Pernik Law, APC

Pernik Law, APC: Criminal Defense in the Bay Area

Pernik Law, APC is a law firm dedicated to criminal defense based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The firm presents itself as a team led by a certified specialist in criminal law, with over twenty years of experience and a presence in Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and San Mateo counties. They handle consultations in English and Spanish.

The firm states it has participated in more than 150 jury trials and accumulated over 200 five-star reviews. Its founder, William V. Pernik, is a certified specialist in criminal law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California.

An approach centered on the "why" of the case

The firm structures its work method around what it calls the "why" of each charge. According to its approach, the defense is not limited to confronting versions of the facts, but seeks to identify the underlying reasons for an accusation: hidden biases of witnesses, incentives of informants, financial or custody interests in domestic cases, expert conclusions based on erroneous data, or police investigations that confirm theories instead of examining them objectively.

The firm maintains that this approach allows for building a stronger defense before the prosecutor, the judge, or the jury. Among the cases it mentions, it cites one involving two counts of attempted murder in which the defense managed to expose a connection between the two alleged attackers, and another homicide case in which the client was acquitted.

Diversion and underlying causes

Pernik Law pays attention to personal factors that may be behind criminal behavior, such as veterans without treatment after deployment, individuals with undiagnosed mental health issues, or addictions that arose after a loss. The firm works on judicial diversion programs, including mental health, military, drug, and misdemeanor diversion, with the goal of addressing the causes of the case and preventing recidivism.

Practice areas

The firm covers a broad spectrum of criminal defense:

• DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs)
• Drug crimes
• Domestic violence
• Federal crimes
• Juvenile crimes
• Expungements and record sealing
• Veterans defense
• Child abuse and neglect
• Property crimes
• Serious and violent felonies
• Sex crimes
• Theft and burglary
• Homicide
• White-collar crimes, including insider trading and money laundering
• Probation violations

The defendant's character as a defense element

The firm highlights the use of evidence about the client's character as part of its strategy. According to its presentation, in California a jury may consider that character evidence—honesty, nonviolence, peacefulness—may on its own raise a reasonable doubt. To that end, the team investigates the client's life: their work, military service, participation in community or religious activities, and the people willing to testify under oath about their conduct. The firm maintains that this element influences the jury's decision, the prosecutor's offer, and the judge's determination between a diversion program and a prison sentence.

Team and territorial coverage

The team includes attorneys, an in-house investigator, and support staff. The firm operates from three offices and serves five counties: Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and San Mateo. Among the locations mentioned are Salinas, Carmel, Pacific Grove, San Jose, Gilroy, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Hollister, and Redwood City.