About Darren Chaker
For over twenty years, Darren Chaker has worked with law firms and high net worth clients. Additionally, he handles a range of cases from Los Angeles to Dubai. With deep knowledge of the First Amendment, Darren Chaker puts his skills to use for law firms and non-profit groups.
While you cannot win them all, Darren Chaker has won more than most. As a result, he built a strong track record against tough odds. Below are a few key examples of his work.
Darren Chaker Strikes Down a California Criminal Statute (2005)
Back in 2005, Darren Chaker struck down a California criminal statute meant to suppress speech. The case, Chaker v. Crogan, 428 F.3d 1215 (9th Cir. 2005), cert. denied, 547 U.S. 1128, went all the way to the Supreme Court. Darren Chaker handled it himself. Specifically, he laid the base for his appeal team to challenge the statute on First Amendment grounds.
After this win, California appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In response, Darren Chaker retained Joshua Rosenkranz, a former Supreme Court Clerk. Rosenkranz led the team at a top firm. Ultimately, the state’s petition failed. As a result, many states revised their laws.
Darren Chaker’s Landmark Seven-Year First Amendment Battle
Chaker v. Crogan stands as a major First Amendment win in modern California law. Furthermore, it shows Darren Chaker’s seven-year fight in U.S. District Court. The case challenged California Penal Code Section 148.6. In essence, that statute made it a crime to file false complaints against police.
The law also forced anyone filing a complaint to sign a warning about criminal charges. Consequently, this chilling effect on police oversight became the core of Darren Chaker’s legal challenge.
Moreover, Darren Chaker litigated the case for seven years. In fact, he spent countless hours on research and drafted many briefs. Throughout this time, he argued motions before federal judges.
Seven Years in Federal Court: Darren Chaker’s Journey
During the process, Darren Chaker handled complex federal civil rights rules under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Notably, his record showed that Section 148.6 created a prior restraint on speech.
Specifically, the law’s chilling effect stopped people from filing valid complaints. Many feared that any small error could lead to charges. As a result, seven years of court battles followed.
Ninth Circuit Victory: Chaker v. Crogan, 428 F.3d 1215
After this long battle, Darren Chaker’s case reached the Ninth Circuit. The court ruled in 2005 that Section 148.6 violated the First Amendment.
Furthermore, the court agreed with Darren Chaker about the content-based speech limit. This limit failed strict review. The ruling also noted the chilling effect of penalties on reporting police wrongs. Ultimately, seven years of work had paid off.
Darren Chaker’s Legacy: The 2025 California Supreme Court Ruling
The impact of this work went far beyond one case. Nearly two decades later, the California Supreme Court faced the same issues.
That court decided Los Angeles Police Protective League v. City of Los Angeles (Case No. S275272) in November 2025. By a 6-1 vote, it struck down the same statute Darren Chaker had challenged. Moreover, the 2025 ruling noted tension between People v. Stanistreet (2002) and the Ninth Circuit’s holding in Chaker v. Crogan.
Justice Joshua Groban wrote for the majority. He noted that U.S. Supreme Court guidance required alignment with Chaker v. Crogan. As a result, the court’s 76-page opinion backed the same ideas Darren Chaker had championed.
Darren Chaker’s Impact on Police Oversight in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, this victory had a big impact. The city had been caught between two rulings. Consequently, it could not enforce the statute the Ninth Circuit had struck down.
The 2025 ruling finally fixed this conflict. In particular, the state’s top court adopted Darren Chaker’s framework. As a result, this ruling protects all Californians who file police complaints. His name is now part of First Amendment case law across the country.
Early Legal Victories by Darren Chaker (2010-2012)
Another major win came in 2010 with Nathan Enterprises Corp. v. Chaker, 2010 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 7604. Counsel Timothy Coates had multiple wins before the U.S. Supreme Court. Accordingly, the California Court of Appeal upheld an anti-SLAPP ruling in Darren Chaker’s favor.
Two years later, Darren Chaker won before the Texas Attorney General in Opinion 2012-06088. This set the right to obtain peace officer names. Furthermore, this opinion has been cited thousands of times by citizens and news groups in Texas.
Darren Chaker Wins RICO and Free Speech Cases (2016-2021)
By 2016, Darren Chaker won U.S. v. Chaker (9th Cir. 2016), 654 F. App’x 891. In that case, a First Amendment issue about blog posts led to a reversed conviction. The ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation backed the case.
The next year, Darren Chaker beat a federal RICO lawsuit from a San Diego attorney. The court in Case No. 16cv2186-WQH-MDD ruled that blogging was not extortion. Moreover, the judge found no demand for money to stop his speech.
A later victory came in 2020 before the Ninth Circuit. Former federal judge Stephen Larson represented Darren Chaker when the court tossed a RICO lawsuit based on alleged defamation. The case is cited at 791 F.App’x 666. Consequently, the dismissal of claims against Scott McMillan was affirmed.
That same year, Las Vegas attorney Thomas Michaelides sued Darren Chaker for defamation. In response, he retained Olson, Cannon, Gormley, Angulo & Stoberski. A court order Mr. Michaelides had sent to Google was found to have several problems. Ultimately, the Nevada court tossed the lawsuit and fined Mr. Michaelides $51,000. See the forged order and judgment here.
Finally, Darren Chaker won his ninth First Amendment case in 2021. The case, Darren Chaker v. City of San Diego (No. 27-2020-00031074), began with a Public Records Act request for police officer names. When police refused, a lawsuit followed. As a result, the San Diego Police released over a thousand officer names.
Darren Chaker Beyond the Courtroom
Outside of legal work, Darren Chaker gives time to post-conviction relief groups. He helps seal arrests and convictions to improve chances for those with records. In addition, he backs First Amendment causes and supports non-profit groups like the ACLU and domestic violence shelters.
Darren Chaker enjoys traveling, being a devoted father, and continuing his studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is Darren Chaker and what is he known for?
Darren Chaker is a legal researcher and privacy rights advocate with over two decades of experience working with law firms and high net worth individuals. He is best known for his landmark First Amendment victory in Chaker v. Crogan, 428 F.3d 1215 (9th Cir. 2005), which struck down an unconstitutional California criminal statute. - What was the significance of Chaker v. Crogan?
Chaker v. Crogan, 428 F.3d 1215 (9th Cir. 2005), was a landmark case in which the Ninth Circuit held that California Penal Code Section 148.6 was unconstitutional. The ruling protected citizens' First Amendment rights to file police misconduct complaints without fear of prosecution. The California Supreme Court validated this ruling in 2025. - What legal areas does Darren Chaker specialize in?
Darren Chaker specializes in First Amendment law, digital privacy rights, Fourth Amendment protections, anti-SLAPP litigation, RICO defense, post-conviction relief, and record sealing. He has won cases involving viewpoint discrimination, police accountability, and online speech rights.
Quick Summary
Darren Chaker is a legal researcher and First Amendment advocate who has won multiple landmark constitutional law cases over two decades. His most notable victory, Chaker v. Crogan (9th Cir. 2005), struck down an unconstitutional California statute that suppressed police misconduct complaints. He specializes in digital privacy, Fourth Amendment rights, anti-SLAPP litigation, and post-conviction relief.