John Barnett
About John Barnett
Mr. Barnett graduated from the University of San Francisco Law School in 1973, and began his practice with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office in 1974 through 1978. He then moved to private practice where he has tried both civil and criminal cases, including several capital murder cases and representation of police officers, including serving as lead counsel for Officer Ted Briseno in the case entitled People v. Powell, more commonly known to the public as the “Rodney King” case. In 2002, Mr. Barnett again gained national attention when he was retained as counsel for an Inglewood police officer, Jeremy Morse who in July of that year was indicted as a result of his actions seen in a nationally televised videotape.
Mr. Barnett’s practice has evolved from strictly criminal defense to include trial of complex civil matters. He has associated in as trial counsel on many cases with the law offices of Walsworth, Franklin, Bevins & McCall, a firm consisting of more than seventy lawyers, with offices in both Orange and San Francisco. These cases have included the defense of asbestos and environmental contamination claims; the defense of banks and construction firms; the defense and prosecution of attorney malpractice claims; the prosecution of “whistle-blower” claims; and the defense of municipalities in police misconduct cases and the defense of large corporations in discrimination claims. He has also defended clients on various personal injury actions and obtained a defense verdict in a five-week wrongful death jury trial in San Diego brought by five separate plaintiffs arising out of alleged exposure to toxic chemicals.
Mr. Barnett has been accorded numerous honors and awards, has served on the Orange County Bar College of Trial Advocacy, is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and has lectured on trial tactics to the Bar Associations of Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties. He has also lectured at the State Bar Litigation Section meeting on trial tactics, argued a matter before the United States Supreme Court, and has served as consultant or expert witness on the issue of trial skills and tactics.
Education
- University of San Francisco Law School
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117 1973
Practice Areas
- Violent Crimes
- Drugs
- DUI
- Sex Crimes
- Personal Injury
Violent crimes carry severe consequences in California. Those charged with offenses such as robbery, assault, rape, manslaughter, attempted murder, and murder must take the charges very seriously, even if they are completely innocent of the crime. As the accused, the deck is already stacked against you. You need someone in your corner from day one protecting your right to fair treatment under the law, regardless of guilt or innocence.
Police departments across the United States pride themselves on keeping drugs off their streets and punishing drug dealers and manufacturers to the fullest extent of the law. Los Angeles and other Orange County municipalities are no exceptions. In their zeal to arrest drug offenders, however, police officers and prosecutors may overreach their authority and violate the rights of their targets. If you have been arrested and charged with a drug crime in Southern California, you owe it to yourself and your family to fight the charges with everything you’ve got.
Clearly, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney when you are charged with causing a serious or fatal crash while you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but no DUI should be taken lightly. A DUI conviction in California can affect your livelihood, family, and future. If you are arrested and charged with a DUI in Orange County, call our experienced DUI defense attorney right away. He can help you protect your rights and your future.
Rape and child sexual abuse are horrendous crimes—no one is disputing that fact. However, being falsely accused of these crimes—or being denied due process after an arrest for such a crime—is also horrendous. Without courageous criminal defense attorneys who are willing to defend those charged with sexual offenses, the legal rights of all Americans are in jeopardy. Attorney John D. Barnett has successfully defended victims of false rape allegations and consistently holds Orange County prosecutors to high legal standards when dealing with sex offenders.
Just as criminal defense attorney John D. Barnett has proven himself a skilled advocate for people charged with crimes in Orange County, his son, Case Barnett, has built a reputation as a fierce defender of the rights of accident victims. Car crashes, slip and falls, nursing home neglect, playground accidents, and industrial disasters are just a few of the kinds of personal injury cases we have successfully resolved for clients just like you.
Awards
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