Matthew Phillip Kraut

Matthew Phillip Kraut

4.9
Rating: 8.6

Licensed for 33 years

DUI and DWI Lawyer at San Luis Obispo, CA
Practice Areas: DUI & DWI, Criminal Defense

956 Walnut Street, Suite K, San Luis Obispo, CA

About Matthew

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

DUI and DWI 75%

I used to be a prosecutor which means I know exactly how the prosecutor in your DUI case is thinking. I've gotten great results for my DUI clients. See here https://matthewkraut.com/dui-defense/. I can help you in court and with the DMV.

75%
Criminal Defense 25%

I have handled every type of criminal case there is - from petty theft to Murder - with great results. Visit https://matthewkraut.com/notable-cases/ to see what I mean. No matter how simple or complex your situation is I'm confident I can help you.

25%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


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Licenses

Licensed in California for 33 years

State: California

Acquired: 1992

Active

No misconduct found

Location

The Law Office of Matthew Kraut

956 Walnut Street, Suite K, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401

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Matthew Phillip Kraut's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

59 Client Reviews

5 star (58)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by Troy | May 31, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Calm, Clear, Reliable, and Supportive Lawyer

I can’t say enough good things about Matthew Kraut. From the very beginning, he brought a calming presence to what was a very stressful time for our family. He has an incredible ability to explain complex legal matters in a clear and straightforward way, which made a huge difference for us. Matthe...w has also always been responsive. Whenever I’ve reached out with a question, he’s gotten back to me quickly and thoroughly. He’s also shown so much patience and kindness when my family needed extra clarification or reassurance. We truly appreciate everything he’s done for us. His guidance and support helped take a huge weight off our shoulders, and we’re so grateful to have had him on our side.

Posted by Marissa | May 30, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Excellent and compassionate lawyer

Matthew is a phenomenal example of everything you’re looking for in a lawyer. I hired him for a DUI charge, and he exhausted every avenue in order for me to have the best possible outcome with my case. He’s readily available whenever you may need, and truly cares for your well being, something that’s... seemingly rare to find in this profession. I can’t think of anything that he could have done differently to help me more than he did in my time of need. Thank you again Matt!

Posted by Michael | May 23, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Best San Luis Obispo Lawyer

One of the best lawyers to work with in the San Luis Obispo County, great communication skills with clients. Don’t Hesitate to contact him or have him represent you in your case. Any questions I had he would answer and the majority of questions I asked him about during my case he would always be righ...t. I was facing 2-3 years being incarcerated for my case, luckily Mr. Kraut with all his hard work he was able to bring it down to 1 month & 3 yrs probation. One thing for sure is I won’t ever hesitate to recommend Matthew Kraut to anyone looking for a Great Lawyer.

Posted by anonymous | May 8, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

5-Stars

Matt was a great lawyer it was my first time needing to hire one and I’m glad it was him. Communication was great and he really helped me understand everything that was going on. Would recommend!

Posted by anonymous | May 6, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Compassionate and Effective Legal Support for Our Son's Juvenile Case

We hired Matt to assist with a juvenile case for our son involving traffic citations that we believed were unjust and could have had serious consequences for his record and driving privileges. Our son had never been in any kind of trouble before and was understandably scared and overwhelmed by the si...tuation. From the beginning, Matt was incredibly professional, compassionate, and thorough. He took the time to meet with our entire family, listened carefully to our son's side of the story, and offered honest, realistic advice about the possible outcomes. He handled the case with great care, making court appearances on our behalf when possible to minimize disruption to our son's school schedule and emotional well-being. Thanks to Matt’s guidance and advocacy, we achieved the outcome we had hoped for: a full dismissal of the case. Matt negotiated a thoughtful and constructive resolution that included our son completing a safe driving course and writing an essay on the dangers of operating certain types of vehicles without proper licensing. This not only avoided long-term repercussions but also provided our son with a meaningful learning experience. We are incredibly grateful for Matt’s support, professionalism, and dedication throughout this process. His help made a stressful situation manageable and ultimately productive. We highly recommend Matt to anyone in need of a skilled and compassionate attorney.

See All Client Reviews

Matthew Phillip Kraut's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Matthew
George B. O'Neill headshot
George O'Neill

DUI and DWI lawyer | Mar 11

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"It's easy for an attorney to come to San Luis Obispo and advertise that they are the top criminal defense attorney but I'm here to tell you that Matthew Kraut is the real deal. He has been both a prosecutor in the district attorney's office and a criminal defense attorney in San Luis Obispo for years now. I've had the pleasure to associate with him on cases in both the local courts and at DMV proceedings. If Mr. Kraut is representing you, you have an excellent aggressive attorney working on your behalf"

David Warren Armstrong headshot
David Armstrong

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 08

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer. I met Matt about 25 years ago when I transferred from a D.A.'s office in Nor Cal. to the Ventura County D.A.'s office. It was immediately apparent to me that he was the top talent within the group of young lawyers in that office. His knowledge, dedication, and quit wit made him highly valuable to that office. Virtually every former prosecutor legitimately claims that their experience as such will give them certain abilities superior to most defense attorneys. They know how prosecutors think so they can anticipate trial strategy, they know what their experts will say and what their weaknesses are, they know which officers testify convincingly, etc. However, this sort of knowledge doesn't tranform an average prosecutor into a top defense attorney. Likely, it creates a better than average defense attorney. A person with Matt's talent who's able to stack his vast prosecutorial knowledge on top of his abilities as a defense attorney is necessarily at the top."

