Olivas Law PLLC

Our experience with attorney David Olivas was extremely disappointing. He was court appointed as a public defender in a serious federal case, and unfortunately his lack of preparedness and judgment showed. Early on, he suggested taking the case to trial, which demonstrated a concerning lack of understanding of the risks involved. Communication was poor throughout the representation. Messages often went unanswered and important matters felt minimized. His courtroom conduct was the most troubling. During the guilty plea hearing, he appeared distracted and was scrolling on his phone while standing at the podium, even while his client waited. At sentencing, he told his client the prosecutor was seeking six to eight years, allowed the reaction to set in, then said he was joking. Making light of a moment with life altering consequences is unacceptable. Whether being court appointed played a role or not, every client deserves serious, focused representation. Based on our experience, David Olivas did not meet that standard and is not someone I would recommend for federal criminal defense. Update: Sadly, nothing improved after sentencing. There was no clear follow-through on important post-sentencing matters, and it appeared that necessary steps were not taken at all. This only further demonstrated a lack of professionalism and competence in handling the case. **Edited to reply: Your reply references a different defendant and a different case entirely. This matter involved a female defendant, not “him,” and the sentencing details you describe are unrelated. This lack of basic familiarity reflects the same issues experienced throughout the representation: confusion, lack of preparation, and inadequate follow-through. While you state that scrolling was due to reviewing notes, from the client’s CLEAR perspective it did not appear that the case had your full attention, which contributed to the overall impression of being unprepared and disengaged. Your response does not clarify or correct the concerns raised. It reinforces them. Final Response: This case involved a signed three-year plea agreement prior to sentencing. No request for six to eight years was ever made, and the sentencing discussion reflected that existing agreement. I was present for the proceedings and stand by my original review. I will not be engaging further.