Eric H. Hintz is a criminal defense attorney in Sacramento, California. A partner with his firm, Law Offices of Hintz & Welch, Mr. Hintz represents clients in their cases involving criminal defense, white collar criminal defense, DUI/DWI, sex crimes, juvenile crimes, juvenile dependency and personal injury.
A native of Berkeley, California, Mr. Hintz received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Davis. He pursued and received his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. With more than 25 years of legal experience, Mr. Hintz is a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California and the Criminal Defense Lawyers of Sacramento. He is admitted to practice within the state of California.
Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire
How did you build a successful practice?
My practice depends almost exclusively on referrals from other lawyers and former clients. My guiding principal over the last twenty seven years has been to treat the client like I would want to be treated if I, or a close member of my family, were the client. That means personal attention, responsiveness to calls, emails and increasingly... text messages. I provide each and every client with my personal cell phone number where they can reach me by text 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Facing criminal charges is very stressful on clients and their family members. My job is to guide the client and their close family through the criminal justice system at each and every step of the process. This might mean taking a call from a client's mother on the night before a court appearance; it might mean responding to an early morning or late night text message from my client or his or her spouse. Whatever it takes, my commitment is to treat every client as if they were a member of my own family
How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Local knowledge can be very important to the outcome of a criminal case.
What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Clients should look for a lawyer that they can comfortably communicate with. They should look for a lawyer who has extensive experience with cases similar to the clients case. They should look for a lawyer who is respected by the other side of their case, which in the criminal law, is typically a prosecuting attorney and his or her supervisors. The should look for a lawyer who has time for their case and a genuine concern for them as a person separate and apart from whatever crime they are alleged to have committed.
What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
Very few criminal defense lawyers in Northern California have handled as many privately retained criminal cases over the last 25 years. My education and on the job experience in the private practice of criminal law are second to none and my reputation can easily be verified. I have been selected by my peers as a Criminal Defense Super Lawyer (Top 5%) for Northern California in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. I have been asked to and have appeared regularly over the years on local television and radio as an expert commentator.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Helping people though a difficult time in their lives is the most rewarding aspect of my job.
What are your other interests in addition to law?
Faith, Family, Friends and Fitness pretty much sum up my life outside of the practice of law. I have four sons and one granddaughter. I have coached a variety of youth sports over more than 20 years and I am an active athlete in my own right. I work out almost every day; I snow board in the winter and water ski and surf in the summer. I am the current President of a private water club consisting of Nationally ranked men and women water skiers and bare-footers. I am active in the Roman Catholic Church and a variety of charitable activities including the St Vincent De Paul Society and the Sacramento Life Center.
