Top criminal defense Lawyers in El Cerrito | 2 available

2 criminal defense lawyers are available in El Cerrito, california, including Darren Kessler and Shaffy Moeel. These lawyers are rated between 3.5/5 to 3.9/5 and 56% provide free consultation.

Darren Kessler

Shaffy Moeel

criminal defense Lawyers Nearby El Cerrito (by distance)

Within 1 mile near you

El Cerrito, California ZIP 94530 0.0 mi away 2 lawyers

Within 10 miles near you

Oakland, California ZIP 94607 7.8 mi away 19 lawyers Oakland, California ZIP 94610 8.2 mi away 5 lawyers Martinez, California ZIP 94553 9.0 mi away 5 lawyers San Francisco, California ZIP 94111 10.0 mi away 20 lawyers

Within 25 miles near you

Alameda, California ZIP 94501 10.2 mi away 2 lawyers

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Darren Kessler

Firm: Darren J. Kessler

6306 Eureka Avenue Suite 2 , El Cerrito , California 94530

Practice Areas: Criminal Defense

Avvo Review

“Mr. Kessler is a very informed attorney who is really passionate about what he does. I really felt t”

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Yelp Review

“gave me great advice at a time when I had no one to help me. highly recommended!!! if you want quality support and defense this is the place to go!”

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Shaffy Moeel

P.O. Box 2691 , El Cerrito , California 94530

Practice Areas: Criminal Defense

Avvo Review

“I am a mother of three young children—ages 10, 9, and 2—and was sentenced to two years in prison”

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Lawyers.com Review

“Shaffy Moeel is a brilliant trial attorney with extensive experience defending criminal cases. She is regarded as an expert in the community by her peers and she fights hard for he…”

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Recent Q&As in California (criminal defense)

Misdemeanor charges dismissed, changed to administrative citation. Does it still show up as an arrest during background checks? | Aug 2, 2026 | Sourced from Reddit
Location: California Hi! I was recently arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for unlawful assembly. I recently got a notice from the City Police dept. saying it was dismissed and replaced with an Administrative Citation, which is apparently a lower-level offense like an infraction -- civil, not criminal. Only thing to do is pay a fine. My question is, is this something I still need to get expunged? Like will an arrest still show up on a background check for private company employers? Not sure how downgraded charges work. I was basically detained, never fingerprinted/mugshot etc. but the original ticket was for a misdemeanor. I'd appreciate any help, thanks!
This may be a long shot but do any petty theft lawyers use Reddit? ‍♀️ | Jul 22, 2026 | Sourced from Reddit
I fucked up I made a mistake was caught concealing merchandise and was given a ticket for trespassing and concealing items totaling $70. However i tried to tell the officer and worker that i was not trespassing, that i had gotten the trespass notice from a different Target store and was told i was banned for a year but from that specific location. Now im being told it was a ban for the entire county indefinitely and that’s why i was trespassed…. i had never been informed this or had heard this before or else I never would have gone there to begin with. I have a court date now it’s currently a misdemeanor but im worried they will pull up past footage of me. Truthfully i have taken items here and there in the past but had never been cited or trespassed until now. This incident happened 2 months ago im in a different place now and working to get my dermatology license but am terrified i could potentially be facing a felony when my court date happens next month. Any suggestions advice? Hope for the worst? Throw in the towel? Pls Help location: Southern California

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California Statutes — Criminal Defense

Penal Code: defines crimes and sets criminal procedure in California.

Browse the full California Penal Code →

Official government statute text, reproduced for reference — not legal advice. For your situation, consult a licensed attorney.

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