Education

Law School/Year: J.D., University of Santa Clara, 1969

Other Graduate School/Year: LLM, George Washington University, 1971

College/Year: San Jose State University, 1966

Bar Admissions

California, 1970; Washington, D.C., 1970

Practice Areas

Appellate, Criminal Law

Major Cases

Charles Sevilla has argued two cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, a dozen or more in the California Supreme Court, and scores more in the Ninth Circuit and California Courts of Appeal, e.g., United States v. Ortiz, 442 U.S. 891 (1975); Chein v. Shumsky, 373 F.3d 978 (9th Cir. en banc 2004), cert. denied 125 S. Ct. 415 (2004) ; United States v. Rutgard, 116 F.3d 1270 (9th Cir. 1997); People v. Ault (2004) 33 Cal. 4th 1250; People v. Hedgecock (1990) 51 Cal.3d 395; People v. Basuta (2001) 94 Cal. App. 4th 370.

Professional Background

Sevilla has been a criminal defense lawyer since his days at Federal Defenders of San Diego (1971-1976), then with the California State Public Defender, followed by 21 years as a partner in Cleary & Sevilla. Since 2004, he has been in solo practice defending state and federal cases, often on appeal. He frequently speaks and writes on topics of a practical nature concerning criminal defense issues for Matthew Bender, California Public Defender and California Attorneys for Criminal Justice publications.

Professional Affiliations

Sevilla has served on California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (president 1979-1980); San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer's Club (president 1988); San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association (board of directors, presently); San Diego Defender Board (member, board of directors 1994-present); Ninth Circuit Advisory Committee on Rules of Court & Internal Procedures (member 1996-2002); Committee on Standard Jury Instructions, Criminal (CALJIC) (member 1976-1983); California Public Defenders Association (board of governors 1978 -1980); National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (member)

Personal Background

Sevilla loves to travel on expeditions with his wife, take photographs, read, write novels (e.g., Wilkes on Trial, Wilkes: His Life and Crimes) and humor anthologies of all too rare funny moments in the court (Disorder in the Court, Disorderly Conduct, co-editor).