Nationally renowned criminal defense attorney Jacqueline Goodman isn't afraid to take a stand and doesn't intimidate easily. Goodman’s legal successes have earned her numerous accolades, including the inclusion of her name on the Wall of Recognition at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and California Attorneys for Criminal Justice’s Skip Glenn Award for her willingness to stand in harm’s way for society’s most reviled.
Goodman, a Certified Criminal Law Specialist and leading California criminal defense lawyer, is known for taking on the toughest and most notorious cases. A deft advocate for the criminally accused, she ensures her clients have the highest quality defense possible.
"Criminal defense lawyers are witnesses to the human cost of injustice. We are on the frontline in the fight to protect freedom, and for us, it's not just a vague concept. For the criminal defense lawyer, we are in a fight to protect the freedom and the very life of a person we come to know. It's an awesome responsibility," she explains.
She is licensed as a certified specialist in Criminal Law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization; the United States District Court (Central District of California), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Supreme Court, and the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.
Goodman has been practicing criminal law for nearly 30 years, handling highly-publicized and difficult criminal trials and earning a distinguished reputation among legal peers and members of the judiciary. Admitted to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Goodman was the 2019 President of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, an organization that advocates for criminal justice reform, tackling issues such as overcriminalization, solitary confinement, sex offender registration, and inhumane incarceration conditions.
Goodman is a current member of other notable legal organizations, such as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Criminal Law Section of the California Bar Association, the California Defenders Association, the National College of DUI Defense, and the Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. She is an established leader in the legal community, both locally and nationally. She was the Founding President and an emeritus member of the Board of Directors for the North Orange County Bar Association, which consists of judges, prosecutors, clerks, bailiffs, interpreters, probation officers, and allied professionals; former chair of the CACJ Foundation for Criminal Justice, and former chair of the Seminars Committee for California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. She is on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the largest and most influential group of criminal lawyers in the world, and she serves as the chair of NACDL’s Sex Crimes Defense and Forensics Seminars. She is the founding chair of NACDL’s Decarceration Committee, which seeks to abolish mass incarceration, end solitary confinement, improve conditions of confinement, and provide hope for success for those who are or have been incarcerated.
Goodman sees her mission to change the playing field as complementary to her work as an advocate for individuals.
"It is undeniable that people who shouldn't, do, in fact, get caught up in the system," she explains. "Bad things happen to good people, and we are all susceptible to accusation. But that doesn't have to mean the end of life as you know it."
When you can't afford to lose, you can trust Jacqueline Goodman, a Certified Criminal Defense Specialist who leverages experience and passion to lead her clients to safety - even in the worst of times."
