George Jacob Gigarjian

George Jacob Gigarjian

4.9
Rating: 8.8

Licensed for 39 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Santa Cruz, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury

108 Locust St #13, Santa Cruz, CA

About George

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 39 years

State: California

Acquired: 1986

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of George Jacob Gigarjian

108 Locust St #13, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060

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George Jacob Gigarjian's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

33 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (33) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 8 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Jorge | February 27, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Don't look further! George J Gigarjian is the best

I was represented better than I could have ever imagined. I know George J. Gigarjian fought hard to ensure a great outcome. I contacted George Gigarjian’s firm and he was by far, the most helpful with my questions. He responded directly to all my questions promptly and professionally via email and te...xt. George was swift with his actions and the process was always explained. He went above and beyond when he researched and found my case although I had no prior information on why I had two unrelated warrants. These two unrelated cases I won were from 2016 and 2018 at the time all I knew was that I needed the best results I could get. I now had matured as a person, I had my kids, my family and a job I always wanted. Jail wasn’t an option. I researched Google, yelp, etc. I decided to go with George Gigarjian’s law firm and let me tell you, waste no more time. GEORGE GIGARJIAN IS WHO YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. My opinions were valued and my doubts were always reassured. George J. Gigarjian exceeded my expectations when my first case (felony warrants) was beaten successfully. Yet another case completely unrelated came up in court. He called explained the amazing news for the case he won and told me about the unrelated case he had been told about. I decided to continue with my second case. During the nerve-wracking moments in the second case, George Gigarjian remained calm and composed. His unwavering demeanor helped ease my worries and made me feel more at ease. It's impressive how he was able to maintain his composure and provide me with the confidence I needed during those challenging moments. George's experience and kindness shine through in his ability to handle such situations with grace. George Gigarjian is experienced and kind. Thanks to his expertise, we were able to win not one but BOTH my cases successfully. I will recommend this firm to my friends and family from now on. With no doubt, I would pick George to represent me again in the future if needed. His commitment to my case and ability to uncover crucial information truly set him apart. George, my family and I are so grateful to you for taking my case. In all honestly, you gave me a second chance, a breath of much-needed fresh air. Thank you

Posted by anonymous | May 31, 2022 | Hired Attorney | DUI & DWI

Felony DUI with bodily injury dropped to just a Misdemeanor DUI

My girlfriend and I don't drink often, but we finally decided to go out on the weekend to celebrate her finishing her exams. We went out a little late and the restaurant we were at was closing soon. We ended up not wanting to waste the alcohol and drank too quickly (stupid decision). It began raining... heavily and on the drive home, the car hydroplaned and we slid off the road into the forest. The car got totaled, I had minor injuries, and my girlfriend had a bruise. Right after getting out of the car, the police arrived on the scene with ambulances. I told the officers truthfully what happened, took an alcohol breath test, and was arrested for a felony DUI with bodily injury to the passenger (my girlfriend.) Long story short, after recommendations from people around the area about George, I decided to hire him as my lawyer. He was very knowledgeable about my sort of cases and transparently broke down what could happen--best case scenario vs worst case scenario kind of things. He was very detail oriented, knew the law inside-out, and knew what he was talking about. Best of all he had a great sense of humor to make light of such a dark situation. After listening to his advice and doing the things that could help my case better, he was able to drop my felony DUI with bodily injury to just a misdemeanor DUI! If it wasn't for George, my life trajectory would have been completely different and it helped me to realize picking a good lawyer is the difference between being labeled as a criminal or a citizen who made a mistake. I can't stress how lucky I was to hire George as my lawyer and I hope this review can help any future people who might find themselves in a similar situation as I did.

Posted by Greg | May 26, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Excellent Lawyer

George is not only smart and personable, he knows the law and how the system works. Just as important, he knows all the people associated with the Santa Cruz court system. He has been my lawyer for about five years and has helped me with a variety of legal issues. He calms me down and puts me at ease... – I have every confidence in his abilities and his work ethic. George is the man to call especially if your freedom is at stake. He is a trusted advisor.

Posted by Nathan | January 29, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Thank you

I have known George Gigarjian for over 3 years as my criminal defense lawyer. He is a pleasure to be around with and has a great sense of humor. His calming demeanor and extensive knowledge of Santa Cruz’s legal system helped me feel at ease and I knew that he was the right lawyer to hire. At the end... of our first meeting, he laid out his fee in simple terms and our path moving forward. George is professional, reliable, and a great communicator. He is easy to work with and always responsive throughout my case multiple times. What I admire is his honesty and helpfulness in my case and outside life. He would tell me all of my options and what he believes the chances are in each path I may take. He would even help me with other tasks outside of the court case, even though he didn’t need to. He went above and beyond for me throughout the whole process. George made it comfortable and eased my state of mind during these extremely difficult times. I am grateful to have George represent me in my dire situation, and no doubt would pick him again to represent me. I highly recommend George to anyone who may require his services.

