Salvatore Peter Ciulla

SAVE YOUR MONEY. If I could give Salvatore Ciulla ZERO STARS, I would. I paid Sal over $50,000 for his “services.” After the payment, he revealed that he actually hires a private investigator to manage all the work, which would mean additional costs on top of what I already spent. This case dragged o...n for seven and a half years. With each passing year, Sal seemed to forget more details. About a year into the case, I provided him with documents that proved my innocence. Yet, at every court date, he would ask me about those same documents, indicating that he hadn’t bothered to review them at all. I ended up shelling out an additional $20,000 for the private investigator. After sifting through thousands of pages of discovery, he reached the conclusion that I had not broken any laws. However, during each court appearance, Sal appeared bewildered and resorted to intimidation tactics, trying to pressure me into accepting a plea deal from the District Attorney. Several times, when he and the DA were discussing the case in the courthouse hallway, he would shoo me away, clearly not wanting me to overhear their conversation. This struck me as highly suspicious. When I confronted him, asking, "Are you working for me or the DA?" he became very defensive and snapped, "I'm not going to argue with you." It was clear he didn’t want to advocate for me either, and he seemed offended when I refused to accept a plea deal. During one of the hearings, which extended beyond the usual 10 minutes, I felt that he was pressuring me into accepting a deal that wasn't in my best interest. I wanted a second and third opinion, so I reached out to a few attorneys I had worked with in the past. They practice law in states outside of California, or else I would have hired one of them instead of Sal. Sal grew frustrated, repeatedly checking his watch and tapping his shoe against the floor, unmistakably agitated. Before each of the many court appearances, I would reach out to him, either by call or text, hoping for an update, but he always ignored my messages. Sal, who is in his 70s, might be showing early signs of dementia, and I say this with genuine concern. He frequently arrived late and often seemed oblivious to what was going on around him. He always appeared quite dazed and confused. After everything was settled, I received a sentence of probation. He hurried me to check in with the probation office, even though I had 48 hours to do so. When I checked in, they informed me that I couldn’t leave the state until my probation was approved by the state I currently reside in. When I asked Sal if he was aware that I would be stuck in California after checking in, he responded, "I can't be bothered with this; my wife is in the hospital." It’s unbelievable that Sal failed to inform me that checking in would require me to stay in California for potentially weeks. He should have informed me about this so I could have arranged my affairs beforehand. I have children, a pet, work, and other responsibilities. I honestly think he forgot about the probation process, just as he seems to have forgotten everything else. Sal Ciulla was unprofessional and unaware throughout my entire 7.5-year case. In my opinion, he has no business ACTING as an attorney.

During his first month away at college, my freshman son was arrested in his dorm room for felony possession of a controlled substance. I live 400 miles away and was at a loss to know what the next steps should be. Through a local attorney who had a colleague in Southern California, Mr. Sal Ciulla cam...e highly recommended. Feeling as if I was in the middle of a nightmare, I contacted Mr. Ciulla and he returned my call almost immediately, listened carefully, was understanding, informed, empathic, thoughtful, and let me know he had some good ideas on who to handle the case. He met with my son the next day. Ultimately Mr. Ciulla got this case dismissed. I cannot say how many times during the process I said to my son and myself “Thank goodness we found Mr. Ciulla.” After that initial contact and until the court date, most of the interactions were with Mr. Ciulla’s legal assistant, Candice. We never met in person but Candice was a constant and exemplary guide and source of support for my son and for me throughout the entire process by phone, email, and text. Not only can I recommend Mr. Ciulla's legal expertise but I’ll be forever grateful for his and Candice's ability to connect with me and my son, instill calm and confidence, and help us move forward step by step. Thank you over and over again!

I was facing a 3rd DUI, with a bac of .32, and my current "Newport Beach" attorney had told me the best I was going to get was 3 months in county jail, city jail, or a long, grueling program of DUI court which prevents you from starting your life for a year and a half. My previous lawyer made me fee...l uninformed, unsure, and uneasy about the whole process. I never knew what was going on, and was full of anxiety on a daily basis. She had me move into a sober living and put on a alcohol monitoring device, promising me it would help my outcome and prevent me from having to go to jail...in the end, it didnt. She told me jail was my only option. I was mentally preparing myself for jail up until a 3 weeks before I was to get sentanced. A good friend, witnessing all this, finally made me agree to go talk to her lawyer, Salvatore Ciulla. That was a decision that would change my life. My case had already been in court for a year, and Sal told me, time was of the essence. He told me what he would do, what my options were, and what he was pretty sure the outcome would be if he represented me. His silent confidence, matter of fact demeanor, and 25 years of experience in law, gave me a feeling of hope I had been looking for during the past year of this chaos I had caused myself. I went from barely being able to get a in touch with my prior lawyer or her assistants, to having his assistant, Candice, respond to any email within minutes to any question or concern I had. Sal never promised anything, but he didn't have to. He has a way he carries himself that you just know he knows what he is doing and is capable of. Because of Sal, I was able to continue doing the routine I had been, and get sentanced a year to the sober living I had been living at. Without one day in jail. Unheard of for a 3rd DUI and high BAC. If your contemplating a lawyer, I would not hesitate for a second in choosing Salvatore Ciulla. He saved me from years of agony and memories that I would have had to endure if I had to have gone to jail for that long. I am beyond grateful for him and everything he did.

Mr.Ciulla was recommended to me by my father's attorney/friend/neighbour to handle a case of domestic violence brought against me. From the initial consultation I felt comfortable with his assessment of the situation, and the plan of attack, or defense, depending how one looks at it. His knowledge of... the legal areas, along with his constant reassuring helped me and my family through what was a most trying time in our lives. From the start he had always maintained that this was a case that never should have gone to trial, and he was right, for at the end the case was dismissed. There is no hesitation on my part to recommend this gentleman for your defense needs. The man speaks softly, but he carries a big stick!!