Moksha Smith

Moksha Smith

5.0
Rating: 8.1

Licensed for 11 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at San Jose, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Family

300 S 1st St Ste 228, San Jose, CA

About Moksha

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 50%

I was a prosecutor for five years, where I handled thousands of criminal cases from arraignment to sentencing. I conducted over twenty five jury trials and hundreds of preliminary hearings. Currently, I am a criminal defense attorney.

12 years | 1,000 cases

50%
Family 50%

Our firm handles hundreds of complex family law cases involving domestic violence, high asset property division, divorce, custody, paternity, etc.

7 years | 200 cases

50%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 45 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in California for 11 years

State: California

Acquired: 2014

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Magdalena Law Group

300 S 1st St Ste 228, San Jose, CA, 95113-2838

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Moksha Smith's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

14 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (14) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews | Child Custody

Posted by anonymous | March 31, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Excellent client service & exceptional legal guidance.

I was recently involved in a challenging legal matter and needed the right legal guidance. I was referred to Magdalena Law Firm by Julie Barton from Jewels Court Services, who also provided outstanding support as my professional supervisor during supervised visits. (If you’re looking for a caring and... reliable supervisor, I highly recommend Julie Barton) At Magdalena Law Firm, I was represented by Moksha Smith, who was exceptional throughout the process. Ms. Smith provided clear and strategic guidance on court protocol, which was crucial to the outcome of my case. She took the time to truly understand my situation, communicated consistently and effectively, and laid out a game plan that ultimately led to a positive result. I also want to extend my gratitude to these ladies: Magdalena, Megan, and Lana, who I had the pleasure of interacting with, as well as the rest of the team working behind the scenes. Everyone was professional, compassionate, and supportive from start to finish. - J.G

Posted by Javier | February 19, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Thanks God!

Magdalena , Moksha and all of the crew from the front desk and behind the scenes, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I know my children will thank you in the future as well. I first heard of this firm from Julie a supervisor helping me monitor my children, appointed to me from the court. (Jewel...s Court Services) she is absolutely amazing as well. Women, who stand for truth, and got me my kids back. It’s a process but there pursuit for the truth and helping fathers with difficult coparents is a thing of beauty. My last lawyer didn’t have the grit and passion like Magdalena, Moksha and the staff. Absolutely recommend from a father who’s trying to lead his children on the right path. -Javier C.

Posted by Bryant | December 16, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Dear Ms. Smith: Thank You!

I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to Moksha Smith and the entire Magdalena Law Team: Life brought me major obstacles, obstacles that ripped me apart on the inside. Obstacles that made me feel hopeless and alone. Fortunately, I came across Moksha Smith and I will always be thank...ful for the way she advocated for me and gave me a voice. I will always be thankful for the hard work she put into helping me find joy and meaning in life once again. Moksha Smith is a very compassionate individual, she’s walked my storm with me and passionately advocated for me. Ms. Smith has gone above and beyond to deliver her best work possible because she truly carries her client’s best interest at heart. She’s an over-achiever, challenges the system, and doesn’t take no for an answer. Ms. Smith is organized and champions criminal and family law. Due to her expertise in those fields, she has delivered outstanding outcomes in both criminal and family court. I felt an imitated connection with Ms. Smith because for once, somebody understood my story and was willing to advocate for me. Thank you: Moksha Smith, for guiding me and walking with me through one of the darkest times in my life. Most importantly, I will always be thankful for the hard work you put into reuniting me with my best friend, my son. Thank you: Jasmine Ly & Claire Swann, for being a great support and making everything run so smoothly. I understand it takes a lot of work to make dreams possible, so thank you! Thank you: Magdalena Law Group for the countless hours, resources, knowledge, efforts, & passion in your work. Thank You!

Posted by RPS | February 14, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Guardian Angel

This review is long, long overdue. I cannot even begin to tell you how incredible Moksha Smith and the group at Magdalena Law Group are. Moksha Smith was my Guardian Angel. In a time where you feel like your entire life is turned upside down, you don't know what is happening, how to deal with the b...arrage of technical and legal things that are being thrown at you, Moksha, kept me focused, calm and in a very pragmatic, professional way, approached my case in a steadfast manner where I was confident things would work out. They key is patience - however also constant communication from your Attorney to understand what is happening for a feeling of re-assurance. I say this truthfully, Moksha Smith and the Magdalena law group saved my life, my job, helped me get my children back and assisted me in absolving unwarranted and fabricated allegations towards me from my ex-spouse. It took a lot of hard work, communication, late nights and within a year, cleared me of everything including Domestic Violence Charges, Restraining Orders, No Contact Orders, etc. etc. Bad things do happen to good people. Unfortunately, there are people in this world that want to cause harm and hurt without merit and simply for motives unknown. They can, at the drop of the dime accuse someone of alleged wrong doings and because of the way the system is set up, many times the legal system has to side with the accuser until it is proven they have committed false allegations. Again, you are "guilty" until proven "innocent", but that effort to prove your innocence takes time, anxiety, feelings of uncertainty, doubt, thus with that, you need help and a support team. I was truly blessed I had Moksha Smith and the Magdalena Law Group on my team. Thank you for giving my life back to me!

See All Client Reviews

Moksha Smith's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Moksha
Mana Ettefagh headshot
Mana Ettefagh

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Greer B. Stone headshot
Greer Stone

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Moksha Smith is an incredible attorney with as strong record of fighting for her clients and for always doing what's right. She is not only competent, but she is also highly ethical and attentive towards her clients' needs. As a former deputy district attorney, Moksha's litigation skills are top notch. She is calm, collected, and professional in the courtroom and she can effectively advocate both in written and oral form."

Gabriel M. Quinnan headshot
Gabriel Quinnan

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 07

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I have worked with Moksha Smith in criminal litigation cases many times. She is an outstanding, professional, and aggressive attorney whose skill and composure makes her one of the best in town. Ms. Smith is a highly efficient and effective lawyer who I would not hesitate to recommend."

Anna Marie Zagari headshot
Anna Zagari

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 07

Relationship: Friend

"Moksha is dedicated, thorough, and methodical. She not only cares about her work, but she truly cares about her clients."

Magdalena Chattopadhya headshot
Magdalena Chattopadhya

Unknown lawyer | Apr 07

Relationship: Family member

"I endorse this lawyer."

View All Endorsements
Gabriel M. Quinnan headshot
Gabriel Quinnan

Criminal defense lawyer

Anna Marie Zagari headshot
Anna Zagari

Contracts and agreements lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.1 (Excellent)

Work Experience

2019 - Present

Senior Attorney, Magdalena Law Group

2016 - 2019

Deputy District Attorney, Sonoma County District Attorney's Office

2015 - 2016

Deputy District Attorney, Napa District Attorney's Office

Education

2014

Santa Clara University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

2010

University of California - San Diego

BS - Bachelor of Science, Cognitive Neuroscience

Languages

German

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
  • 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