If you are here, you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer who can help you, a loved one, or a friend who is in need.
Steven Rease is that lawyer.
Since 1979, Mr. Rease has dedicated his professional life to successfully defending the accused. He has handled every kind of case from misdemeanors to death penalty cases.
With very few exceptions, most of his career has been devoted to defending people accused of serious felony crimes, be it murder, robbery, burglary, embezzlement, assault, domestic violence, rape, child molest or other felonies.
Mr. Rease recognizes that any criminal charge is a serious case and he has defended misdemeanor cases as well because every accused person deserves the best defense possible no matter what the charge may be.
When your freedom and your future are at stake, you need criminal defense at its finest. With Steven Rease that is precisely what you will get.
Phone
(831) 204-0888
reasecriminaldefense@gmail.com
Location
150 W. Gabilan Street
Suite 4
Salinas, CA 93901
Areas of Practice
Steven Rease offers criminal defense services for people accused of felonies and misdemeanors.
Special focus on:
- Murder
- Sex Crimes
- Child Molestation
- Robbery
- Burglary
- Gang Crimes
- Domestic Violence
- Assaults
- Arson
- "Three Strikes" Law
- Narcotics
- Vehicular Manslaughter
- Drunk Driving
About Steven Rease
For more than 40 years, Mr. Rease has represented thousands of clients and tried hundreds of cases to judges and juries. Let him put that experience and knowledge to work in your defense.
Mr. Rease knows how terrifying it can be to be accused of a crime and have one’s freedom and all that one has worked for at stake. He believes that the right to a lawyer is not merely an empty promise in our Constitution but must be made a living, breathing reality by criminal defense lawyers who are willing and capable of presenting a vigorous and meaningful defense for their clients. He will take the time to listen to you. He will do the hard work to advocate for you. He will be your voice. He understands that when you hire him you are putting your freedom and your future in his hands. He treats that responsibility as a solemn duty.
Criminal cases are won not just in trial but by thorough preparation, investigation and the bringing of legal motions in court to protect your rights and exclude evidence against you that is not legally admissible. Just because something is in the police reports does not mean it happened nor does it mean that that evidence is admissible in court. Where necessary, Mr. Rease will hire experts in various fields of science to assist in your defense.
A Leader in Legal Reform in the Capitol
Mr. Rease is a leader of the premier statewide criminal defense attorney organization in California; California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. He is a former President of CACJ and for many years was the Co-Chairperson of its Legislative Committee. He has often testified as an expert witness before the California Legislature on bills dealing with criminal law issues. He has also written bills that have later become part of the criminal law of California.
A Teacher and Mentor to other Attorneys
Mr. Rease gives lectures and presentations to criminal defense attorneys on various topics involving tactics, strategies and new developments in criminal law. He prepares written analyses and reviews of recent Supreme Court and Court of Appeal decisions that impact your rights and your defense in your criminal case. He is frequently consulted by other attorneys for his expertise and advice on cases they are handling.
A Sought-after Commentator on Legal Affairs
On the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision guaranteeing every person accused of a crime the right to have a lawyer, the Monterey Herald featured a lengthy interview with Mr. Rease on the historical significance of that case.
In the midst of the Coronavirus epidemic, Mr. Rease was quoted in the Daily Journal, the leading legal newspaper in California, regarding judges in Monterey County refusing to wear masks in court, in violation of the law. Mr. Rease said, “There was one judge who was lecturing a criminal defendant about making sacrifices for the greater good. She was not wearing a mask.” Judges are basically saying they have special dispensation because they are wearing black robes. "That’s just arrogance and it sends a terrible message to people coming into our courtrooms. We’re asking people who appear before the judges on criminal charges to obey the law. And [the judge] is not doing it herself. All these people are being unnecessarily exposed.”
A Champion of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Mr. Rease’s contributions to civil liberties and civil rights have been recognized by the Monterey County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union who presented him with the prestigious Francis Heisler award for his dedication and commitment to civil rights, especially involving the criminally accused.
Protecting the Rights of the Criminally Accused
Mr. Rease has repeatedly successfully blocked attempts to give the police and probation departments the authority to conduct sweeping searches of defendant’s cellphones, laptops, tablets and computers thus protecting his client’s right to privacy from invasive searches of electronic devices.
Mr. Rease brought multiple successful challenges to illegal bans on persons with convictions for gang-related crimes from coming to the courthouse.
Professor of Law
For 22 years he was a Professor of Law at Monterey College of Law where he taught classes in Evidence, the Death Penalty and the impact of racial bias in American law. He was recognized as Professor of the Year. Some of his students are now judges on the Monterey Superior Court and many others are practicing attorneys in the community.
Over 40 Years of Criminal Defense Experience
Upon passing the bar in 1979, Mr. Rease worked for a private law firm in Los Angeles doing criminal defense work and bringing civil suits against police departments who engaged in police misconduct. He spent four years in the Riverside Public Defender’s Office before coming to the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office. Mr. Rease became the senior felony trial attorney in that office in 2000.
