CRIMINAL LAW LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles Criminal Law

Being convicted of a criminal offense in Los Angeles can have a significant impact on the rest of your life, possibly affecting your future job opportunities and child custody rights or causing you to lose your driving privileges. If you or a loved one is under investigation for or has been charged with a crime, you need a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney on your side who has experience defending clients against criminal charges. At Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles, our skilled legal team will defend your legal rights and maintain your innocence every step of the way, from the moment you are arrested to the conclusion of your case. We offer experienced, compassionate and aggressive representation, defending clients against charges for both state and federal crimes ranging from DUI and driving on a suspended license, to rape, robbery and embezzlement in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. Call us today at (213) 205-3100 to discuss the best defense strategy for your criminal case.

Affordable Criminal Law Defense Attorney in Los Angeles

Facing criminal charges in Los Angeles is no small thing. The penalties associated with a criminal offense, even one as seemingly minor as shoplifting or resisting arrest, can be far-reaching and long-lasting, and a misdemeanor or felony conviction can follow you for the rest of your life. If you hire our criminal defense attorneys to represent you in your criminal case, we will use every resource at our disposal to challenge the prosecution’s case against you. We will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your arrest, examine the charges against you, interview potential witnesses, obtain any surveillance videos pertaining to the alleged crime, and call on experts when appropriate to cast doubt the prosecution’s so-called evidence. In some cases, we may be able to help you get your criminal charges reduced to a lesser offense or possibly even dismissed altogether. In short, we will put our comprehensive knowledge of the California criminal justice system to work for you, so you can avoid a criminal conviction and get back to living your life.

How the Criminal Justice System Works

Criminal Law

The term “criminal law” refers to a system of law concerned with the punishment of those who commit crimes, but the criminal justice system in California is flawed, and as a result of these flaws, there are people in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California who are arrested for, charged with and even convicted of crimes they did not commit. This is particularly distressing, considering the fact that a criminal conviction can lead to devastating penalties, possibly including significant fines, time in county jail or state prison, and a loss of certain constitutional and civil rights. In order to protect yourself against a wrongful criminal conviction, you must have a knowledgeable attorney on your side who can guide you through the process of building a solid defense. Our attorneys at Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles have extensive experience defending clients in all types of criminal cases.

No matter what criminal offense you are facing, having a skilled attorney on your side is vital to the strength of your defense. Contact our Los Angeles criminal defense law firm today to find out how best to defend yourself against your criminal charges.

Criminal Convictions in Los Angeles

The California Penal Code forms the basis for the application of criminal law in California, which means it identifies a range of illegal conduct made punishable by imprisonment, fines and other penalties, and the rules and regulations established by the Penal Code are strict. That being said, just because you have been charged with a crime in California does not mean you will be convicted. In most criminal cases in Los Angeles, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, which means, in order to get a conviction, the prosecutor assigned to your case will be required to establish beyond a reasonable doubt each “element” of the crime as established by the California Penal Code. Each crime in California has its own set of elements – or components that the prosecution must prove in order to establish the defendant’s guilt – and if the prosecution fails to prove any element of the crime, the jury must acquit. For example, a rape charge in Los Angeles requires that:

• The defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with the alleged victim;
• The defendant and victim were not married at the time of the encounter;
• The intercourse was against the will of the alleged victim; and
• The intercourse was carried out using force, fear, fraud, duress or menace.

If the prosecution can establish that the defendant and the alleged victim engaged in sexual intercourse, but can’t prove that the act was carried out against the alleged victim’s will, the defendant cannot be found guilty of rape under California Penal Code § 261 PC.

It is an intimate knowledge of the California criminal justice system and the rights a defendant has under California law that an experienced defense attorney brings to the table in a criminal case. If you have been arrested for or charged with a criminal offense in California, hiring a knowledgeable Los Angeles criminal defense attorney is one of the most important decisions you will make in defending yourself against these charges. Regardless of the nature of the crime, a good defense lawyer with a proven track record in Los Angeles criminal cases will aggressively defend your legal rights and can significantly improve your chances of reaching a favorable conclusion to your case.

Penalties for Criminal Convictions

Being charged with a crime in California is never a good thing, and whether the charges you face are for a misdemeanor or felony offense, the consequences associated with a criminal conviction can adversely affect the rest of your life. Any criminal defense attorney can help you understand the charges against you, outline the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and explain the risks of conviction and punishment, but our lawyers at Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles believe in going to the extra mile to give you a range of options for resolving the criminal charges you face. Utilizing creative sentencing alternatives to serving time in jail, like community service, counseling, diversion programs or deferred entry of judgment, we may be able to help you avoid a criminal conviction and the jail time that may come with it.

Having a conviction for a felony or misdemeanor offense on your criminal record can have an adverse impact on nearly every aspect of your life, possibly preventing you from getting a good job, living where you want, owning or possessing a firearm, being accepted into the school of your choice, or being able to see your children as often as you would like, which is why keeping your criminal record clean is the top priority of our defense attorneys.

Defenses to Criminal Charges

When you are facing criminal charges in Los Angeles, it can feel like the deck is stacked against you. After all ,the prosecutor arguing your case has the strength of the state behind him or her and what seems like unlimited resources to prove that you are guilty of the charges you are facing. But being charged with a criminal offense is not the end of the world. Any time you are accused of a crime, it is your right to hire a criminal defense attorney to defend yourself against the charges. For example, in that same California rape case discussed above, a good criminal defense attorney would know which defense strategies tend to be most effective in defending against rape charges in Los Angeles, and could present the following defenses to explain, excuse or justify your alleged criminal behavior:

• You were falsely accused of the crime
• You are the victim of mistaken identity
• The alleged victim consented to the intercourse and then later changed his or her mind
• You had good reason to believe the alleged victim had consented to the intercourse
• There is no evidence to corroborate the rape accusation

Hiring an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in Los Angeles

Facing criminal charges in Los Angeles can be traumatizing for you and your loved ones, and nothing exacerbates the stress of being arrested for a criminal offense than not having a reliable attorney to defend you. If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in Los Angeles, remember that the government has unlimited resources to come after you and make sure you face the consequences of your alleged criminal behavior. At Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles, our defense attorneys are committed to aggressively representing our clients and helping them achieve the best possible outcome in their criminal cases. Choosing the right criminal defense attorney can be a difficult process, which is why we offer potential clients a free initial consultation. Call Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles today at (213) 205-3100 to find out how our defense team can help you avoid a California criminal conviction.