Nikhil Ashok Dandekar headshot
Nikhil Dandekar

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 05

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Matt Kraut was a colleague at the San Luis Obispo District Attorney's Office for four years. Over that period, I watched him take on a variety of felony cases, from vandalism to homicide. He conducted himself with the utmost professionalism, and his competence and dedication drove him to become one of the best criminal attorneys in the county. He understands the nuances of both the Penal Code and legal cases that guide how the Penal Code is to be interpreted. I often went to him for advice and counsel when I had questions about cases. Almost as importantly, he treats others in court with respect and is a straight shooter, both qualities that I appreciate in a defense attorney. When he sees an issue with the provability of a particular case, he has been direct about it and because I know his background, I listen to what he has to say. Unlike some other defense attorneys, his goal does not involve wasting time or money with unreasonable motions or complaints."

Nicholas William Quincey headshot
Nicholas Quincey

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 01

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Matt is certainly among the best and brightest in our legal community. I worked with Matt when he was a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office. He quickly became a mentor and friend. When Matt was a prosecutor, he was my “go to” colleague for any legal or strategy question I had for my cases. Additionally, he was widely regarded as one of the best trial attorneys within the office. His sharp intellect on difficult legal issues coupled with his deep understanding of the human issues inevitably involved in many cases is rare and makes him an incredible attorney. It is no surprise that Matt is highly respected by both prosecutors and judges. I think the world of Matt as an attorney and person and highly recommend him to anyone who may be in need of his services."

Matthew John Kerrigan headshot
Matthew Kerrigan

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 30

Relationship: Co-worker

"I highly recommend Matt Kraut. Matt and I worked together as prosecutors in the same office. He is an outstanding trial attorney. He went to trial on many different types of cases, including murder and felony assaults. He is always prepared in court. He is highly regarded by many attorneys and judges."

Carrie Jane Winters headshot
Carrie Winters

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Matt Kraut is an extremely skilled and experienced criminal attorney and litigator. He works very hard for his clients, and puts his clients' interests first. He is an asset to the criminal defense community, and to the citizens who stand accused of crimes."

Kelly Allison Manderino headshot
Kelly Manderino

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 15

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer. He has many years under his belt as a stellar prosecutor so he knows how the system works. He has excellent rapport with the district attorneys and judges."

James Michael Graff-Radford headshot
James Graff-Radford

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 13

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"As someone who has worked closely with Matthew (“Matt”) Kraut, I can attest to his many attributes as an attorney. Matt is truly a lawyer’s lawyer who has guided colleagues with his legal knowledge and sound judgment. Having spent his career litigating on the Central Coast, Matt has developed an impeccable reputation with the bench and local bar. This gives Matt the ability to better navigate the legal system for his clients who are already well-served through his advocacy skills and legal advice. I fully endorse Matthew Kraut and highly recommend him as an attorney."

Matthew W. Hobson headshot
Matthew Hobson

Credit repair lawyer | Oct 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I worked with Matt when he was a Prosecutor. Matt was one of the most knowledgeable, level headed, and determined people in the office. He was the guy to go to for answers to tough legal questions or trial strategies. Being a young Prosecutor, Matt helped me tremendously with his unparalleled experience and knowledge of the criminal justice system. He was a great Prosecutor for many years and a great all around lawyer. I would trust Matt with any legal problem I had and the Defense Bar has gained a truly valued asset in having Matt Kraut join their ranks."

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Experience

Rating:  8.6 (Excellent)

Work Experience

2018 - Present

Owner/Principal, The Law Office of Matthew Kraut

1998 - 2018

Deputy District Attorney, District Attorney's Office San Luis Obispo County

1993 - 1995

Deputy District Attorney, District Attorney's Office Ventura County

Associations

2018 - Present

California DUI Lawyers Association

Member

1999 - Present

San Luis Obispo County Bar Association

Member

1992 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

People v. Suzannah U.

Not Guilty!

People v. Mark A

Successful verdict

People v. Jared C.

Successful verdict

People v. Kenneth C.

Successful verdict

People v. Jennifer C.

Successful verdict

People v. Michael M.

Successful verdict

People v. Angel L.

Successful verdict

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

Santa Clara University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1986

Loyola Marymount University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2014

Mental Defenses Seminar

Practical Applications: Legal Insanity and Mental Incompetence

2013

CDAA Mental Defenses Seminar

Mental Incompetence and Legal Insanity

Publications

Activity

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution