John Michael Kucera

After becoming a member of the California and Federal Bar in 1980, he worked as associate Defense Counsel for major insurance companies, mainly in the area of personal injury.

From 1982 through 1986, John served as a Deputy District Attorney for the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office. There he prosecuted misdemeanor crimes and advanced to juvenile prosecution, prosecution of general major felonies, drug prosecution, major grow marijuana cultivation and methamphetamine lab prosecution.

With the advent of new laws related to boating, he helped formulate the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Under the Influence Program on Shasta Lake, and ended his tenure by prosecuting White Collar Crime cases.

From 1986 to 1992, John maintained a private law practice dedicated solely to criminal defense and personal injury plaintiff cases. Between the dates of 1992 and 2000, John combined his talents with personal injury attorney, David Wilson to form the partnership of Kucera and Wilson which continued until July, 2000.

Between 1995 and 1999, John was the Chairman of the Shasta-Trinity County Bar Association’s Criminal Bar. As a Community College Instructor, he has taught criminal law and procedure as well as substance-abuse classes related to driving under the influence. He has lectured and trained members of the local bar, the National Park Service and Shasta County Sheriff’s Office in law enforcement of Driving and Boating Under The Influence.

Upon request of the court, he sits as a Shasta County Superior Court Judge “pro tempore” in traffic cases.

Professional associations include membership in: CACJ (California Attorneys For Criminal Justice), CPDA (California Public Defender’s Association), NACDL (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers), and he is the Northern California contact Attorney for the NRA (National Rifle Association of America) on weapons-related issues.