Criminal Defense
Drug crimes
California Health and Safety Code 11350 makes possession of a controlled substance a misdemeanor in California. The maximum sentence is 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $1000.00.
Examples of controlled substances:
Other California drug crimes include:
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Potential Defenses:
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Potential drug case outcomes:
- Drug Diversion: This offense may allow you to qualify for drug diversion under PC 1000 rather than criminal prosecution, if
- This is a first-time drug offense
- The charges do not also include crimes of violence or threatened violence
- There are no prior felony convictions within 5 years prior to the alleged present offense.
- There have not been prior failed probationary terms.
- There have not been prior failed diversion attempts within 5 years prior to the alleged present offense.
- Proposition 36: You may be eligible for drug counseling instead of jail.
- The law allows the Court to sentence a defendant to drug counseling and treatment, rather than a jail sentence.
- If you successfully complete drug counseling and treatment, the Court will then set aside and dismiss the case.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol "DUI"
I have personally handled over 1000 DUI cases so far in my criminal defense career. I tell you this because I am confident in my ability to handle these types of cases and get you the best result possible.
It is very important to have a lawyer you trust look into your case and research the technical aspects of the police report to check that:
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I have extensive experience in handling all forms of DUI cases, ranging from misdemeanor DUI, felony DUI (a 4th time is a felony, and causing injury results in a felony), vehicular manslaughter, and DUI murder under the Watson theory. It is important to speak with an attorney you trust and who has extensive experience with DUI laws. The quicker I can read the police report, visit the scene, study the arresting officers experience, training and background and examine the blood/breath results and potentially retest the results if warranted, the quicker I can get to the legal issues and resolve them successful and to the benefit of my client. |
Theft crimes
If you have been charged with a theft related crime, it is of utmost importance to get in touch with an attorney you trust to defend your case. These types of crimes can range from severe to petty and can result in a felony or misdemeanor. Even if the case seems to be “open-and-shut” I have secured results for my clients that other attorneys are unable to reach. I do this through an aggressive approach to preparing your case and defense. Acquiring all the necessary information, including video footage or lack of footage. If you decide to discus your case with me, I will make the promise that I will fully investigate the case details, gather all the evidence (before it is destroyed or deleted from servers) and prepare an aggressive defense. I am well respected by my peers and the Judges I practice in front of. This respect I have earned allows me to get results for my clients that other firms simply cannot achieve. A proper investigation may provide us with an excellent defense. Give me a call and let us discuss the details of the case. You can help me get a head start and get the investigative process started early. |
Types of theft related crimes:
You must choose an attorney you feel comfortable with and who you can trust. My experience related to criminal defense enables me to take an all-inclusive approach to each case I handle. I am able to anticipate the prosecutor’s strategies and navigate through them. Call me so we can address the financial, professional and personal ramifications a theft related crime investigation, arrest, charge and conviction can bring and how we can avoid these severe ramifications. |
Sex crimes
Sex related crimes result in some of the most significant and far reaching penalties in the criminal arena. You could be required to spend the rest of your life on the sex offender registration list. These types of crimes also have the potential to ruin your reputation.
These types of crimes are aggressively prosecuted and penalized in California. Regardless of the allegations, it is important that we talk about the case and immediately begin to formulate our investigative and defensive strategy. Often this requires us to immediately interview the alleged victims and potential witnesses related to the case to get a truer understanding of what the allegations are. You must be careful to never conduct this interview on your own, as this can be seen as an intimidation tactic by the D.A. and police. It is important that we immediately discuss the facts surrounding your case and quickly acquire any and all evidence available to defend you. We must also acquire all mitigation and character references in order to place you in the best possible light when we attempt to resolve your case. Tell me about your case as soon as you know it exists, and we can then formulate our plan accordingly. |
Examples of sex crimes:
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The penalties for these types of offenses can be harsh. They may require time in jail or prison. They may require lifetime sex offender registration. And you may suffer the loss of important civil rights, such as gun rights.
From my experience handling these types of cases, I know that police are quick to arrest people based on patently false accusations or a simple misunderstanding. This is why it is so important to speak to a reputable attorney as soon as you learn these charges may be filed. Sometimes, with enough information, we might get the D.A. to drop the case BEFORE charges are even filed. Saving your time and immense stress that these crimes often result in.
What I can do is immediately investigate the case and interview witness. I can also set you up with a polygraph test to show others you are not guilty. There are often many motions to file in Court with these types of crimes and a lot of arguments to be made. Sometimes we must resort to an advantageous plea negotiation with the D.A. Other times we must set the case for trial and fight the allegations which are false.
From my experience handling these types of cases, I know that police are quick to arrest people based on patently false accusations or a simple misunderstanding. This is why it is so important to speak to a reputable attorney as soon as you learn these charges may be filed. Sometimes, with enough information, we might get the D.A. to drop the case BEFORE charges are even filed. Saving your time and immense stress that these crimes often result in.
