Santa Barbara criminal defense lawyer Bill Makler

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Testimonials

Best attorney for students

"Found Mr. Makler to be professional, forthright and prompt. Very responsive to concerns and questions- definitely had a calming effect while going through whole court process. Mr. Makler has a plan when he approaches a case and has the experience to obtain the desired result, that are always in the best interest of his client."

Highly recommended attorney

"After being disappointed in the performance of a previous lawyer, I found Mr. Makler. He started working on my case immediately, personally answering phone calls and emails well into the evening. He doesn't have an ego about him, and is easy to talk to. My case is approaching 5 years old and he still promptly answers any questions I have. He treated my case as if it was important, and I feel as if I was respected and informed throughout the whole process. "

William Makler helped me greatly

"Mr. Makler was great. He was very knowledgeable and handled my situation with care. I was wrongfully arrested for sexual assault/battery. I was released on bail after one night in jail. That is when I contacted Mr. Makler. He wrote an outstanding letter to the DA, which convinced him/her to drop the charges against me. I then thought that I was in the clear, but Mr. Makler let me know that there was still a booking order in my name and could be seen by prospective employers and others, so then he went about filing a petition to seal and destroy the arrest record for me. This petition was granted and now I feel great knowing that this situation is over and done with.

I do not believe that the situation would have turned out the way it did without the help of Mr. Makler. "

Excellent attorney!

"I wholeheartedly recommend Bill to anyone seeking quality legal counsel in Santa Barbara. He provided me with stellar defense in both my DUI case and my DMV hearing by explaining the complex processes to me plainly and helped me understand systemic delays. He's very familiar with all the local prosecutors and judges. Moreso, he has great instincts; he knows when to be aggressive and press the issue with the DAs Office and when to back off. I can't recommend him enough"

Definitely would recommend him

"From the beginning of the case, Mr. Makler was on top of everything. He updated me at every corner of the case and made sure I knew what was going on through out the month I worked with him. He was very straight-forward and I definitely felt I was in good hands.

I wont go too much into my personal DUI case, but Mr. Makler found there was a certain legal procedure that the officer who gave me the DUI avoided . When it was first presented in the DMV hearing, however, the hearing officer decided to ignore his point and make up her own law justifying the suspension of my license. In the next court date, Mr. Makler managed to win the case, even with the DMV hearing having been decided, and the original DMV decision was overruled thanks to him. The DUI was eliminated and he even wrote a letter later on to the DMV about the hearing officer who avoided his evidence.

I hope to never be in this situation again, but for anyone who is, I would most definitely recommend his services! "

Hire this attorney!

"I was very pleased with Mr. Makler's service! Most importantly, he and his staff were responsive. They kept me advised of my case and were patient with my many questions. Mr. Makler was also transparent. He leveled with me about the relevant issues in my case. He didn't try to make a "hard sell" in terms of my hiring of him. If you want a very competent DUI attorney who will keep you informed, offer reasonable rates, and has a solid knowledge base, hire this attorney! "

Very Capable and Helpful

"In representing me Bill Makler handled both the police charges and related court case, and the administrative action at the DMV (possible suspension of license), and was successful on both fronts. He was easy to work with, very knowledgeable about the issues, communicated clearly, and was reassuring without overpromising. I appreciate his integrity ... everything he said he would do he did, on time, and he kept me fully informed along the way. His fee was very reasonable, and if I needed his help again, I would not hesitate to call him. He was excellent on all fronts, and is a nice fellow too, which was a bonus."

Job well done

"I was visiting Santa Barbara and had a night on the town. I had too much to drink and went back to my room to sleep it off. In the morning I woke up and started to drive. Soon after, I was pulled over and ordered to take a breathalyzer test. I blew over the legal limit and was arrested for a DUI. I had planned on being in San Diego the next day, plans that I needed to keep. I left Santa Barbara and headed south. The next few days I spent looking the legal counsel. I contacted various lawyers for advice and a price quote that was reasonable. Some were asking for compensation as high as $10000 dollars. Others I spoke to seemed unconcerned and unwilling to do the necessary leg work to try to clear me of the charges. When I talked to Bill Makler, he made me feel confident in his abilities and he gave me a fair price quote. Being out of the area, it wasn’t possible for me to attend the multiple court appearances. Mr. Makler took care of everything without me needing to be there. When all was said and done, Bill got the charge of DUI knocked down to a wet and wreckless, mandatory wreckless driving classes waived, and he even had my booking cleared. He took care of everything so I didn’t have to set another foot in Santa Barbara and diligently worked to see that I had the very least amount of punishment. The next time I visit Santa Barbara I plan on meeting Bill in person, shaking his hand for a job well done, and thanking him for his hard work."

