70/100LFR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 390 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Capitola, CA: 2026 rankings
97 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Highest LFR Score in Capitola: Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney, LFR Score 70/100; 5.0★ from 390 Google reviews; open 24/7.
- 2
Open 24 hours (per Google): DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura Santa Cruz, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 97.
- 11
Most-reviewed: Mayr Law Firm PC, 274 Google reviews at 4.6★, the most of 97 ranked after Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney; ranked #11.
Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
97 Capitola criminal defense lawyers are ranked here by LFR Score, from nine published factors. 41 are open 24/7, 47 open Saturdays and 43 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.9★ across 97 rated law firms.
Top 10 criminal defense lawyers in Capitola at a glance
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney | 70 | 5.0★ (390) | San Jose, 25 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | Top score |
| 2 | DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura Santa Cruz | 69 | 5.0★ (36) | Santa Cruz, 4 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | Open 24 hours |
| 3 | Law Office of Stephanie Rickard | 68 | 4.9★ (271) | San Jose, 25 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 4 | Knight Law - DUI & Criminal Defense | 68 | 5.0★ (200) | San Jose, 25 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 5 | DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura | 68 | 5.0★ (36) | Scotts Valley, 6 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 6 | Shnider Law Firm, PC | 68 | 5.0★ (175) | San Jose, 25 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 7 | Summit Defense Criminal Lawyers - San Jose Office | 67 | 4.9★ (239) | San Jose, 28 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 8 | Pernik Law, APC | 67 | 5.0★ (146) | Salinas, 26 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 9 | Ahmed & Sukaram, Criminal Defense Attorneys San Jose | 67 | 4.9★ (156) | San Jose, 25 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) | — |
| 10 | Law Offices of George J Gigarjian | 67 | 5.0★ (44) | Santa Cruz, 4 mi away | — | — |
All 97 criminal defense lawyers in Capitola, in rank order
Ordered by LFR Score, a 0–100 score from nine published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
Based in Santa Cruz, 4 mi away
69/100LFR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 36 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 271 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 200 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Scotts Valley, 6 mi away
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 36 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 175 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 28 mi away
67/100LFR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 239 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Salinas, 26 mi away
67/100LFR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 146 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
67/100LFR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 156 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Santa Cruz, 4 mi away
67/100LFR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 44 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.
#11 Mayr Law Firm PC
Based in Santa Clara, 27 mi away
66/100LFR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 274 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Santa Cruz, 3 mi away
66/100LFR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 26 mi away
65/100LFR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 55 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Santa Cruz, 4 mi away
65/100LFR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Santa Cruz, 4 mi away
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#16 Pernik Law, APC
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 38 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#17 Vijay Law
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 38 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Salinas, 26 mi away
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.7★ from 59 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 36 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 32 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#21 Luna Bail Bonds
Based in San Jose, 26 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 38 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 20 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 29 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#23 Pernik Law, APC
Based in Monterey, 26 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in San Jose, 25 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 84 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#25 Shouse Law Group
Based in San Jose, 26 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 18 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Criminal defense lawyers ranked #26 to #50
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #50, in LFR Score order; each links to its profile. We publish the top 50 of 97 ranked criminal defense lawyers here; the rest are on their profiles.
Also serving Capitola
20 more criminal defense lawyers within 30 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a practice area we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
How we ranked Capitola criminal defense lawyers
We scored 97 Capitola criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, weighted as shown. A law firm is ranked when its practice area is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Attorney advertising businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Capitola data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 25% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it | Measured |
| Bar status | 10% | An active bar or law society record matched to a lawyer at the firm (not measured until a record source is loaded) | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list | Measured |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 5% | Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7 | Measured |
| Practice focus | 15% | How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name) | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is | Measured |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same) | Measured |
| Law Firms Ranked reviews | 10% | Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there are | Measured |
How to choose a criminal defense lawyer
- Check the lawyer’s status and any public discipline in the state bar or law society directory.
- Ask how many criminal defense matters the lawyer handles each year, and who at the firm will do the work.
- Get the fee arrangement in writing: hourly, flat or contingency, and which costs are charged on top.
- Ask how and how often the firm will update you, and how fast it answers calls and emails.
- Read recent reviews for how the firm communicated and billed, not only for outcomes.
- Ask whether the lawyer regularly appears in the court where your case is filed.
- Meet more than one firm; many offer a short first consultation, sometimes free.
Questions to ask a criminal defense lawyer
- How would you approach a matter like mine, and what are the realistic options?
- How do you charge, and what will the total likely cost?
- Who will be my main contact, and how quickly do you reply?
- What does the flat fee cover, and what costs extra if the case goes to trial?
- Who will appear with me at each hearing?
