The RegistryPractice Area · Statewide
Find Tenant Rights Attorneys in California
Counsel for rentals on both sides of the lease, evictions, deposits, and habitability. This is the statewide record for landlord–tenant in California: every attorney on the State Bar of California's official roll whose published practice reaches this area, shown in neutral directory order.
Californians search this field under many names · tenant rights lawyer, tenant lawyer, eviction attorney, eviction defense lawyer, landlord attorney · and the registry answers all of them from the same source. Below: the governing deadline with its citation, what to weigh as you read the record, the questions Californians ask with the code sections that answer them, and landlord–tenant coverage county by county, from Del Norte to San Diego.
The clock & the craft
Unlawful detainer deadlines run in days: a three-day notice starts most non-payment cases.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161
A tenant served with an unlawful detainer summons has ten court days to respond (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1167). Security deposits must be accounted for within 21 days of move-out (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5).
Reading the roster
Unlawful detainer practice is fast and procedural, so look for attorneys who handle evictions in your county's dedicated UD departments weekly, whichever side you are on. Tenants should ask about fee-shifting clauses in the lease, local rent-ordinance defenses, and legal-aid options given the short response windows; landlords should ask about notice drafting, most lost UD cases fail on defective notices.
Landlord–Tenant · statewide roster
3,424 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list landlord–tenant among their practice areas, with an address of record in 51 of California's 58 counties.
3,407 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.
The largest county rosters are Los Angeles (1,097), Orange (415), San Diego (328), San Francisco (285) and Alameda (164).
19 hold a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist designation, a certification issued by the State Bar's Board of Legal Specialization, and not a rating or a ranking.
274 are recorded as taking client work in a language other than English.
Alexander E. Lopez Rodriguez
Business Law · San Francisco
Bar #358146 · Admitted 2024
Identity verified
Landlord–Tenant matters in California
The matters this field covers, as Californians search for them. Each attorney's own profile states which of these they take.
- eviction (unlawful detainer) defense
- security deposit disputes
- rent control and rent increases
- habitability and repairs
- landlord harassment and retaliation
- illegal lockouts and utility shutoffs
- lease breaks and early termination
- Ellis Act and owner move-in evictions
- tenant buyouts
- roommate and subletting disputes
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Landlord–Tenant questions, cited
How much can my landlord raise rent in California?
For most residential property older than 15 years, the Tenant Protection Act caps annual increases at 5% plus regional CPI, never exceeding 10% (Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.12). Single-family homes owned by individuals are often exempt if proper notice is given. Local ordinances in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland impose stricter caps that control when they apply.
When must a security deposit be returned in California?
Within 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement of any deductions and receipts for repairs over $125 (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5). Since July 2024, deposits are generally capped at one month's rent (Civ. Code § 1950.5(c), as amended by AB 12). Bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to up to twice the deposit in statutory damages.
Can my landlord evict me without cause in California?
For most tenancies of 12 months or longer, no, the Tenant Protection Act requires "just cause" for termination (Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.2), either at-fault (non-payment, breach, nuisance) or no-fault (owner move-in, withdrawal from the market), with relocation assistance owed for no-fault terminations. Exempt properties and shorter tenancies follow ordinary notice rules (Civ. Code §§ 1946, 1946.1).
What can I do if my rental is uninhabitable?
California implies a warranty of habitability in every residential lease; Cal. Civ. Code § 1941.1 lists minimum standards (working plumbing, heat, weatherproofing, no vermin). After notice and a reasonable time, tenants may use the repair-and-deduct remedy up to one month's rent (Civ. Code § 1942), and retaliation for exercising these rights is prohibited for 180 days (Civ. Code § 1942.5).
How fast does an eviction case move in California?
Faster than almost any other civil case. After the notice period (often three days for non-payment, Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161), the landlord files an unlawful detainer; the tenant has ten court days to respond (§ 1167), and trial is set within about 20 days of a trial request (§ 1170.5). Tenants who wait to seek advice often lose by default before defenses are ever heard.
Legal information, not legal advice.
From the answer files
Landlord–Tenant in all 58 counties
Landlord–Tenant by city
Adjacent shelves of the law
Full Landlord–Tenant rosters, by surname
If cost is the concern
Court self-help, legal-aid organizations and attorney-stated fee options, with source links. No account or case submission is needed to use them.
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Find Your Counsel278,688 attorneys · 58 counties · Official State Bar records