When friends and family start telling you to "find someone good," they usually mean an attorney with real courtroom experience, not just a billboard. Galster residents who've been through the system before will tell you the same thing: the firm you choose changes the case. We've spent years building our reputation as a reliable local criminal defense lawyer who picks up the phone, prepares cases like they're going to trial, and tells clients the truth about what's coming. That word-of-mouth foundation is what keeps people from this neighborhood walking through our doors year after year, and we don't take that trust lightly.
Most people calling a defense firm for the first time expect to reach a receptionist, then a paralegal, then maybe a junior associate weeks later. That's not how things run at SoCal Defense Lawyer. Tammy Higgins handles cases personally, returns calls herself, visits clients in custody, and answers texts during the stretches when waiting feels unbearable. Galster clients consistently mention this kind of access in their reviews because it isn't common in criminal defense, and it changes how prepared a case actually is once it matters most.
Tammy spent 16 years as a Public Defender across Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties before opening her own practice. Her final assignment was in the homicide defense unit, where she defended clients facing the most serious charges California can bring, including capital cases. She has tried more than 100 cases to jury verdict, with over a dozen homicides among them, and she holds a death penalty qualification granted by the courts themselves. She is also admitted to federal practice in the Central and Southern Districts of California.
Our work spans the breadth of California criminal law. We take DUI cases, domestic violence charges, drug offenses, gun and weapons matters, theft, assault, sexual assault, and homicide. We also handle post-conviction work, including expungement under Penal Code 1203.4, mental health diversion under PC 1001.36, veteran diversion, Racial Justice Act petitions under AB 256, and re-sentencing for clients serving time under outdated sentencing laws. Restraining order defense and federal financial crime cases also fall within our scope.
Our case results include not guilty jury verdicts on murder, gun, child molestation, and assault with a deadly weapon charges. Rape and sexual assault cases have been dismissed at preliminary hearings, domestic violence charges dropped outright, and $250,000 in seized assets returned to a client. Past results never guarantee future outcomes, but they show what real preparation produces. ThreeBestRated.com named the firm one of the 3 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in West Covina for 2026.
Galster is a residential community within West Covina, California, known for its tree-lined streets, family-oriented atmosphere, and easy access to nearby parks and the wider San Gabriel Valley.
Reach out today for a free confidential consultation, and let's start sorting through what your case really needs.
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