Welcome to the Law Office of Weston Koyama

About Weston Koyama

Welcome to my professional website. I am Weston Koyama, a dedicated public defense attorney based in Portland, Oregon. My practice is committed to the zealous representation of individuals accused by the state of crimes. This website serves as a resource for both my court-appointed clients and fellow public defenders seeking important legal resources.

My Commitment to Public Defense

As a public defender, I am appointed by the court to represent individuals at the trial level. These appointments are made semi-randomly, and if I have previously represented you, you may request the court to appoint me again. While there is a good chance the court will honor your request, please note that this depends on my current caseload.  I speak, read, and write Japanese fluently.  IF YOU NEED A JAPANESE LANGUAGE PUBLIC DEFENSE ATTORNEY YOU CAN SPECIFICALLY ASK THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT FOR WESTON KOYAMA.  

日本語を話せる人ですので、もし、日本語を話せる弁護士が必要だったら判事に教えてください。「コヤマ・ウェストン」という弁護士が国選弁護人でコヤマ・ウェストンという弁護士が欲しいと言ってください。

Background and Inspiration

I am a proud Japanese American, and my passion for public defense is deeply informed by my family heritage. During World War II, Japanese Americans, including my own family, were unjustly incarcerated without due process, solely based on their ancestry. This dark chapter in American history fuels my commitment to ensuring that all individuals accused of crimes receive their civil and human rights through due process.

Appeals and Consultations

In addition to trial-level representation, I also handle appeals of criminal convictions and administrative judgments. For these appellate cases, I can represent individuals on a retained basis, with fees negotiated based on the complexity of the case. I also offer consulting services for pro-se appeals at a reduced cost. This service provides advice and guidance without formal legal representation.

I manage appeals for misdemeanor convictions, civil commitment findings, and administrative appeals (called "requests for judicial review").  Administrative appeals are appeals following decisions made by an administrative law judge (ALJ), the Board of Parole, and the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB).  ALJs in Oregon oversee a wide variety of cases in most areas of the executive branch of government, including forced medication hearings and forced electroconvulsive therapy hearings at the Oregon State Hospital (these are euphemistically called "informed consent hearings"). 

It is important to remember that administrative appeals are particularly challenging to win due to the "substantial evidence" and "substantial reason" standards applied by the Oregon Court of Appeals; those standards are roughly analogous to the federal standard (perhaps slightly more favorable to the petitioner) in which administrative decisions will be upheld as long as the decision was not "arbitrary and capricious."  The legal standard used in administrative appeals stacks the deck in favor of the state.  Having said that, I have seen administrative decisions that do not hold up on appeal.

Reach Out

At the trial level, my services are exclusively for clients appointed by the court. For appellate matters, I am available for retained cases. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 971-217-7219. I am here to assist and support you in your legal journey.

Thank you for visiting my website.

Weston Koyama