California Criminal Lawyer Group

Criminal law principles apply beyond sentencing and conviction and often affect you even after release. If you have a criminal record for committing a specific offense, you can consult an attorney to help you determine your eligibility for a record expungement. 

Essentially, the process involves removing any information on your past criminal convictions from your records. Through the expungement, members of the public will not access any of your records, meaning you will have a fresh start in life.

The benefits of having your conviction records sealed or removed from your profile are advantageous, as they open you up to more opportunities. For example, since a potential employer will not access your criminal record, you are less likely to face prejudice when applying for a job. Subsequently, securing your dream job will allow you and your loved ones to live comfortably.

Additionally, you also have access to better educational opportunities with an expunged record, as the acceptance rate into institutions will increase compared to when the record is available. Achieving your goals and obtaining different accolades can therefore be a reality for you, even after conviction. Society, in general, is also more accepting when records are expunged, primarily because some members will not even know of your criminal history.

While the possibilities in life after a criminal record expungement seem promising, the process of obtaining the orders is not always straightforward. The prosecutor who oversaw your initial conviction may be opposed to the expungement, prompting him/her to object in court. Thus, your best chance in securing the orders is by working with an experienced criminal lawyer. he/she will defend your cause and justify the reasons you provided during the expungement application.

Further, your lawyer will help you obtain the important evidence that shows your cooperation throughout the sentence, whether you were incarcerated or on probation. The judge relies on the presented details to verify the claims of good conduct. If the statements are true, you are more likely to receive the expungement clearance.

The course of a criminal case does not necessarily have to end in the trial courts, especially if you strongly believe that justice did not take cause. Several grounds for appeal exist, including the use of inadmissible evidence in the court for the first instance. Alternatively, you may contest the violation of your constitutional rights against a biased hearing, which caused your convictions. Misconducts during arrest and investigations are not uncommon, forming reasonable grounds as well. 

If you intend to present a case against the trial judge using inadmissible evidence, you need a team of competent attorneys to review the previous case file and highlight the problematic details. Since you will also be challenging a judge and jury’s decision, you need to ensure that your attorney understands the magnitude of his/her responsibility, and is willing to undertake it. 

Moreover, raising an issue in the previous judge’s reasoning requires a rich understanding of the specific criminal law area referenced in your case. Your attorney should conduct detailed research and come up with plausible suggestions for consideration in the appeal case. 

For past police misconduct that violated your rights, your appeal case requires more work, as you must provide proof of the said malpractices to show that you deserve a re-trial. From the demanding processes, having a diligent attorney on your team is valuable. He/she will employ all necessary strategies to ameliorate the chances of retrial, where your rights will be considered.

If fear or apprehension causes you to evade a police officer, leading to arrest, we recommend calling your criminal lawyer as soon as possible. The California Vehicle Code defines the offense of Evading a Police Officer under section 2800.1 while providing the essential elements for the prosecutor to prove before tour conviction. 

An experienced attorney will therefore work to contradict or challenge the prosecutor’s accusation by casting reasonable doubt on the presentations made. Under the Vehicle Code, the prosecutor must prove that the police officer chasing your car had met several requirements.

Firstly, the prosecution should show that the police chase car had the lights turned on, meaning that you could identify it. The minimum standard to meet is a single red light, mounted on the police car roof. Secondly, the prosecutor should show that you wilfully escaped or tried to flee from the police by moving away even when the officers ordered you to stop. The officers should also be identifiable during a police chase by wearing their designated uniforms.

Since any criminal case will impose the burden of proof on the prosecutor, he/she must prove all elements of the case or risk losing the case to the defense. Thus, your attorney can choose to contradict one or more of the elements presented against you by raising applicable defenses. 

The format of defenses presented by your lawyer should introduce additional facts or perspectives that question the prosecutor’s conclusion. The judge will also sentence you based on different factors in your case. If you caused subsequent accidents while evading the officer, you are eligible for a sentence enhancement. However, your attorney is always ready to challenge the evidence and lower your risk of facing harsh penalties.

DUI crimes make up a large percentage of everyday crimes committed throughout California. They range in the severity of penalties from a first-time DUI to a felony DUI. Typically, most people arrested for the offense may not have anticipated driving under the influence but may do so out of circumstances. 

