Daniel Martin Smith

I hired Dan to defend me after being charged in a drug importation case at the border crossing from Mexico. Dan was recommended by an experienced, reputable attorney who told me Dan had much experience in the Federal Courts. When I contacted him he was personable, knowledgeable and informative. He ha...s made one of the most stressful situations of my life a bit more bearable, and has helped me maintain as positive an attitude as possible under these potentially life crushing circumstances. I am probably not the easiest of clients and his patience with me has been exceptional. I have not yet been sentenced, so I am praying and hoping for a miracle. I do have faith that Dan will create the best possible outcome, and I will update my review at my case's conclusion. But for now I would certainly recommend Dan for any Federal Drug charge you are facing. He's not cheap, but quality seldom is, and I believe with his experience he will be worth the cost. If you have made some bad decisions and you find yourself in my unenviable position, Dan is a good choice. And best of luck to you and your outcome.

If you are reading this, it is probably because you are doing what I did a little over 9 months ago, and that is surf the net for reviews on a good Criminal Defense Attorney. I was looking at four (4) Felonies and One (1) Misdemeanor, which meant jail time for sure. I was worried, petrified, and une...asy it all added up to considerable amount of stress. I drove by San Diego Defenders office almost every day, not realizing that I would need to contact them. During my first meeting with Mr. Daniel Smith, I felt a load off my back, my stress level reduced, because he was going to work on keeping me out of jail. He did not make any promises, but showed me that he was confident on his criminal defense skills, along with his Partner Jon Pettis, very knowledgeable and they work well together. Dan and his partner have a good relationship with the DA’s office, and Courts (I think that is very important). They knew the right people to get my case reduced, stay out of Jail with a low risk case; they also worked out a payment plan with the court. I was happy with the outcome and glad I made the right choice in calling San Diego Defenders office. Good Luck!

Dan Smith and his team are the best option for anyone facing any kind of legal problem. I have never been in any kind trouble or needed an attorney before, so I was very inexperienced when I was placed under arrest and facing four felony charges. I thought my life was over and could not stop the cons...tant flow of tears. Dan was able to alleviate my distress by being supportive, confident and determined to help me figure out what steps to take next. From the beginning of my case, he knew what to do WHY and HOW to do it, which made all the difference for me. We prepared for the case together and he walked me through my entire case. He kept me informed and stood by me in all of those decisions. He went above and beyond in all aspects, making phone calls, working weekends, and even traveling out of town on my behalf. It has been three long, stressful months and Dan was able to make a deal with the prosecutor that ended with me being charged with one misdemeanor and three years' probation, down from four felony charges. He literally saved my life, and gave my the opportunity to start over. Dan treated me and my family like his own and made sure he was doing the best he could for us at all times. I would recommend Dan to anyone, and I hope that people understand that having a lawyer that is truly invested and cares about helping you makes all the difference in the outcome of your case. I hope to never need Dan's assistance again but I will never forget what he's done for me. Thank you!

Very professional but at the same time is very understanding. He got me through one of the toughest times of my life, and he never made me feel like my case was lost. He's very encouraging and you know just by working with him that he knows precisely what he is doing. He'll help you get through y...our case and will fight with everything he's got to make sure you get the best results. He's very experienced and has been doing this for years. He knows a lot of the court judges and attorneys at the court house, and knows how to strategically position your case in a way that will give you the best outcome. I wouldn't recommend anyone else. Dan's one of the best San Diego has.

(En español más abajo) When my husband was arrested it was a complete surprise to me and I felt completely lost and confused as to what would happen to him and our family. After meeting with Dan Smith, it was immediately clear to me that I was in good hands. He exuded confidence in his ability to h...andle the case and was backing it up with his experience dealing with federal criminal cases in San Diego. Dan Smith was crucial in my ability to face life without my husband which was almost traumatizing at first. He prepared all legal documents so I could deal with my family’s affairs and was extremely compassionate towards me and my situation. He took great pains in explaining the legal process and the time frame in which events would unfold. At first I was very nervous and questioned many things but he was patient in explaining everything to me while keeping the course. Looking back I have to admit that everything happened the way he said it would happen and his expertise allowed my husband to mount the best legal defense possible under the circumstances. As a result he got the best possible sentence. Still today, both my husband and I cannot believe how short the sentence turned out to be compared to others in his situation. Who knows what could have happened if we had another lawyer or if Dan Smith had allowed my fears to change his course! If you are currently in my situation look no further and stick with Dan as your criminal defense lawyer. You will not regret your decision. El arresto de mi esposo fue una sorpresa total y me sentí perdida y confundida en cuanto a lo que le sucedería a él y a mi familia. Después de hablar con Dan Smith, me quedó inmediatamente claro que me encontraba en buenas manos. Se mostró confiado en su capacidad de manejar el caso y lo respaldaba con su experiencia en tratar casos criminales federales en San Diego. Dan Smith tomó un papel crucial en mi habilidad para enfrentar la vida sin mi esposo lo cual parecía traumatizante en el inicio. Él preparó todos los documentos legales para poder administrar los asuntos administrativos de mi familia y se mostró muy compasivo hacía mí por la situación que atravesaba. Se empeño en explicarme el proceso legal al cual se enfrentaba mi esposo y me dio una idea de los tiempos que llevaría cada fase. En el inicio cuestionaba todo pero fue muy paciente en explicarme cada punto mientras mantenía firme el curso que había trazado. Al mirar hacia el pasado debo admitir que todo sucedió de la forma que él había dicho y que su dominio de la ley resultó en que mi esposo recibiera la mejor defensa legal posible en las circunstancias. El resultado fue que recibió la mejor sentencia posible. Aún el día de hoy me es difícil creer que tan corta fue la sentencia a comparar con otros presos en la misma situación. Quien pudiera decir lo que hubiera sucedido con otro abogado o si Dan Smith hubiera permitido que mis miedos cambien su curso de acción. Si estas enfrentando la misma situación que yo no busques más y quédate con Dan como abogado de defensa criminal. No lamentarás tu decisión.