Find a federal criminal defense attorney serving San Diego, San Diego County. Former federal prosecutor John D. Kirby — 25+ years federal trial experience.
1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
All San Diego County criminal matters
The Central Division is the main state courthouse for San Diego County. It handles the highest volume of felony arraignments, preliminary hearings, and trials in the county. Federal cases are heard separately at the U.S. District Court on West Broadway.
Fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, securities violations, public corruption
Federal trafficking, conspiracy, manufacturing, possession with intent to distribute
Organized crime, conspiracy charges, enterprise corruption, multi-defendant cases
Financial crimes, structuring, asset forfeiture, FinCEN and IRS investigations
IRS criminal investigations, failure to file, tax fraud, offshore account disclosures
2255 motions, direct appeals to the Ninth Circuit, post-conviction relief
Medicare/Medicaid fraud, false claims, anti-kickback statute, Stark law violations
PPP loan fraud, EIDL fraud, pandemic relief program investigations
Absolutely. Federal cases are handled at the Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse at 221 West Broadway, not at the San Diego Superior Court on Union Street. An attorney who regularly practices there knows the local judges, prosecutors, and courtroom procedures—like the mandatory early disposition calendar—that can affect your case timeline and strategy.
Even if your case is federal, your initial arrest or state-level charges may first go through San Diego Superior Court’s Central Division, which handles the highest volume of felony arraignments in the county. An attorney familiar with that courthouse can navigate its busy preliminary hearing schedule and know exactly where to file paperwork, such as at the Clerk’s Office on the first floor.
San Diego’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border means federal courts here see a high number of drug trafficking and immigration-related cases. A local attorney will understand how the Southern District of California’s border enforcement policies and the Central Division’s “fast track” sentencing guidelines often apply to these charges, which can drastically change your defense approach.
The San Diego Superior Court — Central Division operates under its own local rules, its own judges, and its own assigned federal prosecutors. An attorney who regularly practices in this courthouse understands how specific judges handle suppression motions, what the assigned AUSA typically offers in plea negotiations, and what sentencing outcomes are realistic for cases from the San Diego area. Do not hire a general practitioner who will be learning the federal system at your expense — your freedom deserves experienced representation that knows this courthouse.
For full practice area coverage — white collar crime, drug crimes, RICO, money laundering, tax evasion, healthcare fraud, PPP fraud, and federal appeals:
Kirby Law — Full Federal Criminal Defense PracticeFormer federal prosecutor John D. Kirby — 25+ years federal trial experience. Confidential consultation available.
All communications are confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege.