James Patrick Lambe
James P. Lambe has been a Fresno criminal defense lawyer since 1986. In trials of life sentence cases, he has obtained eight acquittals, four hung jury dismissals, and three in limine motion dismissals.
He has employed creativity in settling four death penalty cases. He has also concluded thirty-three other murder cases (preventing a murder conviction in eighteen of them) and one hundred and four three strikes cases (preventing a three strikes sentence in ninety-four of them).
He was the trial attorney in two published cases which effected significant changes in California law: People v. Myers (1998) 61 Cal.App.4th 328, 71 Cal.Rptr.2d 518 (self defense) and People v. Howard (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1129, 23 Cal.Rptr.3rd 306 (felony murder).
He was Certified as a Specialist in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (1998-2023), and is Certified as a Specialist in Criminal Law by the State Bar of California (1998-2024). In 2009, he became the first criminal law attorney from the San Joaquin Valley to be named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.
He is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a Barrister of the Order of Centurions and a member of the National Trial Lawyers. He has been listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, Marquis Who's Who in American Law, and Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.
He is the author of "Right to Speedy Trial" and "Jury Deliberations and Verdict" in California Criminal Law Procedure and Practice (2013-23), "Injury and Death" and "Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses" in California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements (2012-23), and "Monetary Sanctions" in the Contempt Defense Manual (2007, 15).
In recognition of his writing, instructing, and lecturing, he received the Spirit of CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) Award in 2008 at the State Bar of California Annual Meeting.
- University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
- J.D. (1977) | Law
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- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- B.A. (1974) | Political Science
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- Honors: cum laude
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- Attorney at Law
- Law Office of James P. Lambe
- - Current
- Senior Defense Attorney
- Fresno County Public Defender's Office
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- Defense Attorney
- Fresno County Public Defender's Office
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- Deputy City Attorney
- Fresno City Attorney's Office
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- Claims Attorney
- CIGNA Corporation
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- Associate Attorney
- Parichan Renberg and Crossman
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- Associate Attorney
- Wagner and Wagner
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- Injury and Death and Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses Chapters, California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements
- Continuing Education of the Bar
- Injury and Death and Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses Chapters, California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements
- Right to Speedy Trial and Jury Deliberations and Verdict Chapters, California Criminal Law Procedure and Practice
- Injury and Death and Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses Chapters, California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements
- Super Lawyers List
- Thomson Reuters
- Who's Who in America
- Marquis Who's Who
- Who's Who in American Law
- Marquis Who's Who
- Barrister
- Order of Centurions
- Fresno County Public Defender of the Year
- Employees of the Fresno County Public Defender's Office
- California Lawyers Association
- Criminal Law Section Executive Committee
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- California Lawyers Association
- Member
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- Order of Centurions
- Barrister
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- The National Trial Lawyers
- Member
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- Litigation Counsel of America
- Fellow
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- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Member
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- California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
- Member
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- California Public Defenders Association
- Member
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- District of Columbia Bar
- Member
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- The State Bar of California
- Member
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- Fresno County Bar Association
- Member
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- Phi Alpha Delta
- Member
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- National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Certified Specialist-Criminal Trial Advocacy
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- The State Bar of California
- Criminal Law Section Executive Committee
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- California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
- Board of Governors
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- The State Bar of California
- Criminal Law Advisory Commission
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- California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
- Board of Governors
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- Fresno County Bar Association
- Judicial Evaluations Selection Advisory Committee
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- Fresno County Bar Association
- Board of Directors
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- Conference of California Bar Associations
- Delegate
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- California
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- District of Columbia
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- 9th Circuit
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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- Free Consultation
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- DUI & DWI
- White Collar Crime
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
- Juvenile Law