Need Legal Help? - Call William Makler

"Mr. Makler represented me last year on a petty theft charge. He fought very hard for me and the charges were reduced to a trespassing infraction. Mr. Makler is professional, informative and works closely with his clients. I knew exactly what was going on throughout the whole process. I highly recommend William Makler!"

Great Help

"He spews excellent advice on criminal defense issues. He helped me get a petty theft charge reduced to misdemeanor trespassing. Email him rather than call his office for simple consultations. Seems more convenient for him."

DUI

"I was continually discouraged from pursuing my case by those most knowledgeable about the DMV. No one ever wins a case despite the circumstances. Suck it up and take your medicine is what everyone told me. Bill Makler did take my case and won it in short order. He did it with dogged persistence and constant attention. Qualities rarely found this day & age."

Outstanding.

"Having never been in legal troubles before, I turned to Mr. Makler to take my case and he exceeded all of my expectations. Mr. Makler's representation resulted in the dismissal of my case. His professional and experienced presence allowed me to calmly continue with my studies as my case proceeded, with the knowledge that I was in good hands. He and his office kept me well informed and readily provided me with the details of my case.

I would highly recommend Mr. Makler for his integrity and willingness to treat his clients with tremendous respect and sympathy. As a UCSB student, I suggest anyone with legal issues in Isla Vista or around the school immediately contact Mr. Makler; he will fight for you!"

Honestly, The Best Criminal Defense Attorney in Santa Barbara

"I was incorrectly charged with a serious felony -- brought on and pursued solely because of the political and biased agendas of both the Santa Barbara police department and the district attorney office. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work with and hire some of the most acclaimed criminal defense attorneys in Santa Barbara to help me with defending my charge. These other defense attorneys made some serious careless errors and did not give me proper focus and attention to more quickly remedy my situation; some of them only cared about how much money they can squeeze out of their client instead of caring about the client’s situation. Finally, a respected out of town attorney referred me to William Makler. Mr. Makler is by far a superior step above all of the other criminal defense attorneys that I worked with. He is exceptionally knowledgeable, articulate, persuasive, honest, thorough, and able to listen very effectively. Mr. Makler really wants to hear what you say, consider your facts in the context of an entire case, do the legal research, communicate respectively with the DA, and make a sincerely honest decision on how to handle your case in your best interest. Most other attorneys will also appear to be attentive but will then choose a course of action that is easiest for them, not you, which may not always be in your best interest. Mr. Makler is in his prime, is well respected in the community, and has the experience and motivation to do the very best that can be done for you. In a very complex situation, that was made worst by other defense attorneys, Mr. Makler worked hard and was successful in getting my felony dismissed. Mr. Makler is also reasonable with his fees and cares deeply about his clients’ well-being. I trust Mr. Makler with my life and, unequivocally, he is the best criminal defense attorney in Santa Barbara."

Thorough, Professional & Client Focused

"Bill Makler was a consummate professional from our initial meeting to the conclusion of my case. He listened attentively, offered well thought out alternatives and interceded on my behalf resulting in the best possible outcome for my issue. He responded promptly to my numerous verbal and written questions, during and after work hours including weekends, and was patient in explaining the various options available to me.

His personalized, client-focused approach will be the reason I will unhesitatingly call on his services in the future and will refer my friends and acquaintances to him which is the ultimate test of confidence in an attorney. I feel extremely fortunate in having been referred to Bill by another prominent attorney in my community who reflects the peer respect Bill enjoys in the Santa Barbara legal community."

Very excellent representation

"Mr Makler was extremely attentive , thorough, and professional in his handling of my sons case case. He quickly formulated a submission to the DA in Santa Barbara which led to a rejection of charge. Without his help we could soon be appearing for a court date under extreme duress considering the potential negative outcome.

I would strongly suggest anyone -particularly out of town parents with children at UCSB -to contact Mr Makler immediately if a problem should arise.

He is an attorney who cares for his clients and he inspires confidence with his professional manner. He helped our family greatly."

Awesome SB DUI Lawyer

"I originally hired a lawyer in Las Vegas to handle my DUI case in Santa Barbara. Skeptical, I decided to look for a lawyer familiar with the Santa Barbara Judicial system. I found Bill while researching online and decided to give him a call since he had the best reviews. Right off the bat, he gave me honest and useful advice regarding my complicated case. He is very knowledgeable and is very responsive. He also looks out for the best interest of his clients. Although I just wanted my case to be over and it took longer than I expected, he assured me throughout the process that he was fighting for the best results rather than completing the case quickly. And that he did. He also made everything easy with me being a client from out of state. I am very satisfied with the outcome and highly recommend Mr. Makler."

* These testimonials or endorsements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. (Pursuant to Rules of Professional Conduct 1-400 and the standards adopted by the Board of Governors of the State Bar of California).