Welcome to PDX DEFENSE

Welcome to my professional website. I am Weston Koyama, a Portland-based attorney committed to careful, zealous, and principled representation. My practice is grounded in due process: the idea that every person deserves to be heard, treated fairly, and protected from arbitrary power. That commitment informs all of my work, whether I am serving as appointed counsel in criminal or civil commitment matters, handling a retained criminal appeal, or assisting a landlord or tenant in a housing dispute.

At the trial level, my criminal defense work and my civil commitment trial work are limited to appointed cases. In those areas, I serve as a public defense attorney and do not accept retained trial-level criminal or civil commitment cases. In addition to that appointed work, I also accept certain retained (privately paid) matters, including criminal appeals and selected landlord-tenant matters. In landlord-tenant law, I am especially interested in helping tenants facing large, established property management companies and landlords of modest/moderate means who need practical and affordable help navigating the legal system.

I am a proud Japanese American, and my understanding of justice has been shaped in part by my family’s history. During World War II, Japanese Americans, including members of my own family, were deprived of liberty and dignity without true due process. That history remains deeply personal to me. It is one reason I believe so strongly that the law must be used not merely as a tool of power, but as a safeguard for human dignity. Whether the case involves a person accused of a crime, a tenant at risk of losing housing, a landlord trying to recover possession of property fairly, or a client seeking review of a wrongful result on appeal, I approach the matter with seriousness, empathy, and determination.

Legal representation is often expensive, and I do not pretend otherwise. Good legal work takes time, judgment, and care. At the same time, I believe that meaningful legal help should not be reserved only for the wealthy. When I take retained matters, I strive to offer services at reasonable rates, and I am willing to discuss fees candidly in light of the complexity of the case and the client’s financial circumstances. I cannot promise that every matter can be handled at low cost, but I am willing to work with clients in good faith to try to find a practical solution that advances their goals.

If you think I may be able to help, the fastest way to reach me is by text message at 971-217-7219. Text messages are prioritized and will usually receive the quickest response.

Thank you for visiting my website.

Weston Koyama