Charged With a Crime in Nevada County? You Deserve a Lawyer Who Has Only Ever Been on Your Side.
Hiring the right criminal defense lawyer is the most important decision you'll make in your case.
I'm Michael Phillips. I went to law school to help people — especially in their hardest moments. In more than thirty years, I have never used what I know to put a person in jail or make a life harder. I've only ever stood on one side of the courtroom. Yours.
When you call, you reach me directly. You'll get a calm, honest read on where you actually stand. The first conversation is free and confidential.
- More than 100 jury trials, taken to verdict.
- Thirty-plus years defending people in Nevada County.
- Never a prosecutor. Never for an insurance company.
Bravado is common. Trial skill is rare.
A lot of lawyers say they're aggressive. Most aren't — the bravado rarely survives a courtroom. What actually protects you is quieter and harder to fake: real trial skill, earned by trying cases to verdict, paired with compassion, integrity, and understanding. Serious charges call for both.
One side of the courtroom
The other criminal lawyers in town are former prosecutors. They'll tell you that gives them an edge. The honest truth is simpler: the relationships that move a case come from showing up in these courtrooms for decades and earning respect — not from once having worked in that office. I've spent thirty years across the table from these same prosecutors. On one side only. Yours.
A personal practice, by design
What sets my practice apart is plain: it's personal, from the first call to the last. I take only a select number of cases at a time, on purpose, so each client gets my full time and attention. The work in a courtroom comes down to preparation and communication — and that starts with a lawyer who knows your case because he's the one handling it.
You work directly with me — start to finish, never handed off.
A limited caseload, so your case has my full attention.
Flat fees, agreed up front, so you know your cost from day one.
Honest counsel in plain English — advice seasoned by decades in the courtroom, and no scare tactics.
Capable in court. Human throughout.
These are among the hardest days a person goes through. You deserve a lawyer who is formidable in the courtroom and genuinely supportive outside it. I've built this practice around the person, not the case file — because good people end up here, and you'll be treated like one.
And before any case moves toward a conviction, I look hard at whether it has to. For the right cases, California's treatment and diversion paths can mean dismissal and a clean record instead of a permanent mark. Innovative strategies, particularly in mental health diversion, offer clients a pathway to sidestep criminal convictions
Thirty years. One side of the courtroom. Yours.
Facing a criminal charge in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Truckee, or anywhere in Nevada County? The first conversation is free and confidential, and you'll talk directly with me.
Call (530) 265-0186What I handle
Driving under the influence
A DUI arrest puts two things at risk at once — your license and your record — and the clock on your license starts the day you're arrested. I defend DUI cases across Nevada County, from a first offense to felony charges, with the trial experience to test the stop, the field sobriety tests, and the breath and blood evidence rather than simply pleading it out. It's also its own dedicated practice, so you'll find the full picture there. ( Nevada County DUI Defense )
Drug crimes
A drug charge can range from simple possession to allegations of sales or transportation, and the right defense depends on getting the details right — how the search was conducted, whether the stop was lawful, and what the evidence actually shows. I defend these cases across Nevada County, and where the facts fit, I look hard at treatment and diversion paths that can lead to dismissal and a clean record rather than a conviction. The goal is always the outcome that protects your future, not just the one that closes the file.
“Three Strikes” and serious felonies
A drug charge can range from simple possession to allegations of sales or transportation, and the right defense depends on getting the details right — how the search was conducted, whether the stop was lawful, and what the evidence actually shows. I defend these cases across Nevada County, and where the facts fit, I look hard at treatment and diversion paths that can lead to dismissal and a clean record rather than a conviction. The goal is always the outcome that protects your future, not just the one that closes the file.
These are the areas I focus on. If you're facing a different serious charge, call anyway — I take select criminal cases across Nevada County, and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit for yours
"Thirty years. One side of the courtroom. Yours." — Michael Phillips
Talk to Michael directly
The first conversation is free and confidential, and you'll speak with me — not a screener. Whether you were arrested last night or you're weighing your options, call and we'll figure out where you stand.
Phillips Law Offices 305 Railroad Avenue, Suite 5 Nevada City, CA 95959 Phone: (530) 265-0186 Email: thephillipslawoffices@gmail.com Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.