Posted by Iris | June 05, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

Great Lawyer

George was my lawyer in a personal injury case where another driver ran a red light and hit me. I was injured and it was a complicated case for many reasons including no wage loss due to the timing and nature of work that I do and also me being stoic. A couple of local lawyers weren't interested in m...y case but George asked good questions and took my case right away. I felt like he got to know me as a person which was important in building my case. I would use George again and would recommend him to friends.

See All Client Reviews

George Jacob Gigarjian's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse George
Andrew Christopher Janecki headshot
Andrew Janecki

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"George Gigarjian is one of the best attorneys in the Monterey Bay area. He is the attorney that other attorneys call when they are in trouble. George is hard working, intelligent and effective. A great lawyer."

Larry Edward Duimstra headshot
Larry Duimstra

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 31

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Gigarjian is a very experienced criminal defense attorney. He knows the law and works hard. His trial work shows his considerable skills as an advocate for his client. Mr. Gigarjian is also a very capable negotiator and evaluator of the strengths and weaknesses of his case. Mr. Gigarjian's skills as a criminal defense attorney are also evident in his representation of clients in personal injury cases. I have referred cases to Mr. Gigarjian in the past and will certainly not hesitate to do so in future."

Lars Shallberg headshot
Lars Shallberg

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 25

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Although the drop down menu only permits one selection, I would enthusiastically endorse George for both criminal and personal injury cases. I have been friends and colleagues with George for well over twenty years. He is an exceptional attorney: bright, conscientious, and honest. George is truly a credit to our profession."

Trent Brehon Copeland headshot
Trent Copeland

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"George is a highly respected member of the defense bar. He is a skilled and talented attorney who represents his clients with meticulous attention to detail. I recommend his services to anyone charged with a criminal offense."

William C. Makler headshot
William Makler

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known George for about 20 years. Even in the late 90's, he was a leader among criminal defense lawyers with impeccable ethics. He is a fierce advocate for his clients. They are very lucky (and smart) to have chosen him as their lawyer."

View All Endorsements
Andrew Christopher Janecki headshot
Andrew Janecki

Criminal defense lawyer

Heather Ruth Rogers headshot
Heather Rogers

Criminal defense lawyer

Alyssa L Thompson headshot
Alyssa Thompson

Criminal defense lawyer

Dana Scruggs headshot
Dana Scruggs

Personal injury lawyer

Bradley Donald Wiles headshot
Bradley Wiles

Personal injury lawyer

James Charles Almeida headshot
James Almeida

Personal injury lawyer

Kimberley Marie Teves headshot
Kimberley Teves

Family lawyer

Lesley B. Harris headshot
Lesley Harris

Personal injury lawyer

Lars Shallberg headshot
Lars Shallberg

Criminal defense lawyer

William C. Makler headshot
William Makler

Criminal defense lawyer

Mark Blair headshot
Mark Blair

DUI and DWI lawyer

Trent Brehon Copeland headshot
Trent Copeland

Criminal defense lawyer

Lisa Kay McCamey headshot
Lisa McCamey

Criminal defense lawyer

John William Thornton headshot
John Thornton

DUI and DWI lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.8 (Excellent)

Honors

1986

Note Editor and Participant - Hastings Law Journal, Hastings College of the Law

1986

Judicial Extern, California Supreme Court

Work Experience

1998 - Present

Attorney, Law Office of George J. Gigarjian

2001 - 2015

Administrative Hearing Officer, Santa Cruz County

1989 - 1998

Attorney, Biggam, Christensen, & MInsloff

1987 - 1989

Attorney, Solano County Legal Assistance

Associations

2000 - Present

Santa Cruz County Trial Lawyers Association

Member

1998 - Present

California Public Defenders Association

Member

1998 - Present

California Attorneys for Criminal Justice

Member

1998 - Present

Santa Cruz County Criminal Defense Bar

Board Member

1986 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Products Liability/Slip and Fall

Settlement for $900,000.00

Dog Attack

Settlement for $225,000.00

First Degree Murder Acquittal

Not Guilty Jury Verdict

See More Legal Cases

Education

1986

University of California, Hastings College of the Law

J.D.

1982

Trinity College

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

N/A

Santa Cruz County Continuing Education

How to Attack Search Warrants

N/A

Santa Cruz County Bar Association

Driving Under The Influence Cases

N/A

Code Enforcement Hearings From The Perspective of a Hearing Officer

Code Enforcement Hearings

Languages

Spanish

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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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