Melissa Bobrow
Top rated Criminal Defense attorney in San Diego, California
Practice Areas:
Criminal Defense,
Assault & Battery,
Domestic Violence,
Drug & Alcohol Violations,
Child Support,
Sex Offenses,
Tax
Education Qualification:
California Western School of Law
Practice Areas:
Criminal defense,
Assault & battery,
Domestic violence,
Drug & alcohol violations,
Child support,
Sex offenses,
Tax
402 W Broadway, Suite 810, San Diego, CA 92101San Diego, California, 92101
First Admitted: 2009, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.melissabobrow.com/about-us
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Board of Directors National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2020
- Federal Bar Association, Member
- Active Member of the Women in White Collar Criminal Defense Association
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- NOT GUILTY - Client was charged with 40 counts of Sexual Assault and Child Molestation. Counts 1-6: PC 289(a)(1); Counts 7-12: PC 288(b)(1); Counts 13-40: PC289(a)(1). The first trial, conducted by an extraordinary Public Defender, hung on all 40 counts. Client in custody for 5 years. Offer was for Credit Time Served with a lifetime 290 registration - client was facing over 100 years in custody. Client declined and went to trial for the 2nd time! 10 dismissed by the judge Directed Verdict. Jury voted Not Guilty., 2025
- ONE COUNT DISMISSED, TIME SERVED - After almost 3 years in federal custody, Client got to spend Christmas 2024 with family. Government charged Client with 1 count of Drug Possession with Intent to Distribute and 3 counts of Assault of Federal Officers. Long - long - long story, short. After litigation, Government agreed to drop the drug charge. After much more litigation, Government agreed to a Time Served sentence.After serving nearly 3 years in several different federal pre-trial detention centers, suffering a heart attack while in custody, Client is finally breathing a sigh of relief., 2024
- SENTENCE MITIGATED - Client charged with importation of Methamphetamine in Federal Court. The Government asked for 41 months and Probation asked for 42 months. We were able to get their sentence down to time served and released to a residential rehab facility., 2023
- SENTENCE MITIGATED - Client was charged with: Assault with a Deadly Weapon and facing a strike; and felony vandalism. After the preliminary hearing, the court dismissed the strike and dropped the charges to Assault by Means Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury and Vandalism. Probation recommended 13 years in prison; the DA recommended 6 years in prison. We secured probation and our client is free!, 2023
- DISMISSEDClient pleaded No Contest on a felony case and was sentenced to 16 months prison. In between client's Change of Plea to client's Sentencing, client picked up a new case - Battery on a former cohabitant/partner. Instead of pleading client guilty and admitting a violation of the terms of the plea agreement - increasing client's exposure at sentencing - we pushed to trial. The District Attorney dismissed the case on the day of trial for lack of sufficient evidence., 2023
- DISMISSEDClient was charged with underage drinking. After several court appearances, we were able to get the case dismissed through diversion. Client still has a clean record and a bright future ahead., 2023
- DISMISSEDClient maintained innocence and after offer for 1 count of PC 32 (Felony Accessory After the Fact) and formal probation, with terms and conditions - proceeded to the preliminary hearing. Thanks to the completely ethical DA, evidence was included in the hearing that allowed the judge to make a fully informed ruling. After the hearing, the judge found insufficient evidence and dismissed the case. Client came to court today facing 6 felonies, including 1 strike, and left with 0!, 2023
- DISMISSEDClient was charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Client maintained innocence and rejected deal for no strike and no jail time. Preliminary Hearing dismissed due to witness issues., 2023
- DISMISSEDClient was charged with 5 counts of PC 32 - Felony Accessory After the Fact. Client maintained innocence and after offer for 1 count of PC 32 and formal probation, with terms and conditions - proceeded to the preliminary hearing. After the hearing, the judge found insufficient evidence and dismissed the case. Client came to court today facing 6 felonies, including 1 strike, and left with 0! Thanks to the completely ethical DA, evidence was included in the hearing that allowed the judge to make a fully informed ruling. , 2023