What I can do is immediately investigate the case and interview witness. I can also set you up with a polygraph test to show others you are not guilty. There are often many motions to file in Court with these types of crimes and a lot of arguments to be made. Sometimes we must resort to an advantageous plea negotiation with the D.A. Other times we must set the case for trial and fight the allegations which are false.
Violent crimes
Prosecutors and Judges take violent crimes extremely seriously. California has severe sentencing schemes and large mandatory sentences. These are the crimes you hope you are never charged with.
Often, people are charged with violent crimes when they are innocent. Many times, there is a valid defense based on California’s self defense laws. Other times criminal liability can be questioned based on accident or mistake, false accusations, or mental health/illness issues.
Often, people are charged with violent crimes when they are innocent. Many times, there is a valid defense based on California’s self defense laws. Other times criminal liability can be questioned based on accident or mistake, false accusations, or mental health/illness issues.
Examples of violent crimes:
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An important note about self-defense: Self-defense or the defense of others is an important defense to many types of violent crimes. Many times, people charged with violent crimes will tell me they were truly defending themselves against another aggressor. If the original aggressor gets hurt as a result of you defending yourself, the police may want to arrest and charge you with a crime even though you were being provoked and are a victim of an unlawful assault or battery. The law permits you to act in self-defense if you actually believe it is necessary to protect yourself, or another from an assault or battery. This is true even if your belief is incorrect. When this defense is raised, the burden is on the prosecutor to prove you were not acting in self-defense or the defense of another, which could be difficult. If you are charged with a violent crime, it is important to contact me quickly so we can discuss the case details and formulate our defense. I have extensive experience in defending these types of cases and want to talk to you about your case. It is important that we immediately discuss the facts surrounding your case and quickly acquire any and all evidence available to defend you. We must also acquire all mitigation and character references in order to place you in the best possible light when we attempt to resolve your case. |
Property crimes
These types of crimes can be charged as both felonies and misdemeanors depending on several factors. What type of property was damaged or stolen? What was the value of the property that was damaged or stolen?
It is important that we immediately discuss the facts surrounding your case and quickly acquire any and all evidence available to defend you. We must also acquire all mitigation and character references in order to place you in the best possible light when we attempt to resolve your case.
It is important that we immediately discuss the facts surrounding your case and quickly acquire any and all evidence available to defend you. We must also acquire all mitigation and character references in order to place you in the best possible light when we attempt to resolve your case.
Property crimes involve theft or destruction of the property of another. These types of convictions can carry severe consequences for those who are charged including jail or prison. They can also carry large fines and even larger restitution payment requirements. Sometimes we can get these types of crimes dismissed entirely with the cooperation of the victim via a “civil compromise.” In order to do a “civil compromise” we must contact the victim immediately and attempt to work the case between the parties, outside of Court. It is important to have a trusted and ethical attorney handle cases like these in order to work out the best resolution. Other times, my clients are simply not guilty of the alleged property crimes. The “crime” itself may have been committed unintentionally, negligently, or due to a metal illness. In order to prove you are innocent we must quickly work together to gather all the available evidence, including any video recording and witness statements in order to put together the best defense. My goal is to prove you are innocent. A secondary goal is to reduce the amount of damages the victim is claiming and the related payments to resolve this issue. |
Examples of property crimes:
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Domestic violence
Domestic Violence crimes occur when someone willingly causes physical harm against a spouse, cohabitant, or family member. The seriousness of the charges depends on what type of hard the victim sustained. The more damage inflicted, the more serious the case becomes.
Examples of domestic violence crimes:
Info regarding mutual combat: Mutual combat is a defense to domestic violence crimes. It occurs when a fight begins because of the mutual consent or agreement by both parties. This defense often becomes viable when, for example, two spouses are at their wits end after an argument and agree to simply fight it out. This agreement can be express of implied. You may not be guilty of a domestic violence crime if we can show the defense of mutual combat exists. |
Domestic violence crimes are some of the most defensible crimes out there. I have seen, on so many occasions the prosecutors case fall apart as the case is fully investigated and all available witnesses are appropriately interviewed. Many times, we can prove that the victim is simply lying. Other times we can show the victim was mistaken as to the facts conveyed to law enforcement. It is extremely important to discuss the case details with a trusted attorney as soon as you believe you may be charged. I hope you will choose me, so that I can immediately begin the process of defending you and your case. These types of cases require you to quickly retain a trusted attorney in order to immediately interview victims and witnesses. Bruises or marks on the one charged with a crime may quickly disappear and must be documented by a professional investigator. These crimes are emotionally charged and in the “Heat of the moment.” Often times, the parties will feel the other was the aggressor. At that point it is up to the police to arrest and charge the party they see as more criminally liable. Many times, this results in the male being arrested and charged. But the police often get this wrong. Most times, it is not clear which party was the aggressor and who was acting in self-defense. Give me a call or message so we can immediately discuss the facts surrounding your case and quickly acquire any and all evidence available to defend you against the various domestic battery crimes that are out there. |