The Restraining Order Lawyer is former Los Angeles Prosecutor Brian Michaels. Mr. Michaels is a 30 year veteran of the California Criminal and Family Courts. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he was recruited out of law school to join one of Los Angeles's two Prosecuting Agencies. As a Los Angeles City Attorney Michaels tried nearly 85 criminal trials to verdict losing but a few.
As part of his experience with this office Michaels was at the forefront of Domestic Violence prosecutions, working as a specially assigned DV Prosecutor on many cases. He has extensive training and real work experience in the area of criminal domestic violence that has served him in his private practice including training other lawyers in domestic violence trial skills. While with the LA City Attorney Michaels was selected, as a result of his trial achievements to work as a trial trainer to the Trial Advocacy Program where he mentored lawyers from big law firms in trial technique and practice.
Mr. Michaels left government service after 7 and half years to form his own firm in Beverly Hills and has been in business since 2003. He has handled thousands of criminal cases to date and additionally has litigated hundreds of restraining order trials in multiple counties involving Domestic Violence, Civil Harassment, Elder Abuse and Workplace Violence. Because of his deep criminal experience handling both prosecution and defense Mr. Michaels is uniquely suited to take either side of a case and winning it.
During the lockdowns in California attorney Michaels began to see a significant uptick in the number of cases that would normally flow through the criminal justice system end up in Restraining Order courts. The reasons for this are complex but involve the significant reduction in the number of police on the streets, some of it involving measures to reform criminal justice with Covid also continuing to play a big roll in slowing down our criminal justice system forcing many to seek their own justice.
Attorney Michaels, as both a prosecutor by training and a defense attorney for the last 20 years has the unique capacity to effectively take either side of a Restraining Order case and is just as willing to file and litigate legitimate cases of violence and harassment as he is defending them. His firm has the capacity to handle cases in multiple counties and has an effective network of attorneys up and down the state to assist in the litigation of these cases in addition to having a selection of top Private Investigators with law enforcement background for cases that are more involved.
Since the beginning of 2021 Mr. Michaels has exclusively been litigating restraining order matters from San Diego in the South as far north as San Francisco. Most recently Michaels has now opened his firm back up again to begin receiving Criminal and DUI matters as well as a limited number of proceedings in the Family Court including Divorces, Custody and Support Disputes, and the litigation and drafting of prenuptial agreements.
Mr. Michaels is a member of the California State Bar, Los Angeles County Bar, Orange County Bar, UCSB Alumni, 100 Top National Trial Lawyers, California Prosecutors Association and is a card carrying member of Mensa International.
Recent Blog Posts
The Law Office of Brian Michaels Offering Free Consultations for all 2024 Stagecoach and Coachella Music Festival Arrests
How to Modify Cancel or Terminate a Restraining Order Early
Civil Contempt Proceedings as a Remedy For Restraining Order Violations
Brian Michaels Relaunches Office to handle arrests and other cases related to the Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals 2023
Do I need a Lawyer for My Restraining Order Case?
Recommendations
- “I had hired another attorney and it was a back and forth thing for over one year then one day he stopped communicating with me. About a week ago, I connected with Mr Michaels and my case is already completed as of two days ago. Mr Michaels was quite thorough and efficient keeping me informed eve...
- “I contacted Brian about getting a warrant recalled in order to clear up my license in Ventura county. He went above and beyond to ensure I also wouldn't face any misdemeanor charges by not accepting the deal the district attorney originally offered, instead of taking the easy way out he ensured ...
- “What can I say other than Brian Michaels is an AMAZING attorney. I was faced with a rather confusing legal problem for years. Despite reaching out to numerous attorneys I was unable to settle the matter. Upon reaching out to Brian, I finally found an attorney with the knowledge, skill set, and e...
- “Our case was extremely difficult, and we wanted the best, but expected the worst. Our main concern was avoiding jail time, as there was a minor accident in addition to a DUI charge. There were circumstances surrounding this situation, that did not make this a straight case, and Brian was great a...
