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John C. Lemon
Since graduating from law school
in 1994, Mr. Lemon has dedicated his practice of law to the
representation of the accused. First working
exclusively for indigent defendants as a
Deputy Public Defender in San Diego County, then as a trial
attorney at Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., he now
maintains his criminal defense practice through The Law
Offices of John C. Lemon, APC.
Mr. Lemon has handled a broad
range of serious felony cases in both federal and state
courts, including armed robbery, attempted murder, and
capital murder. He also has extensive experience defending large
and complex conspiracy indictments alleging racketeering,
bank and wire fraud, money laundering, narcotics trafficking
(including marijuana cultivation), and alien smuggling.
The federal trial courts are
perhaps the most challenging venue for anyone unfortunate
enough to be accused of a crime. The prosecution enjoys the
vast resources of the federal government, conservative jury
pools, and, in many cases, the weight of the evidence.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2005, 90% of
federal cases resulted in convictions, 9% in dismissals and
only 1% in acquittals.
But Mr. Lemon has won
acquittals and hung juries in many serious cases, including
alien smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and murder. Since
entering private practice in November 2006, he has
won two complete acquittals and four hung juries (three resulting
in dismissals and the fourth settling for a plea to a
no-time misdemeanor) in federal felony trials.
In the summer of 2008, for
example, Mr. Lemon
tried a complex federal
murder case involving an alleged prison gang. His
client, who was facing a mandatory sentence of life without
the possibility of parole, was acquitted of all six felony
counts – including First Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit
Murder, and Assault with Intent to Commit Murder – and
immediately released from federal prison.
Mr. Lemon also maintains an
aggressive appellate and motions practice. He has successfully
argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on several
occasions and has won motions to suppress evidence at both
the federal district court and state court level. Since
November 2006, Mr. Lemon has won four reversals in the
federal appeals court, three of which resulted in
time-served sentences and the other in an outright
dismissal.
Of course, not every client is
best served by a jury trial. Accordingly, Mr. Lemon
maintains a cogent and professional negotiating style to the
benefit of all of his clients, many of whom receive
favorable dispositions and even dismissals.
Regardless of the type of case –
or whether it is resolved by trial, dismissal, or plea
bargain – Mr. Lemon’s clients receive an aggressive,
focused, and intelligent defense, the touchstones of which
are thorough preparation and sound judgment.
Mr. Lemon holds a B.A. in
Letters with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma and
a J.D. from Stanford Law School. He is certified as a
Specialist in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the State Bar of
California and the National Board of Trial Advocacy (an
American Bar Association accredited organization).
And he has been Peer Review Rated “AV” (the highest rating for legal
ability) by Martindale-Hubbell, was awarded the “Super
Lawyers” designation by Law & Politics’ in the 2008,
2009,
and 2010 editions of its publication, San Diego Super
Lawyers, and was recognized as a “Top Attorney of 2009”
by the San Diego Daily Transcript.
Mr. Lemon is licensed to
practice in the State of California, the Southern District
of California, the Central District of California, the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme
Court.
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