Matthew Begoun
The short version
Matthew Begoun is a criminal defense attorney in Modesto. Before opening Begoun Law, he was a Deputy District Attorney with the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted felony cases — including serious and violent offenses — through preliminary hearing and trial.
He now uses that experience on the other side of the courtroom, in the same building, in front of the same judges.
Why a former prosecutor
Most defense attorneys learn the criminal justice system from the outside. Matthew learned it from the inside — in the meetings where charging decisions get made, in the offices where plea offers get authorized, and in the trials where the prosecution's evidence gets put to the jury.
That perspective doesn't decide cases on its own. But it changes what a defense lawyer knows going into one:
- What gets filed and what doesn't. The line between a charge that gets filed at felony, reduced at filing, or rejected entirely isn't random. It's the product of office policy, the filing deputy's read on the evidence, and what the DA can prove. Knowing which way a borderline case is likely to go — before the complaint is even drafted — is the difference between proactive and reactive representation.
- What the DA's file actually contains. Discovery is what gets turned over. The DA's file is what's there. They are not the same thing. A former prosecutor knows what to look for and what to ask about.
- What offers can be authorized at what level. A line deputy has authority to make some offers. Some have to go to a supervisor. Some have to go to the front office. Knowing where the decision actually sits saves weeks.
- What a prosecutor will fight for. Some cases are negotiable. Some aren't. Recognizing the difference early lets the defense focus its energy where it matters.
This is the value former-prosecutor defense attorneys can offer. It's not a replacement for case-by-case work. It's a starting point.
Background
- Deputy District Attorney, Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office. Prosecuted felony cases through preliminary hearing and trial, including serious and violent felony cases.
- Juris Doctor, Pepperdine University School of Law. Cum laude. Trial Advocate of the Year. Terry M. Giles Honors Scholar. President of the Trial Team. Staffer, Dispute Resolution Law Journal.
- B.A., Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles. Cum laude. UCLA Honors College.
- Admitted to the State Bar of California (Bar #359499).
How I work
Every client I take is a client I work with directly — not someone I hand off to an associate the day after the engagement is signed.
I read the discovery before I quote a fee. Until I see what the case actually is, "what this will cost" is a guess. I'd rather give a real number after a real review than a low number that goes up later.
I'll tell you when not to hire me. Some cases are better suited to the public defender's office. Some belong with attorneys who handle a particular kind of case all day. If yours is one of those, I'll say so.
A note on conflicts: because I prosecuted cases in Stanislaus County recently, I cannot defend matters I personally worked on as a Deputy DA. We confirm that at the first call.
Practice areas
I represent people charged with crimes in Stanislaus County and the Eastern District of California. The full practice-area list is here. Areas where my prosecutorial experience is most directly relevant:
- DUI cases and DMV (APS) hearings
- Drug crimes — Health & Safety Code charges and federal drug cases
- Domestic violence
- Sex crimes — pre-charge investigations and charged offenses
- Felony assault and weapons charges
- Homicide
- White-collar cases