For example, if you stop by a friend’s house after work for dinner, drinking may not be on your agenda. However, you may consider turning down offers as a guest to be rude, causing you to have one or two drinks. Other times, you may be on a deliberate quest for enjoyment when a sudden emergency prompts you to drive off as soon as possible. 

While these causes do not justify a DUI offense, you deserve a defense attorney to represent your position. Having your lawyer with you will improve the possibility of receiving fair penalties. Other times, the DUI accusations may be unforeseen, especially if you are taking prescription medications. Under California law, any drugs, including those sold over the counter may lead to a DUI arrest, provided they change the normal brain functioning. Since you may be unprepared for the subsequent legal repercussions, working with your attorney is ideal.

For repeat DUI crimes, the stakes are much higher, as you could face a jail sentence, license suspension/revocation, and the payment of harsh fines. Repeat offenders will also have a difficult time when trying to justify themselves during the DUI hearing, as the presiding officials may have already formed a negative perception against them. You can void the predisposition to discrimination by choosing a lawyer to represent you instead.

Lastly, your DUI issue may be held under different jurisdictions. California law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to preside over some cases, while others proceed to trial. Your defense lawyer will update you on the expected course, to help you prepare.

Accused persons who face charges related to theft crimes can also benefit from a defense lawyer’s assistance in the issue. This is because most of these crimes yield serious outcomes for the guilty parties, causing them to miss out on multiple opportunities later on. Sometimes, you may be innocent or coerced into committing the offenses before an arrest occurs. Since your apprehension may involve a mass arrest, you will have to wait for a formal court trial to raise defenses through your attorney’s help. 

The California Penal Code gives specific details on the various offenses classified as theft crimes, and each carries different penalties. The least severe offense is petty theft, which involves permanently depriving or intending to deprive someone of goods amounting to less than $950. The severity of offenses changes to those that warrant more punishment, including grand theft, involving stealing goods worth more than 950.

Adverse types of theft crimes include burglary, robbery, grand theft auto, and robbery with violence. Each of the mentioned offenses may attract a jail or prison sentence ranging from months to years behind bars, or an alternative of paying high court fines. Each case outcome depends on the aggravating or mitigating factors involved, leading to a sentence enhancement or reduction respectively. Thanks to a criminal lawyer’s help, you can access defense services that increase the chances of complete acquittal or reduced sentences.

The prevalence of sexual offenses is alarming, leading to strict measures and harsh consequences for defendants found guilty of the crimes. On top of this, an accused person is vulnerable to spite, prejudice, and discrimination even when the prosecutor has not proven his/her guilt. As a result, we purpose to protect you from unfair judgments based on bias and prejudice. 

We will help you raise defenses during the trial to prove your non-engagement in the specific offense you allegedly committed, or present mitigated statements to obtain a fair sentence. Regardless of facing charges like rape, possession of child pornography, refusing to register as a sex offender, or committing cybersex offenses, we are ready to provide legal assistance when you need it the most.

Living in a highly populated and urbanized state may expose you to different ways of life, including drug use. Other times, you may be a victim of forced labor that includes drug trafficking and manufacture. However, when law enforcement officers raid an identified location looking for drug users, you may face arrest and trial later on. In other cases, you may have consciously engaged in drug offenses leading to arrest and possible conviction.

In both situations, we believe that you have a right to a defense attorney who can raise arguments on your behalf. Moreover, your lawyer will inform you that the chances of success in your case will depend on the case facts and surrounding circumstances. For example, if you sold drugs near a school, you are likely to face an enhanced sentence because you potentially exposed children to the drugs. 

Nevertheless, your lawyer’s goal should be to fight for equal consideration of your defenses for possible acquittal. If that is not an option, he/she can choose to seek sentence reductions by the issuance of alternate penalties like probation instead of detention in prison.

The realm of corporate financial transmission and maintenance involves complicated systems that often cause misrepresentations. Nevertheless, some parties may deliberately use pretenses and other illegal acts to acquire money or benefits. These unlawful acts amount to fraud and will warrant an arrest. 

The crime may occur through common means like insurance fraud, or more discrete ones like identity theft to commit welfare fraud. Other types of fraud crimes cause defrauding in the worker’s compensation field and real estate. 

Since you risk facing extended periods behind bars and mandatory court fines for restitution and punitive measures, you want to rely on an experienced criminal lawyer to handle your case. With our help, you can look into the best defenses to use for your advantage, for the security of your liberty.