San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney John D. Cahners

San Jose Homicide, DUI & Domestic Violence attorney serving Cupertino, Los Gatos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Saratoga & Sunnyvale

Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, California Board of Legal Specialization, since 1977

John D. Cahners, a State Bar Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, is a former senior prosecutor with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. He has been defending clients charged with crimes since 1980.

Mr. Cahners has successfully defended clients charged with a broad range of criminal charges, from DUI to homicide. Because of the new trend in prosecutions, he has become an expert in handling domestic violence cases, and has devoted a substantial percentage of his practice to that area.

Mr. Cahners has been AV peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was recognized by San Francisco Magazine and Super Lawyers Magazine in their 2006 & 2007 editions as a Super Lawyer. He is considered by them to be in the top five percent of all attorneys in Northern California.

Born: July 2, 1943, in Boston, Massachusetts

John D. Cahners in the News

• DNA evidence not tested in 2007 De Anza rape (May 17, 2010)
• Court throws out case due to police error (March 24, 2010)
• Gang Injustice (May 6, 2008)
• Witness Talks Of Alleged De Anza Rape (June 19, 2007)
• DA: No Duke Influence In De Anza Decision (May 24, 2007)
• Sheriff's Office Says De Anza Rape Case Not Closed (May 22, 2007)
• D.A. won't file in case involving De Anza athletes / Sex assault decision stuns investigators in Sheriff's Department (May 22, 2007)

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of California, Admitted 1971
• Federal District Court, Northern District of California, Admitted 1971
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Admitted 1971

Education

• Stanford University, BA, 1964
• University of California, Hastings College of the Law, JD, 1967

Background

• Served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1970. Completed Naval Justice School and served duties as JAG liaison and squadron legal officer. Participated in many military courts-martial. Upon release from active duty, served for a number of years in a JAG reserve unit at Moffet Field NAS.
• Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County from 1971 – 1980. Left as a Senior Felony Prosecutor to start his own criminal defense practice. As a prosecutor, received in-depth experience handling all types of criminal cases, from DUI to murder.
• Became a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, certified by the State Bar of California, in 1977. Has kept that specialty current every five years since obtained.
• Engaged in the private practice of criminal defense since 1980. Has completed well over 100 jury trials.
• Experience defending all types of criminal charges, from domestic violence through white-collar crime to death penalty homicide.

Our Palo Alto Criminal Defense firm serves all of Northern California and the Bay Area with particular emphasis in criminal defense for Cupertino, Los Gatos, Mountain View, Redwood City, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and Alameda County.