- “After working with another lawyer I quickly realized that I needed a proactive attorney to handle the horror of criminal injustice. I was recommended to Mr. Michaels who had all the experience that I was in search of. In the end Mr.Michaels negotiated a resolution that my family And I could work...
- “After multiple search warrants and some 30 officers, I was charged with 2 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. Brian assessed the situation and worked aggressively from the minute I retained him. I was very impressed by how well he predicted the prosecution's actions weeks before we were even sitting in...
- “My search for a criminal defense attorney began when my son was arrested twice in one week for repeat of felony charges. They will result in 2 strikes. He is in "big trouble" and he is a young man facing his life in prison. I spent hours reading the bio's of the candidates I selected, checking i...
- “I am quite confident that NO ONE could have helped us more than Brian Michaels. I feel very fortunate to have found him. My son had gotten a speeding ticket once on his way to the airport to pick me up. Since I was living in Houston while he was in college in LA, we hired someone to represent hi...
- “Attorney Michaels did an amazing job on my felony DUI case. He got it reduced to a misdemeanor so I got no jail time and now it is off my record completely. He was available to answer my calls, no matter what time of day; I was extremely worried this would affect my livelihood but he did an incr...
- “I would Definitely suggest Brian as a lawyer! My boyfriend has a serious case and before he reviewed my case he saw how badly I was taken advantage of from my previous lawyer in which I paid a lot of money and nothing was done for my boyfriend's case. Brian stepped in and helped me try and get m...
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It would be an understatement to call Brian Michaels a guardian angel.
“I had the privilege of having Brian Michaels represent me in court after I received my first DUI with Great Bodily Injury. I was terrified for not only myself but my family who depends on me. I truly thought my life was over and felt a terrible anxious feeling that my life would surely become a ... - “I had a 9-year-old warrant for a felony drug offense I knew nothing about until I was denied a passport and informed by the state department. I had another attorney 3 years earlier try to find any warrants but he found nothing. Brian was able to find where the warrant was from and the case infor...
- “Brian Michaels is was an excellent lawyer for my traffic court case. Saved me hundreds in increased insurance premiums. Most of all, he saved me the time and hassle of going to court! I contacted him two days before my court date, and he was able to arrange an appearance within minutes. Could no...
- “Attorney Michaels represented my husband in 4 different gang cases in Los Angeles. Over the course of a year Mr. Michaels worked hard to get my husband home to his family. If he was convicted he would have spent 24 years in jail. Through his contacts with the District Attorney he was able to get...
- “Mr. Michaels is professional through and through and does ensure that your charges are less than that of which to be expected when representing yourself. Very easy to talk to.”
- “Brian was extremely helpful during my case. Always answered my calls, texts, emails, and questions in a prompt manner. His knowledge led to me getting results I was/am very happy with. I highly recommend his services”
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We all appreciate his quick response to our emails and questions, his prompt on the court time
“Brain said his job is to keep Don (who is accused and charged for years in prison) out of jail, and for each day that Don is out of jail, he is doing his job till the case is settled. Indeed he gave strategies based in his experience and expertise and made countermeasures based on calculated ris... - “I had been harassed by my ex-husband for years with threatening emails. I finally started to look for legal help. I spoke to quite a few attorneys and hired Brian as he is the only one that told me specifically what he planned to do. I am glad I did. He was very responsive, responsible, predicta...
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His consultation was excellent and really laid out my best options for me.
“Brian helped me in a panicking situation regarding a hit and run. His consultation was excellent and really laid out my best options for me.” -
The outcome was above what I expected and he was extremely easy to work with given my timeframe.
“I contacted Brian a mere few days before my trail and he took the ball and ran with it. The outcome was above what I expected and he was extremely easy to work with given my timeframe. Can't recommend him enough!” -
He is easy to reach tells you how it is and explains things well.
