Attorney Profiles

Joseph A Motta

Joseph A. Motta was born and raised in the east bay.  He attended St. Mary's College and graduated in 1984 with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics.   He then graduated from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento in 1987.  He was a Deputy District Attorney in Contra Costa County from 1988 to 2004.  Over those sixteen years, he handled thousands of cases.  They ranged from minor to serious and from simple to complex.  He was a trial attorney on the following teams:  Misdemeanor, Juvenile, Law and Motion, Felony Trials, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Career Criminal, and Homicide.  He worked in the Richmond, Concord and all the Martinez Offices and he has appeared in every Criminal Court in Contra Costa County.  In his last five years, he supervised the Misdemeanor Trial Team, the Domestic Violence Team, and the Sexual Assault Team.  As a supervisor, he also maintained his own case load of serious cases.  While a deputy, he prosecuted a number of high profile homicide and sexual assault cases.   He was the first in the county to qualify a gang expert, and he was the second prosecutor in the state to prosecute someone for assault with a deadly weapon for exposure to the Aids virus.  He has a working knowledge of DNA and he has significant experience with psychiatric\psychological issues as they apply to Criminal Law.  He co-authored new law as well as testified before the State Assembly and State Senate Committees, regarding new legislation.

In 2003, the Deputy D.A.'s started a prosecutor's association.  Joe was nominated and elected the County's first Prosecutor's Association President.  As a prosecutor, Joe also maintained a leadership position on several subcommittees with the County's Advisory Committee Against Domestic Violence.  He also trained police, dispatchers, social workers, and several other professions in subjects such as domestic violence, report writing, and sexual assault.  Joe is now on the board for the 100 Club of Contra Costa, a nonprofit organization that gives financial support to survivors of fallen firefighters and police officers.  He continues to live in Contra Costa with his wife and children.
They are involved in the community and local politics.  Joe is well known and well respected in the Contra Costa Judicial System.

Bar Admissions:

California, 1988

Education:

McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, California, 1987

St. Mary's College
Major:  Business Administration
Major:  Economics

Past Employment Positions:

Contra Costa County, Deputy District Attorney, 1988 - 2004