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About Marcus

The attorney who tells your story

Marcus E. DeBose has defended San Diego clients since 2001. He is the person you call, the person you meet, and the person who stands beside you in court.

Licensed in CaliforniaSince 2001

State Bar of California No. 216328

  • Multiple "Not Guilty" verdicts at jury trial
  • English and Spanish
  • Partner at Tegnelia & DeBose, APC since 2016
Attorney Marcus E. DeBose
Meet your attorney

Marcus E. DeBose

Most of the people who call Marcus have never been in trouble before. They have worked hard, raised families and built reputations, and now one arrest or one allegation threatens all of it: their job, their savings, their relationships and their freedom.

Marcus understands that fear. His approach starts with a long first conversation, because the facts on a police report are rarely the whole story. He wants to know what happened, why it happened, and who you are outside of this moment. Then he tells that story to the prosecutor and the judge.

That is the point of Email My Lawyer: a small firm where you work directly with an attorney who cares how your case turns out, from the first call to the final hearing.

A career built in the courtroom

Two decades of criminal defense in San Diego, from a heavy felony caseload to jury trials.

Raised around the law

Both of Marcus's parents are attorneys. He knew what the bar exam was by the time he was eight years old.

Education

B.A. in history and Spanish from the University of Virginia (1998), where he was a member of Chi Phi and spent a semester in Valencia, Spain. J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law (2001), where he took part in Moot Court.

Sworn in, 2001

Marcus passed the California bar in 2001 and was sworn in that December. Since 2016 he has been a partner at Tegnelia & DeBose, APC, the firm behind Email My Lawyer.

125 felony cases

Early in his career he carried a caseload of 125 felony cases at one time, far more than most attorneys handle. Few situations, judges or prosecutors are new to him.

Good defense work takes two different skills. Marcus has both.

Forceful when it counts, a listener first

In the courtroom Marcus is persuasive and direct, and he is comfortable cross-examining witnesses at trial. He has secured multiple "Not Guilty" verdicts in front of San Diego juries.

Most cases, though, are resolved before trial, and that work is quieter. It means listening closely, understanding what the judge, the prosecutor and the client each need, and negotiating a result that protects what matters most to you. Marcus works out the full picture before he decides how to approach your case.

Hablamos español

Marcus is bilingual in English and Spanish. He earned his degree in history and Spanish at the University of Virginia and spent a semester in Valencia, Spain. Spanish-speaking clients and families can talk through their case in the language they are most comfortable with.

Experience without big-firm overhead

Email My Lawyer is a small firm. You get an attorney with more than two decades of experience, without the layers of staff and overhead of a large office. When you call, you speak with Marcus. When you have a question, you ask Marcus.

Where Marcus practices

Marcus appears in courthouses across San Diego County, including the Central Courthouse downtown, El Cajon, Chula Vista and Vista, and in southwest Riverside County at the Murrieta courthouse.

What Marcus handles

The facts, at a glance

State Bar No. 216328Licensed by the State Bar of California since December 2001
J.D., University of San DiegoLaw degree, 2001. Moot Court.
B.A., University of VirginiaHistory and Spanish, 1998
Jury trialsMultiple "Not Guilty" verdicts
English and SpanishHablamos español
Partner since 2016Tegnelia & DeBose, APC, doing business as Email My Lawyer
Free consultation

Ready to take the next step? Talk to Marcus today.

Whether you were arrested last night or you have a court date coming up, the earlier you call, the more options you may have.

(619) 876-0992
Call nowFree consultation