Writing from the other side of it

Notes on what a first-time charge actually involves — the process, the decisions, and what I learned going through it myself. General information and my own experience, never legal advice.

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  Top Bail Bond Agencies in Santa Clara County, CA

  August 6, 2026

  When you or a loved one needs a bail bond in Santa Clara County, the situation is usually urgent, stressful, and confusing. A quick search will return dozens of companies promising “immediate release” or “the lowest rates.” But how do you separate marketing claims from actual local presence and customer experience? To help you make an informed decision, we analyzed two types of objective public data: activity in the Santa Clara County Superior Court and verified public review snapshots from Goo

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  ChatGPT sucks at predicting your criminal case. So does Claude.

  July 8, 2026

  Quick note before you read: This is my own story and general information, not legal advice. I’m not a lawyer. Every case is different, and nothing here can tell you what will happen in yours. First, a real case. What would you guess? Here's a real domestic-violence case from Santa Clara County. Read it, then make the call: During an argument, one partner punched the other in the face. The person who was hit grabbed a wine bottle to defend themselves, and the first person tried to swing again

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  Why do lawyers charge by case, not hourly? And how I spent $0 on private attorney

  July 6, 2026

  Quick note before you read: This is my own story and general information, not legal advice. I’m not a lawyer. Every case is different, and nothing here can tell you what will happen in yours. I wrote a blog post on how much a criminal defense attorney in Santa Clara County quoted me. It was $7,000 for a misdemeanor and $10,000 for a felony. I’m sure the final price would have been even higher once all the miscellaneous administrative work was added, such as filing forms, notarization, and so on

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  How much did a lawyer quote me to handle my domestic violence case?

  July 4, 2026

  Quick note before you read: this is my own story and general information, not legal advice. I'm not a lawyer, every case is different, and nothing here can tell you what will happen in yours. One of the main reasons I started The First Hearing is that it’s incredibly difficult to hire the right private attorney as a criminal defendant. By “right,” I mean someone with a proven track record who also fits within a budget you can actually afford. Based on my 10-month legal battle as a pro se (self

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  How I Got a Lawyer at My Arraignment for Free — and Why You Might Be Able To, Too

  June 24, 2026

  Quick note before you read: this is my own story and general information, not legal advice. I'm not a lawyer, every case is different, and nothing here can tell you what will happen in yours. In my previous post, I walked through the general timeline — what happens from the arrest to the arraignment, which is usually the first court appearance in a criminal case in Santa Clara County. In my case, I got lucky: a private attorney showed up to my arraignment with me, for free. Yes — it cost me $0

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  How long did it take the DA to charge me after the incident? (Santa Clara County)

  June 24, 2026

  Quick note before you read: this is my own story and general information, not legal advice. I'm not a lawyer, every case is different, and nothing here can tell you what will happen in yours. The incident happened on Day 0. Here's the timeline: * Day 0: The incident. * Day 1: The police arrested me on a felony domestic violence allegation — a felony, not a misdemeanor. * Day 2: Released from county jail (Milpitas) on a bail bond. I paid $4,000 — 10% of the $40,000 bail. * Day 52: The DA's

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