Education
Mr. Rease is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
Testimonials
Attorney testimonials
"Mr. Rease is one of the top criminal defense attorneys in California. He taught the rules of evidence to law students for many years. He mentors others lawyers in the community. He is a creative and brilliant trial lawyer who has won not guilty verdicts in countless serious matters including first-degree murder and muti-count child-molest cases. Consider yourself extremely lucky if Mr. Rease agrees to take your case."
- Julie Crawford, DUI and DWI Attorney
"Steven Rease is the lawyer you want to have if you or someone you love will face serious charges in state court. You can't buy a tougher or smarter lawyer at any price than Steven Rease. He's been there, and he knows what to do, when to do it and who to do it to. DA's hate him. His clients love him. If you want a criminal defense attorney that you can trust, it's Steve Rease."
- Eric Schweitzer, Criminal Defense Attorney
"Steve is the epitome of a dedicated criminal defense attorney. He has the innate ability to identify important legal issues and the experience to litigate those issues competently and effectively. His colleagues admire him personally and respect his commitment to effective advocacy. More importantly, he treats his clients and their families with respect. He recognizes that the criminal justice realm is often unfair and he fights to protect each client's rights and advocates in a way that ensures each person he represents is treated fairly."
- Nicole Lambros, Criminal Defense Attorney
"There is no better attorney in this county. Anyone charged with a crime is lucky to have Steve Rease on the case. In terms of depth and breadth of experience and the willingness to fight for as long as it takes, he is incomparable. In addition, he is an incredibly generous person, and is always available to share his extensive knowledge of the law with other attorneys. He is the best of the best."
- Phillip Crawford, DUI and DWI Attorney
CLIENT Testimonials
"Mr. Rease is a very aggressive attorney that fights for his clients. He helped me with my brothers case he was looking at a 25 year sentence and help bring it down to 11 years with his help. He is also very good about returning my phone calls when I had any concerns and questions. I highly recommend him he is the guy for the job!"
- Jesus C.
"Mr. Rease is a top-notch lawyer. We knew he was on our side from day one and fully committed to achieving the best outcome for our son—which is exactly what he did! He has a proven ability to articulate persuasive arguments. His style is aggressive, yet reasonable, and his legal acumen is essential in navigating the complex court system. Mr. Rease was always available to answer our questions, listen to our concerns and took the time to explain the law as it applied to our situation. He did the work to obtain necessary information in the case as early as possible; immediately and effectively responded to erroneous reports; and successfully fought to prohibit law enforcement from being allowed to search all of our son’s electronic devices as a condition of his diversion.
We wholeheartedly recommend retaining Mr. Rease if you find yourself (or a loved one) in need of legal assistance."
- Sarah
See more testimonials on Steven Rease's Avvo page.
Notable Cases
Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Steven Rease has represented thousands of clients and tried hundreds of cases. Here are a few of the more notable results:
Woman charged with first degree murder of her police officer boyfriend. Judge dismissed the first degree murder charge before the case went to the jury. Jury returned a verdict of voluntary manslaughter based on heat of passion defense.
Man charged with 16 counts of child molesting against four different children; facing multiple life sentences if convicted. Jury failed to convict on any of the charges.
Client accused of multiple acts of child molesting over a period of years against his step-daughter. Acquitted on all counts.
Client charged with 6 felony counts of illegal firearms and explosives. All counts either dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors before jury trial.
Client charged with attempted robbery acquitted by jury on rarely used and even less rarely successful defense of unconsciousness.
Woman accused of starving her brother in law to death; facing state prison if convicted. Jury acquitted her of that charge.
Man charged with manslaughter in shooting death of his girlfriend’s father. Found not guilty based on self-defense.
Soldier at DLI accused of forcible rape. Jury failed to convict. Case dismissed.
Carnival worker accused of forcible rape of a teenage employee. Case dismissed in the middle of jury trial for lack of evidence.
Client charged with rape and oral copulation of her student, facing years of prison, granted probation.
Client charged with rape had case reduced to a misdemeanor sexual assault.
Six consecutive acquittals at trial of clients accused of domestic violence.
Client’s confession to child molestation excluded from evidence because of illegal interrogation tactics by police.
Challenged the legality of a search of a client’s car on a legal theory that had not yet been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court. Several months later, the Supreme Court excluded evidence seized during a vehicle search on exactly the same theory as argued by Mr. Rease. This led to all of the evidence against the client being excluded and the charges against her being dropped.
Defended five people facing the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. None of those five people were sentenced to death or life without possibility of parole.
Contact
WHEN YOUR FREEDOM AND YOUR FUTURE ARE AT STAKE, YOU NEED CRIMINAL DEFENSE AT ITS FINEST
YOU NEED STEVEN REASE
Contact Mr. Rease to arrange a free consultation.
PHONE
(831) 204-0888
reasecriminaldefense@gmail.com
LOCATION
150 W. Gabilan Street
Suite 4
Salinas, CA 93901