Pierce County Criminal Defense Attorney

Former Prosecutor Fighting in Your Corner

If you live in Pierce County, then you live in the second most populous county in the state, second only to King County. Pierce County was originally formed out of Thurston County in December of 1852 by the legislature of Oregon Territory and it was named after U.S. President Franklin Pierce. As of 2010, there were 795,225 people calling Pierce County home.

Pierce County is unlike many other counties in the nation due to the fact that we have the Mount Ranier volcano, which is the tallest mountain in the Cascade Range. Although its last eruption was between 1820 and 1854 and there is no imminent risk of eruption, many geologists believe that the volcano will one day erupt again, they just aren't sure when. If the volcano should erupt, the residents of Puyallup Valley would be at risk of lava and pyroclastic flows. Fortunately, the Mount Ranier Volcano Lahar Warning System was established back in 1998 to aid in the evacuation of the Puyallup River valley in case the volcano does erupt.

Pierce County is home to the Joint Base Lewis-McChord which is a United States military facility located 9.1 miles outside of Tacoma. The facility is a training and mobilization center and it is the only Army power-projection base west of the Rocky Mountains. Its specific location allows for quick access to the deep water ports of Tacoma, Olympia and Seattle for deploying equipment.

Pierce County Criminal Defense Representation

My name is Jim Johanson and I am the founder of the Johanson Law Group, Inc. I have been practicing law for more than 35 years and as a former Pierce and King County Deputy Prosecutor and assistant attorney for the City of Lynwood, I am confident that I can provide you or your loved one with a powerful defense. After serving as a prosecutor, I realized my passion for defending the rights of the criminally accused, and this is why today I work as a Pierce County criminal defense lawyer. In addition to my time as a prosecutor, I am also a former member of the Washington State Legislature where I served as the Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. In my criminal defense practice, I use my in-depth and well-rounded knowledge of the law to be creative with my clients' cases and to be innovative when it comes to finding practical solutions.

When you are facing criminal charges in Washington State, you must take these matters to heart and understand that your future and your freedom are at stake. You have to remember that law enforcement has already made their mind up about you and they have unlimited resources at their fingertips to pursue a conviction against you. Because the criminal justice system isn't always fair or just, it's up to you to retain the services of an aggressive and competent attorney who is closely familiar with all of the local state and federal laws. As a zealous and tenacious attorney, it's my job to comb through the evidence and search for any flaws or holes that might exonerate you.

Felony & Misdemeanor Representation

My criminal defense areas of practice cover a broad range of misdemeanor and felony offenses. My firm is not limited to misdemeanor charges for assault, battery or DUI. I also handle all types of drug crimes including possession, sales, manufacturing, and cultivation and trafficking. Drug charges vary widely depending upon the type of drug, the quantity and whether or not it was for personal use. I even handle various prescription drug crimes including prescription fraud or selling your prescription to someone without having the proper license or authority to do so.

I handle cases involving violent crimes; these types of cases include assault, battery, domestic violence, manslaughter and murder. Since these crimes often don't have any witnesses and because it may be your word against the alleged victim's word, it's absolutely critical that you not only have a lawyer who believes in you, but that you have one that carefully cross-examines the evidence and ensures that your side of the story is told loud and clear. With these types of cases, you simply cannot afford to have an overwhelmed public defender or an apathetic attorney who isn't willing to fight for you.

If your son or daughter was arrested for theft, or vandalism or breaking and entering or any other juvenile crime, I can help. It's extremely important that we do everything we can to protect your son or daughter and to keep them out of confinement and at home where they belong. I also handle all types of sex offenses including prostitution, sexual assault, indecent exposure, spousal rape, statutory rape and many more. The more serious sex offenses require mandatory sex offender registration and this is not a good thing. Once you are a registered sex offender, your headshot, the crime you were convicted for and even your home address are made public information for all to see. Being a registered sex offender will lead to definite social ostracism by your friends, neighbors and co-workers. Since so many accusations are entirely baseless, it's extremely important that we prove your innocence to the prosecution, judge or jury.

I practice in both the state and federal courts; this enables me to handle both state crimes and federal crimes such as internet crimes and white collar crimes. I can also assist with expungements and probation violations. In all of my cases I am fully committed to finding holes in the case and exposing them for what they are, and I am committed to my clients' future and their families. 

I practice in Pierce County and all throughout the greater "Puget Sound" area; give me a call today to schedule your initial consultation.

Pierce County Resource Links

Criminal Defense Information Center 
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber 
Map of Pierce County