“Brian helped me out big time in a felony settlement case. With the help of his knowledge, I have a year of probation and some other guidelines that if I follow I will have the felony dropped to a misdemeanor no questions asked. I cannot thank him enough as I'm young and didn't want that on my re... - “Being a former district attorney Mr. Michaels was fully aware and capable Approaching different judges and district attorneys in positive ways.Its as if I had one of them on my side”
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I was able to text and call him for any questions I had and received quick responses.
“Brian was extremely helpful throughout the entire expungement filing procedure for my Reckless Driving charge. He explained the process and gave me a very reasonable quote for the work - the most competitive quote I received from all the attorneys I requested quotes from, since he included the f... - “Mr. Michaels represented me in a serious felony case. I was only 18 at the time and I didn't really know what to do and didn't have a lot of money. My parents helped a little and he worked it out with them. Mr. Michaels worked on my case for about a year and got it dismissed. He did a really goo...
- “Brian Michael is the best lawyer that we hired for a DUI case. From the first moment we talked to him on the phone we already felt comfortable and confident. We are thankful that we hired him, because he is very professional in what he does. We are very happy with the outcome of the case. We rec...
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Mr. Michaels is very skilled, intelligent, and above all kind.
“Mr. Michaels is an absolutely exceptional attorney. He was very prompt to initially respond, and seemed dedicated to my case right out the gate. Not only did he keep me updated and informed the entire time but at no point did I feel he wasn't handling my case competently and with efficiency. He ... - “Brian Russell Michaels helped me solve my criminal case professionally and smoothly. He did an excellent job in doing so, getting the case off of my record and I only had to pay a fee. He also helped my friend which was involved in a similar case, he too was very happy. Brian is a person who is ...
- “Brain, is a great lawyer and I hired him. When I contacted Brian, I was freaked out, I had a traffic citation 36 CFR 4.22 (b) (1) - 'operating a vehicle without due care', in a National park, but as federal laws go it was a misdemeanor. First thing he did was calm me down by reassuring that the ...
- “Mr. Michaels did a wonderful job on behalf of our son, who was arrested during the Coachella music festival and charged with felony resisting arrest. Mr. Michaels worked with us to present extenuating personal health circumstances in a conscientious and compassionate manner. He advocated passion...
- “Brian knew his way around supporting my case in the city of Los Angeles through many different angles. His experience helped me guide and understand what protocols to handle and it what situations to prioritize. Before going to court, he felt his chances were high to keep my sentencing to the mo...
- “Brian took my criminal case to court I was facing a misdemeanor charge he was able to get the case fully dismissed. Brian is awesome very professional, He supported me through the whole process he was always very accessible with any questions or concerns I might have had, for that, I'm truly gra...
- “Brian Michaels worked on my case, a violation of probation for a DUI. My case was out of one the toughest Court you can imagine. I got blessed with a miracle did not go to prison. he did a very good job for my situation he did not give up and got me my freedom back. We communicated through text ...
- “I was arrested, but never charged for alleged public intoxication. The case was never filed, but caused me to lose my Global Entry and experience biased treatment when re-entering the country through border control when I came back from international trips. Brian knew exactly what needed to be d...
- “We would not have been more pleased with the services rendered by attorney Michaels. Unlike all of the other attorneys we called, we were dealing with him personally from the first call. He responded to all of our questions in assisting our son with a bad situation in Santa Barbara. At no time d...
- “Brian was really forward and direct with helping us out of our situation. Never being through any thing like this he really kept us informed and told us all possibilities of the outcome of our case. We would have been lost without him with this case.”
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He was responsive and got my job done quickly and with a better result than I would have imagined.
