James Patrick Lambe

James P. Lambe is a former Fresno criminal defense lawyer who completed 100 jury trials. In trials of life sentence cases, he obtained eight acquittals, four hung jury dismissals, and three in limine motion dismissals.

He employed creativity in settling four death penalty cases.  He also concluded thirty-three other murder cases (preventing a murder conviction in eighteen of them) and one hundred and four three strikes cases (preventing a three strikes sentence in ninety-four of them).

He was the trial attorney in two published cases which effected significant changes in California law: People v. Myers (1998) 61 328, 71 518 (self defense) and People v. Howard (2005) 34 1129, 23 306 (felony murder).

He was Certified as a Specialist in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (1998-2023) and in Criminal Law by the State Bar of California (1994-2024). 

In 2009, he became the first criminal law attorney from the San Joaquin Valley to be named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, and he is a Barrister of the Order of Centurions.

He is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He was listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, Marquis Who's Who in American Law, and Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

 He is the author of "Right to Speedy Trial" and "Jury Deliberations and Verdict" in California Criminal Law Procedure and Practice (2013-24), "Injury and Death" and "Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses" in California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements (2012-25), and "Monetary Sanctions" in the Contempt Defense Manual (2007, 15).

He was a trial advocacy instructor at the California Public Defenders Association Trial Skills Institute (2001-09, 11, 13-15), and a lecturer on discovery, jury selection, evidence, cross-examination, closing argument, sentencing, ethics, and civility at the California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, the State Bar of California Annual Meeting, and the State Bar of California Section Education Institute (2003-15, 18-19).

In recognition of his writing, instructing, and lecturing, he received the Spirit of CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) Award in 2008 at the State Bar of California Annual Meeting. 

He served on the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Board of Governors, State Bar of California Criminal Law Advisory Commission, State Bar of California Criminal Law Section Executive Committee, and California Lawyers Association Criminal Law Section Executive Committee.

He was admitted to the California Bar in 1977 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1985.  He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois.

James P. Lambe Selected Fresno County Superior Court felony jury trials completed 1989-2014:

Acquittals, hung jury dismissals, convictions of lesser offense, or hung jury pleas to lesser offense:
*P. v. Lee (2014) murder with firearm--guilty of lesser degree
*P. v. Hamilton (2011) assault on child resulting in death—hung jury plea to lesser felony
*P. v. Torres (2011) child molesting with multiple victims--not guilty
*P. v. Blueford (2010) rape of a child--hung jury dismissal
*P. v. Dews (2010) murder with special circumstances--guilty of lesser degree
*P. v. Villatoro (2007) murder—hung jury plea to lesser felony
*P. v. Gomez (2007) aggravated rape--not guilty
*P. v. Silvas (2006) murder--guilty of lesser felony
*P. v. Bonner (2006) attempted murder with firearm and great bodily injury--not guilty
 P. v. C. Yang (2004) attempted murder with great bodily injury--not guilty
*(Pre. hng.) P. v. Sampson (2002) murder with special circumstances--dismissal
*P. v. Temple (2002) rape of a child--not guilty
*P. v. V. Yang (2001) premeditated attempted murder with great bodily injury--not guilty 
(assoc. coun.) P. v. Aguirre (2001) attempted murder--guilty of lesser felony
 P. v. R. Lopez (2000) rape--not guilty
*P. v. S. Woods (1998) residential burglary--hung jury dismissal
*(Ct. trial) P. v. R. Manning (1998) robbery with firearm--not guilty
*P. v. L. Jones (1996) criminal threat--guilty of lesser felony
*P. v. J. Woods (1996) possession of controlled substance--guilty of misdemeanor
*P. v. Mullins (1996) receiving stolen property--not guilty
 P. v. Tovar (1996) child beating--guilty of lesser felony
*P. v. McCormick (1996) possession of controlled substance in prison--hung jury dismissal
 P. v. Myers (1996) aggravated assault with great bodily injury--guilty of lesser felony, reversal, plea to misdemeanor
*P. v. Hudson (1995) possession of controlled substance--hung jury dismissal
*P. v. Graham (1995) vehicle theft--not guilty
 P. v. Sterling (1995) gross vehicular manslaughter—guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. Ruiz (1995) continuous sexual abuse of a child—hung jury plea to lesser felony
 P. v. Aispuro (1994) receiving stolen property—guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. Loretto (1993) continuous sexual abuse of a child--guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. Negrete (1993) sexual battery--not guilty
 P. v. Alfred (1993) battery on police officer with injury--guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. D. Mendoza (1993) robbery with firearm--guilty of lesser felony
 P. v. Nieves (1992) attempted murder--guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. Smith (1991) assault with a deadly weapon--guilty of misdemeanor
 P. v. Pimentel (1991) robbery--guilty of lesser felony
 P. v. Salazar (1989) sale of controlled substance--guilty of lesser felony

Other hung juries:
*P. v. Taschyan (2012) murder with firearm
*P. v. Blueford (2009) rape of a child
d (assoc. coun.) P. v. Abdullah (2008) murder with special circumstances
 P. v. Hernandez (1997) driving under influence with injury
 P. v. M. Muhammed (1989) possession of controlled substance

Conviction of most serious charge, but reversed because of prosecutorial or judicial error:
*P. v. Howard (2000) murder
*P. v. Bertao (2000) assault with intent to rape
 P. v. M. Muhammed (1990) possession of controlled substance

*Life sentence sought by prosecution.
dDeath sentence sought by prosecution.