- DISMISSEDClient was charged with PC 21310- Felony Carrying a Dirk or Dagger. Client was standing outside a gas station when a drug task force randomly roaming the streets came across him. They said he looked nervous so they approached him. After he consented they found a 9 inch knife in our clients sweater and he was charged. Trial was set to start when we found out there was no proof of the actual knife. There were no photos of the knife and the knife itself was destroyed. The case was dismissed due to lack of evidence., 2023
- NOT GUILTYClient was charged with Assault Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury - Producing Great Bodily Injury- AND having a strike (or 2) prior. Client faced a 3rd strike (25-life if found guilty). There was a jail melee resulting in significant injuries to the victim. Client was near the fight and the only person wearing different colored pants. They were also the only person shot with a non-lethal bean bag when the guard went full Duck Hunt and started firing into the crowd.Jury came back Not Guilty. Client showed up for the verdict, and that is another step in the right direction for this Client., 2024
- CASE DISMISSEDOur Client was arrested two days into Marine boot camp for two counts of Dissuading a Witness. After a day and a half of a preliminary hearing and a brief citing the California Supreme Court's April 22, 2024 ruling about the exact issue , the Judge dismissed both counts. Our Client is thankfully heading home., 2024
- NOT GUILTY Client charged with 2 felonies and 1 misdemeanor. Government offered - plead guilty to 1 felony, for dismissal of 1 felony and the misdemeanor. Client would serve a split sentence of 16 months jail (8 months in 8 months out). Client respectfully declined the offer and went to trial. NOT Guilty on both felonies. We conceded the misdemeanor count at trial - as the video footage of officers pulling the bag of methamphetamine out of client's pants indicated guilt., 2023
- DISMISSEDClient was charged with PC 4573.6 (a)- Felony Possession of Contraband in the Jail. Our Client was visiting a spouse in prison when guards found certain contraband in our Client's car. After hundreds of visits, other officers recognized our Client and believed our Client had no idea about the contraband found in the center console. A very messy car - which several other people used and accessed. After the preliminary hearing, our Client was held to answer (the case continues). We filed a 995 motion (appeal of the preliminary hearing). The government filed no opposition and the judge dismissed the case. Our Client is now able to go visit their spouse again!, 2024
- DISMISSEDThe Government charged our Client with Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Since the "weapon" was a car, Client faced a permanent loss of Client's driver's license. Government also charged Client with felony child abuse as kids were in the car. We succeeded in having all felony charges dismissed at the preliminary hearing, but instead of dismissing the whole case, the Court reduced the felony Assault to a lesser misdemeanor. Client faced the unfair prospect of losing work days at trial and had to take a deal to keep working. We filed a motion for diversion and won. One year later, Client's case has been completely DISMISSED., 2024
- NOT GUILTY & SENTENCING MITIGATIONOur Client was found walking toward an abandoned property next to a 2nd property. Officers were already on scene responding to a complaint about the 2nd property. Our Client walked up to the officers, officers detained, then arrested our Client for an unrelated outstanding warrant and the burglary of the 2nd property. Our Client became upset and then made ill-advised statements to the arresting officers and wound up charged with Criminal Threats. Our client was found Not Guilty of 1st degree burglary and Guilty of Criminal Threats .Facing prison time, we secured probation with immediate release to a residential rehabilitation facility., 2024
Honors/Awards:
- Winner Thomas Adler Scholarship, San Diego Criminal Defense Bar, 2012
- San Diego Daily Transcript Top Young Attorneys Nominee, 2012
- San Diego Criminal Defense Bar, Thomas Adler Scholarship, 2012
- San Diego Daily Transcript Top Young Attorney Nominee, 2013
- San Diego Daily Transcript Top Attorney, 2014
- San Diego Business Journal Best of the Bar, 2014
- California Western School of Law Inaugural Rising Star 2014
- Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2015-2019
- Super Lawyer 2020-2024
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- San Diego Daily Transcript, Top Attorney - Semi-finalist, 2012
- San Diego Daily Transcript, Top Attorney - Semi-finalist, 2013
Industry Groups:
- Federal Bar Association
- Fourth Amendment Committee
- National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- White Collar Committee
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