--- title: Denisse O. Gastélum url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum --- ![Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastelum-Denisse-web_ff33d93ede56582729c4d74d80400a76.jpg) # Denisse O. Gastélum Denisse O. Gastélum is the founder and lead trial attorney at Gastélum Law, APC, where her practice focuses primarily on civil rights/police misconduct, sexual abuse and wrongful death.   Ms. Gastélum is a Past President of the Mexican American Bar Association and the Latina Lawyers Bar Association. She is the current President of California La Raza Lawyers Association, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Southern California, the National Police Accountability Project, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Consumers Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and the Consumer Attorneys of California.  She received her B.A. at UCLA and her J.D. from Loyola Law School. ### Articles written by this author: [![Claims presentation requirements under the Government Claims Act](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gaastelum_istock-849320874_1bf775faeef467d11cc18c70202ca278.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-november/claims-presentation-requirements-under-the-government-claims-act "Claims presentation requirements under the Government Claims Act") ## [Claims presentation requirements under the Government Claims Act](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-november/claims-presentation-requirements-under-the-government-claims-act "Claims presentation requirements under the Government Claims Act") What you do during the first six months from the date of injury may well determine whether you have a case [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2018 November](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-november) [![So, you want to be a federal practitioner?](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastelum-istock-696437374_c7e4a8bb3a4a3f9964682fb98fca4566.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-march/so-you-want-to-be-a-federal-practitioner "So, you want to be a federal practitioner?") ## [So, you want to be a federal practitioner?](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-march/so-you-want-to-be-a-federal-practitioner "So, you want to be a federal practitioner?") Learning how to navigate the federal discovery process is the single most important part of handling a federal case [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2020 March](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-march) [![Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act – Litigation 101](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastellum_istock-1091764324_bcdb996559d0a30d75a4f5f1c95be358.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-april/elder-abuse-and-dependent-adult-civil-protection-act-litigation-101 "Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act – Litigation 101") ## [Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act – Litigation 101](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-april/elder-abuse-and-dependent-adult-civil-protection-act-litigation-101 "Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act – Litigation 101") Understanding the basics and avoiding the pitfalls in litigating claims of neglect and abuse for elderly and dependent adults [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2020 April](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-april) ## [Securing the universe of documents in civil-rights actions](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-february/securing-the-universe-of-documents-in-civil-rights-actions "Securing the universe of documents in civil-rights actions") You are only as good a civil-rights practitioner as the discovery you compel. Yes, compel. [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2021 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-february) [![Demystifying ESI for plaintiffs’ lawyers](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastelum_istock-923752568_e98683b9ee99883c111c403b5c75f8d0.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-february/demystifying-esi-for-plaintiffs-lawyers "Demystifying ESI for plaintiffs’ lawyers") ## [Demystifying ESI for plaintiffs’ lawyers](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-february/demystifying-esi-for-plaintiffs-lawyers "Demystifying ESI for plaintiffs’ lawyers") Electronically stored information (ESI) is a vital source of discovery and evidence when litigating against government agencies and corporations [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2022 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-february) [![You are not your worst mistake](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastelum_istock-586206166_99c500f70ebf3144da3bd64711fd0114.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-march/you-are-not-your-worst-mistake "You are not your worst mistake") ## [You are not your worst mistake](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-march/you-are-not-your-worst-mistake "You are not your worst mistake") Vindicating the rights of those who die in police custody [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2024 March](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-march) [![Discovery in federal court](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gastelum-istock-813584128_280c2a6190f1e0b76ccfa6fc0f0a46fd.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-april/discovery-in-federal-court "Discovery in federal court") ## [Discovery in federal court](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-april/discovery-in-federal-court "Discovery in federal court") Federal practice promotes a spirit of discovery at the inception of the case. Embrace it [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2024 April](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-april) ## [Humanizing the plaintiff in civil-rights trials](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-january/humanizing-the-plaintiff-in-civil-rights-trials "Humanizing the plaintiff in civil-rights trials") Whether it be a plaintiff with a criminal history, or issues with substance abuse, the jury’s perception is one that must be shaped from the inception of the case [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2025 January](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-january) ## [Securing discovery in jail-death cases](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-june/securing-discovery-in-jail-death-cases "Securing discovery in jail-death cases") Navigating discovery disputes of in-custody-death cases; case law you’ll need to rely on [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2025 June](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-june) [![Litigating jail-death cases under the Fourteenth Amendment](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gemini_Generated_Image_6noatf6noatf6noa_32d5b6f2c418e69994d48c21f4465445.png)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2026-june/litigating-jail-death-cases-under-the-fourteenth-amendment "Litigating jail-death cases under the Fourteenth Amendment") ## [Litigating jail-death cases under the Fourteenth Amendment](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2026-june/litigating-jail-death-cases-under-the-fourteenth-amendment "Litigating jail-death cases under the Fourteenth Amendment") The three fact patterns that account for the overwhelming share of jail deaths: suicides, inmate-on-inmate violence, and medical failures [Denisse O. Gastélum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/denisse-o-gastelum "Denisse O. Gastélum") [2026 June](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2026-june)