Carin L. Johnson, Esq.

Attorney/Partner

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Credentials
Practice Areas
Speaking Engagements

Carin’s 25-year practice is primarily focused on juvenile dependency. As a parent, she is very dedicated and compassionate about representing parents’ rights in juvenile court. When the system accuses a parent of abuse, it is an extremely serious accusation. Let Carin put her considerable experience to work for you.

Carin L. Johnson is a passionate defender of parents’ rights and has practiced dependency and juvenile law for over 25 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Chico State University and is a graduate of Golden Gate University, School of Law, 1993.

In September 2010, Carin presented oral argument in the California First District Court of Appeal, involving a case where the dependency court denied her client reunification services and sought to terminate her parental rights. Carin fought hard for the mother and won a rare REVERSAL, of the lower court’s ruling. This changed California law.

Again, Carin argued a wrongfully accused parent in a multiple broken bone case and got a unanimous reversal in the California Court of Appeals, Fourth District. The case was ordered to be sent back to try again – and another unanimous reversal resulted in the eventual return of the child to the parents' care. Carin Johnson fought with the court in both trials, wrote both appeals, obtained reversals in both appeals, (the first one was reversed by the appellate court to “prevent a substantial injustice”) and eventually, the child was REUNIFIED with her parents and returned home when the CPS/CFS representative advocated for termination of parental rights all along.

Another one of Carin’s cases made national headlines in 2003 with the infamous “spitball case” where an overzealous DA prosecuted an eighth-grader for shooting spitballs in the hallway at school. Carin was featured on Greta Van Sustren, “On the Record” and the Bill O’Reilly show, “The O’Reilly Factor” and on the BBC.

Carin is a member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association and has taught classes on juvenile dependency law. She has also presented with a panel of attorneys multiple times regarding Juvenile Law, Criminal Law issues on sex abuse cases, and presented in numerous conferences in many areas of the law. Carin smiling at her desk

Carin L. Johnson has experience presenting direct and cross experts and cross-examination, in court, on shaken baby syndrome allegations now abusive head trauma, forensic pathologist experts, severe physical abuse allegations, broken bones, psychologists, SART nurses, doctors, and child abuse experts, sex abuse experts, as well as broken bone experts, emergency room and abusive head trauma experts, and child interviewing process in the area of suggestibility and the tainting of children and it effects during interviews as well as forensic interviews.

Employment

Recent-continuing– sex abuse “false allegation” trial, San Jose, 2019
Recent multiple broken bone case-trial- one child returned home just prior to trial, second child three months later, Alameda County, 2019
Recent multiple broken bone case-trial-, Napa County- child released to parents after detention hearing, 2019
Recent Sex Abuse trial-on appeal- child returned to mother mid-trial, Alameda County, 2018.
Recent shaken baby matter (AHT- San Joaquin), Recent Sexual abuse trial (Santa Clara Co)
Intentional submersion burn trial, Alameda County, Dependency matter.
High Conflict Custody Trial, False allegations of physical abuse, 2015-2016, Contra Costa County
High Conflict Custody Trial, False allegations of sexual abuse, allegations dismissed by moving party mid-trial, followed by continuing custody litigation. 2015-2016
25-life Homicide Trial/Child Death, 2013, San Joaquin County, JURY TRIAL/Not Guilty all counts.
25-life Homicide Trial/Child Death, 2013 San Joaquin County, Felony plea offered on first day of trial. Client released.
Infant Bone Disease case, San Diego Trial, Dependency 2013, 2014
Sex abuse trial, Martinez, CA 2011-2012 (6 witnesses, several motions)
W&l 300 (b)(d) (c) trial Alameda County, 11 months, several briefs, 10 witnesses, 2011-2012, Alameda County Shaken Baby matter, 2012
Alameda County Superior Court, Complex Medical, Petition Dismissed, 2009 Merced County Superior Court, Petition Dismissed at Jurisdiction 2006 Sex Abuse 300(d) case, The Honorable Judge Dougherty Approximately 7 witnesses called. Contra Costa County Superior Court, Shaken Baby Petition Dismissed at Jurisdiction 2006, Brief Submitted and Argued on Causation, 300(a)
Contra Costa County Shaken Baby Case, 2008, shaken baby allegations found not true.
Santa Clara Superior Court, Sex Abuse 300(d) Trial to Contest in 2005, 27 witnesses called, Jurisdiction Taken, Matter appealed, Denied on Appeal with 17 Page unpublished opinion.
Contested OVER 300 Juvenile Cases since beginning practice in 1993. Handled HUNDREDS OF JUVENILE CASES uncontested.
Jury and Court Trials/Criminal Defense: Est. 50+
Unpublished Juvenile Decision reversed on Appeal based on my No Reasonable Services argument at trial, 1998.
2013 Reversal in the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Broken bone 300(e) case UNPUBLISHED, court ruled reversal to prevent a “substantial injustice”.

Expert Cross Examination Experience and work within the following fields:

Medical Doctors, laboratory Experts, Children Therapists, lie Detector Examiners, Child Sex Abuse Experts, Shaken Baby Experts, SART Examination Nurses, Forensic Pathology Experts, Forensic Neuro-Pathology Experts, Infectious Disease Experts, Police Experts, Burn expert cross-examination Forensic Interview Techniques studies and work with experts as well as cross-examination of experts in many of the fields above.

Education

Juris Doctorate Golden Gate University School of Law - Graduate School San Fransisco, CA 1993
Bachelor of Arts Chico State University - Undergraduate School Chico, CA

Practice Areas

Juvenile Dependency

Speaking Engagements

Speaking Engagements at MCLE Spectacular, and Private Engagements, Contra Costa County:
Speaker and Creator: Juvenile Dependency, Los Medanos College 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017,2018
Speaker: AFCC Conference, Feb. 2016
Speaker Co-Creator of: Gender Bias, 2006
Speaker Co-Creator of: Cross Over Issues in Domestic Violence Cases and Juvenile Court, 2005
Speaker Co-Creator: How to Handle Sex Abuse Cases, 2004
Published Opinion: L.Z. v. Superior Court, 188 Cal. App. 4th 1285 (2010) , My appeal disposition trial prior to appeal. I authored all briefs. Unanimous reversal regarding W&l 300(e) allegations
Several Appellate briefs and Writs, Dependency Cases and Criminal Cases, filed and argued including multiple Oral Arguments, First, Fourth, Third, and Sixth District Court of Appeals

Real Clients, Real Results

Read About How We've Helped Former Clients

“Carin Johnson is the most knowledgeable, exceptional attorney anyone can hire. When other attorneys tell you that you have no chance and to give up, Carin will fight for your rights and give it all that she has.”
- Former Client
“Ms. Carin Johnson came to my rescue at a time in my life when I was lost as to how to help my family. As I laid out the problem and my mission Ms, Johnson took me on as her client.”
- Former Client
“I trust no one else to fight for life’s most important gift, my family, and my daughter’s best interest. I am so grateful to Carin as an attorney, and as a friend.”
- Former Client

Committed to Excellence

Awards & Affiliations

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The Law Offices of Johnson & Johnson handles cases throughout California including Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, and San Francisco Counties.

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