often been dismissive, merely providing fee details without addressing my queries. However, my interaction with this firm was refreshingly different. Upon calling, I was courteously attended by a polite woman who attentively listened to my concerns and subsequently directed me to Attorney Dan Smith. Facing a challenging situation with my brother, I sought guidance on the best course of action. Dan candidly advised that hiring him might not be the most beneficial approach for my case, yet he generously continued the conversation, providing thorough answers to all my questions, accessing necessary records, and offering actionable advice on how to proceed to best assist my brother. His empathy was palpable, perhaps because he too values his relationship with his brother. Remarkably, Dan even detailed the exact route I should take, down to the number of escalators to ride to reach the necessary contacts. This review is lengthy, but I felt compelled to express my gratitude for encountering such integrity and dedication in a profession where one often feels most vulnerable. If you are considering legal representation, I highly encourage you to contact them; a brief conversation will likely assure you that you are in capable hands. My heartfelt thanks to Dan! Update: Everything with my brother worked out.

The first time we spoke to Dan I knew everything was going to be ok. Our loved one was charged with embezzlement and with strong evidence against him Dan managed to get him 25 days community service and probation.

We all make mistakes and I am no exception. I was charged with Felony DUI with injury. This was my first time every being arrested and I was terrified of what the consequences would be. I searched for a good local lawyer and was pointed in the direction of San Diego Defenders law office. I called and arranged for a consultation. I met with Dan Smith and he was very honest and patient with my questions. I decided to retain their services. I was represented very well by Jon Pettis. In the end I was faced with fines, scram (90 days), 3 month DUI class, probation and 10 day public service. This was much better than the alternative of 2-4 year prison sentence. The office was responsive to inquiries and responded quickly. I hope to never need their services again, but if I ever find myself in a legal bind again, I definitely will be calling on the San Diego Defenders!

Provided me with information that I needed over the phone. Great attorney had a client too and made the time to give the info that I needed. I definitely recommend him.

God bless Dan Smith, I was in a bind and no other attorneys would take the time to speak to me in person,as soon as I called I was emidiatly assisted and nothing came of the problem. Thank you San Diego Defenders.

If you are reading this, it is probably because you are doing what I did a little over 9 months ago, and that is surf the net for reviews on a good Criminal Defense Attorney. I was looking at four (4) Felonies and One (1) Misdemeanor, which meant jail time for sure. I was worried, petrified, and uneasy it all added up to considerable amount of stress. I drove by San Diego Defenders office almost every day, not realizing that I would need to contact them. During my first meeting with Mr. Daniel Smith, I felt a load off my back, my stress level reduced, because he was going to work on keeping me out of jail. He did not make any promises, but showed me that he was confident on his criminal defense skills, along with his Partner Jon Pettis, very knowledgeable and they work well together. Dan and his partner have a good relationship with the DA’s office, and Courts (I think that is very important). They knew the right people to get my case reduced, stay out of Jail with a low risk case; they also worked out a payment plan with the court. I was happy with the outcome and glad I made the right choice in calling San Diego Defenders office. Good Luck!