“I hired Mr. Michaels eariler this year to help me expunge an old case. He did even better and filed a motion that got my case dismissed. Because of his work I was able to keep my job. I highly recommend Mr. Michaels. He was responsive and got my job done quickly and with a better result than I w... - “Had a moving violation citation that I was worried about - Brian put me at ease, explained his process for how he would be approaching the citation in court, and got the citation dismissed. Well worth the money.”
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I would highly recommend Brian for any criminal/legal troubles.
“Couldn't have hired a better attorney for my case. Was facing 3 years State Prison, and got off on probation. I would highly recommend Brian for any criminal/legal troubles.” - “Mr. Michaels represented me after my previous attorney botched my case resulting in me going to jail and the threat of longer jail time. Mr. Michaels professional expertise kept me from jail, parried an obviously biased court and handled witnesses with skill and integrity. Mr. Michaels defense w...
- “Awesome job. Very professional. I would highly recommend him.”
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Mr. Michaels was the only one who took the time and energy to inform me of my rights.
“I was accused of DUI and interviewed a number of law firms I found on the internet. Mr. Michaels was the only one who took the time and energy to inform me of my rights and what his firm would do for me without charging me a huge sum of money. His fee was very fair and got me a great result. Aft... - “Made the whole process very easy. Worth every penny. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
- “I am extremely happy with the services I have received from lawyer Brian Michaels - he was very professional, fast and knowledgeable. I have felt confident and at ease right from the first phone call when Brian contacted me after I have posted a question on Avvo, my decision to hire him as my at...
- “His website is no lie. He has to be one of the best trial lawyers since Johnny Cochran. I was charged with multiple felonies and the DA wouldn't even talk to my old lawyer who we had to fire. most all my friends said we couldn't win. Mr Michaels said we could and he was right on. After two weeks...
- “I contacted Brian Michaels after reading his review's on Avvo. He got back to me the same day and he accepted my case. He always made sure to contact me and update me on all the information I needed. I am pleased to say everything got resolved quickly and I am very happy I contacted Brian. Thank...
- “Brian did an amazing job working on my multiple convictions to clean my record so that I could get the job I was applying for. he always responded to my calls or texts himself and promptly which made it easier to understand thk u”
- “My boyfriend was wrongfully charged with domestic violence. After doing some research we found that these cases are EXTREMELY difficult to fight regardless of the situation. Luckily we found Mr. Michaels and emailed him for a consultation. We were immediately contacted and given straight facts o...
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I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of a great attorney.
“Brian was kind enough to work with me at a discounted rate due to my being unemployed and never made me feel like I was getting discounted representation. He not only kept me out of jail but also is helping me clear my record after my community service is completed. I would highly recommend him ... - “We interviewed 5 different lawyers that were highly recommended. My husband had two charges one was Fraud and the other was possession of cocaine. Both got dismissed and vacated. All the other attorneys we interviewed gave us zero chance of vacating these cases. We needed to vacate them under im...
- “Brian was great, he represented me for a traffic violation. He was responsive, provided great advice, and ultimately my case was dismissed. Great outcome!”
- “I don't want to give too many personal details, but I have had an 8-year-old case that every lawyer I spoke to, guaranteed me that I'm going to do some amount of jail time. I heard everything from a year to a week. Truthfully when I contacted Mr.Michaels, I was also speaking with a couple of oth...
- “Brian recently got me out of Felony Child Abuse charges in a case with LAPD. I am very grateful to have had Mr. Michaels and has allowed me to now get my children back. Thank you!”
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Brian answered quickly through text and emails to keep me well informed.
“I couldn't be any happier with my decision to have Brian represent me in my 1st offense DUI case. My career in the National Guard Army was on the line, and after speaking with many lawyers, I felt the most comfortable with Brian. I could sense he had a lot of knowledge and experience with this t... - “We interviewed 5 different lawyers that were highly recommended. My husband had two charges one was Fraud and the other was possession of cocaine. Both got dismissed and vacated. All the other attorneys we interviewed gave us zero chance of vacating these cases. We needed to vacate them under im...