Gavel

Criminal Law

16 years Defense Experience • 21 years Prosecutor Experience

What to expect, depending on your situation, if you become Tim Stoen’s client when charged with a criminal offense:

Aggressive Representation

He will aggressively represent you at every level of your criminal case, including trial.

Avoiding Court Appearance

In DUI and other misdemeanor cases, he will appear for you in court so that you never have to set foot in the courtroom..

Release

He will work to get you released on your own recognizance or, if that is not possible, to get a reduction in bail with appropriate conditions such as electronic or alcohol monitoring.

Discovery

He will carefully review all the evidence the prosecution has in your case (“discovery”), and will request additional discovery as needed and will, if necessary, fight for it in court. In DUI cases, he will have any blood sample examined by a licensed toxicologist.

Negotiating Effectiveness

He maintains professional relationships with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office and other prosecuting agencies, allowing him to negotiate effectively for an optimum outcome in your case.

Investigators

He will, whenever useful, retain a licensed private investigator to find and interview witnesses, to gather facts helpful to your defense, and to have physical evidence tested.

Suppression Motions

He will file motions to suppress evidence when there is a lack of probable cause, unreliable informants, officer misconduct, or faulty search warrants. He knows how to write convincing briefs that show weakness in the Government’s case.

Experts

He will, when necessary, retain persuasive “forensic” defense experts to counter prosecution experts on the elements to be proved, and to explain to a jury why there is reasonable doubt as to your having committed the crime(s) charged.

Mitigation Assessments

He will, in serious felony cases, retain a licensed social worker to prepare an independent “humanizing” biopsychological “mitigation assessment.” This can be useful in negotiating for you with the Prosecution as well as Probation. Otherwise they just have one side of the complete human story.

Pre-Trial Jury Motions

If the case has to go to jury trial, he will prepare all appropriate “in limine” motions to restrict Prosecution evidence and allow for Defense evidence.

Jury Strategy

He will carefully strategize the most effective way to present witnesses, documents, and arguments showing reasonable doubt.

Jury Conduct

He will skillfully present direct evidence, and will surgically cross-examine opposing evidence. He will argue your case with passion. His argument will be based on classic trial technique organization.

Sentencing

He will, if a case goes to Sentencing, present measured arguments to the Court to achieve the most optimum outcome.

Post-Conviction Relief

Whenever possible, he will work for post-conviction relief in the form of early termination of probation and expungement of your record.