- Is there any conflict of interest that would stop you representing me?
Terms explained
- Contingency fee
- A fee that is a share of the money recovered, paid only if there is a recovery. Common in injury cases; not allowed for criminal defense or for securing a divorce.
- Retainer
- Money paid up front and held in a trust account, which the lawyer draws on as fees are earned.
- Flat fee
- One set price for a defined piece of work, such as a will or an uncontested matter.
- Limited-scope representation
- Paying a lawyer for part of a matter only, such as reviewing documents or coaching for one hearing (also called unbundled services).
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline to file a lawsuit or charge. It differs by state or province and by type of claim.
- Good standing
- A lawyer’s status as active and eligible to practise with a state bar or law society.
- Law society
- The body that licenses and disciplines lawyers in a Canadian province or territory.
- Board certification
- Recognition in a field of law by a state program or an organisation accredited for that purpose. Lawyers may only claim it when they hold it, naming the certifying body.
- Attorney–client privilege
- The rule that keeps confidential communications between a client and lawyer, made for legal advice, out of court.
- Conflict check
- The search a firm runs before taking a matter to make sure it does not represent someone on the other side.
- Pro bono
- Legal work done for free, usually for people who cannot afford a lawyer.
- Legal aid
- Publicly funded legal help for people with low incomes, through legal aid offices, public defenders or provincial legal aid plans.
Criminal defense lawyers in Capitola: frequently asked questions
Which criminal defense lawyer has the highest LFR Score in Capitola?
By LFR Score, the highest-ranked criminal defense lawyer in Capitola, CA is Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney with an LFR Score of 70/100. It has 5.0★ from 390 Google reviews. It is open 24/7. DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura Santa Cruz (#2) and Law Office of Stephanie Rickard (#3) follow. We ranked 97 criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, last updated November 9, 2026.
How many criminal defense lawyers are there in Capitola?
LawFirmsRanked ranks 97 criminal defense lawyers serving Capitola, CA. 1 of them is based in Capitola; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 30 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
Which criminal defense lawyers in Capitola are open 24/7?
41 ranked criminal defense lawyers in Capitola post 24/7 hours. The highest-ranked are Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney (#1), DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura Santa Cruz (#2) and Law Office of Stephanie Rickard (#3). Hours come from each law firm's Google listing as of November 2026, so call to confirm.
Which criminal defense lawyers in Capitola work on weekends?
47 of 97 ranked criminal defense lawyers post Saturday hours and 43 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney (#1), DUI Attorney Rick Gazipura Santa Cruz (#2) and Law Office of Stephanie Rickard (#3). Posted hours are office hours; many firms meet clients by appointment outside them.
What Google rating do Capitola criminal defense lawyers have?
The median Google rating among 97 rated criminal defense lawyers in Capitola is 4.9★, with a median of 21 reviews. Javier Rios San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney has the most, 390 reviews, and ranks #1. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.
How does LawFirmsRanked rank criminal defense lawyers?
Each criminal defense lawyer gets a 0–100 LFR Score from nine published factors, led by reputation (25%), practice focus (15%), review volume (10%) and recency (10%). A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only law firms with a confirmed practice area and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.
Do criminal defense lawyers outside Capitola count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 30 mi of the Capitola city center, our service radius for criminal defense lawyers. Each listing shows where the law firm is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 5% of the LFR Score, so a nearby law firm gets a small edge.
Can criminal defense lawyers pay to rank higher on LawFirmsRanked?
No. The LFR Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured law firms may appear above the list, labelled Attorney advertising and showing their honest rank.
How do criminal defense lawyers in Capitola, CA charge?
Criminal defense lawyers usually charge a flat fee per stage (for example, through a plea or through trial) or an hourly rate. Contingency fees are not allowed in criminal cases under ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Lawyers using Clio billed an average of $219 an hour in this area (Clio Legal Trends data, October 2026; all areas $362). Ask for the fee arrangement in writing before you agree.
What if I can’t afford a criminal defense lawyer?
If a charge can lead to jail, the court must appoint a lawyer for you if you cannot afford one (Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963; Argersinger v. Hamlin, 1972). Ask about a public defender at your first court appearance. This is general information, not legal advice.
How is this list of criminal defense lawyers in Capitola, CA ranked?
By LFR Score only, from public data on reviews, practice focus, office location and hours. Firms labelled “Attorney advertising” paid for that placement; payment never changes a rank, and a rank is not an endorsement.
Does a lawyer need an office in Capitola?
No, but the lawyer must be licensed in your state (or, for federal matters such as immigration, in some state). A local office makes meetings and court appearances easier, so proximity is one of our factors.
Update log for Capitola
- November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 97 criminal defense lawyers serving Capitola.
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