Criminal Defense Lawyer Riverside & Inland Empire | Flat Fee

Daniel Gramling, Esq.
9 hours ago
6 min read

Criminal Defense Attorney for Riverside, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and Orange County

If you or someone you love was arrested or has a court date coming up, the next few days matter more than most people realize. What you say to police, whether you show up to arraignment, and whether anyone has looked at the stop, the search and the evidence before the first hearing can shape the entire case. Gramling Law Group defends people charged with crimes across Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County and Orange County. The firm is led by Daniel Gramling, Esq., a former public defender who tried cases in California criminal courtrooms before opening his own practice, and every case begins with a flat fee quoted in writing so you know the cost before you hire.

Call (909) 654-4575 now or request a flat-fee quote through this website. Consultations are by phone or video, and the firm can usually speak with you the same day.

Cases the Firm Handles

DUI and driving offenses. First-offense and repeat DUI, DUI with injury, refusal cases, driving on a suspended license, hit and run and reckless driving. A DUI arrest triggers two separate fights: the criminal case and the DMV administrative hearing, and the DMV hearing has a short request deadline. The firm handles both and looks first at whether the stop was lawful and whether the testing was done properly.

Domestic violence. Corporal injury, domestic battery, criminal threats and violations of protective orders. Domestic violence arrests often produce a criminal case and a family law restraining order request at the same time, and what is said in one can be used in the other. Because the firm practices both criminal defense and family law, one attorney coordinates the entire situation instead of two lawyers giving inconsistent advice.

Misdemeanors. Theft, vandalism, drug possession, trespass, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and similar charges. A misdemeanor can still mean jail, probation, fines, a criminal record that shows up on background checks and immigration or licensing consequences. Many misdemeanor cases can be resolved through diversion, dismissal or reduction when the right motions are filed early.

Felonies. Assault, burglary, drug sales, weapons charges, fraud and other felony allegations. Felony cases move through arraignment, a preliminary hearing and, if held to answer, trial. The preliminary hearing is often the first real opportunity to test the prosecution's evidence and narrow or eliminate charges.

Warrants, probation violations and post-conviction relief. Clearing a bench warrant after a missed court date, defending probation violation allegations, and pursuing expungement or reduction of prior convictions where the law allows.

Why People Hire a Former Public Defender

Public defenders try more cases in a year than many private attorneys try in a decade. Daniel Gramling spent his early career in that role, standing next to clients at arraignment, arguing motions to suppress and taking cases to jury trial. That background shows in how the firm works a case: the police report is read for what is missing, the body camera footage is requested immediately, the search and the stop are analyzed for constitutional problems, and the case is prepared as if it will be tried. Prosecutors make better offers to defendants whose lawyers are ready to pick a jury.

The firm is also built for people who need to know what representation will cost. Instead of an open-ended retainer billed by the hour, you receive a written flat-fee quote for a defined stage of the case, such as the arraignment and pretrial stage, the preliminary hearing or trial. Limited-scope representation is available when you need an attorney for one hearing or one motion. And you communicate directly with the attorney handling your case, not a case manager.

Where Your Case Will Be Heard

Riverside County criminal cases are heard at the Riverside Hall of Justice in downtown Riverside, the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta for Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Menifee, and the Larson Justice Center in Indio for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. San Bernardino County cases go to the San Bernardino Justice Center for San Bernardino, Redlands, Highland, Colton, Rialto and Yucaipa, the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse for Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Fontana, Upland and Chino, and the Victorville courthouse for the High Desert. Los Angeles County cases are assigned to the courthouse serving the arrest location, including the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center downtown and district courthouses such as Pomona, Pasadena, Long Beach, Torrance, Van Nuys and Lancaster. Orange County cases are heard at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, the North Justice Center in Fullerton, the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach or the West Justice Center in Westminster. The firm's office is in downtown Riverside, a short walk from the Hall of Justice, and Daniel appears in each of these counties.

What to Do Right Now

Do not discuss the facts of the case with police, jail staff, the other party or anyone on social media or a recorded jail phone line. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney; use both. If you were arrested for DUI, note the date, because the window to request a DMV hearing is short. Write down everything you remember about the stop, the arrest and any searches while it is fresh, and save any texts, photos, receipts or names of witnesses. Do not miss your arraignment date; a missed appearance leads to a bench warrant. Then call the firm so an attorney can evaluate the case before the first hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Riverside or San Bernardino?

Gramling Law Group quotes a flat fee in writing after a consultation, based on the charge, the courthouse and the stage of the case. The fee does not change unless you and the firm agree to expand the scope. The firm does not publish dollar figures because a first-offense misdemeanor and a felony headed for preliminary hearing are very different cases.

Should I talk to the police to clear things up?

No. Anything you say can be used against you, and people rarely talk their way out of charges. Politely state that you are exercising your right to remain silent and that you want a lawyer, then stop talking. Your attorney can communicate with the detective or prosecutor on your behalf if that is strategically useful.

Can you handle my case if I was arrested in Los Angeles or Orange County?

Yes. Daniel appears in Los Angeles County and Orange County criminal courts regularly, along with Riverside and San Bernardino County. Consultations are by phone or video and case communication is electronic, so the firm's Riverside location does not affect the representation.

What happens at the first court date?

The first appearance is the arraignment. You are told the charges, enter a plea of not guilty in most cases, and the court addresses release conditions and sets the next date. Having an attorney at arraignment matters because release terms, protective orders and early plea offers are often addressed at that hearing.

Will a conviction stay on my record?

It depends on the charge and the outcome. California allows expungement or dismissal of many convictions after probation is completed, and some felonies can be reduced to misdemeanors. Diversion programs can result in dismissal without a conviction for eligible charges. The firm evaluates these options at the start of the case, not after the plea.

Call Gramling Law Group at (909) 654-4575 or request a flat-fee quote through this website to speak with a criminal defense attorney about your case in Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles or Orange County.

This page is educational and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship until a written agreement is signed. It addresses California law only.

Ready to talk? Request a flat-fee quote or call (909) 654-4575 to reach the attorney directly.

Gramling Law Group

3600 Lime St, Bldg 2, Riverside, CA 92501

Phone: (909) 654-4575

Serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and all of Southern California except San Diego in family law and criminal defense.

Follow Daniel Gramling on Instagram: @californiafamilylawyer