Chino Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have recently been arrested for committing a crime in the Chino area, then you are likely wondering what potential penalties you are facing. You also want to know what steps you can take to mount a strong defense or work toward getting the charges minimized or even dropped. A Chino criminal defense lawyer from My SoCal Lawyers can assist you with mounting a strong defense against your charges. We can challenge the prosecution to get your charges minimized and potentially dropped.
Our Chino law firm has experience working with cases ranging from misdemeanor vandalism to felony grand theft auto. We have had positive outcomes against a myriad of criminal charges, including DUI, sexual assault, probation violation, and drug and theft charges. Our attorneys can take the time to break down the charges and their potential implications. We can also help you explore a range of strong defense strategies that can optimize your outcomes.
Felony vs. Misdemeanor Charges
In Chino, CA, and the rest of the United States, crimes are typically classified into the two main categories of felonies and misdemeanors. Misdemeanor charges are associated with less serious crimes, while felony charges are assigned for offenses that are more severe or associated with a previous criminal history.
Misdemeanor charges in California can lead to less than one year in jail and other punishments, such as fines or alternative sentencing. If an individual is convicted of a felony, they may be facing years in prison, along with hefty fines and a criminal record. Whether you are confronted with misdemeanor or criminal charges, a criminal defense attorney from our law firm can leverage our time, experience, and resources to fight for an optimal case solution.
Common Criminal Charges in Chino, California
In Chino, misdemeanor charges, such as a first-time DUI, petty theft, minor possession, and vandalism, are more common than felony charges. Some common criminal cases that the legal team at My SoCal Lawyers has experience handling include:
- Driving Under the Influence: Such crimes entail driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Certain factors that can aggravate these charges include having a minor under the age of 15 in the car, the presence of a previous criminal record, and any parties involved in a resulting accident being injured or killed.
- Drug Crimes: Many Californians living in Chino are charged with drug offenses, including possession of a controlled substance or possessing a drug with the intent to sell or distribute. More serious felony drug charges include manufacturing or trafficking drugs.
- Theft: Theft charges can include misdemeanor crimes, such as shoplifting low-value amounts of merchandise and petty theft. They also involve felony crimes, such as robbery and burglary. Aggravating factors include brandishing a weapon or using force to permanently remove personal property from a person’s possession.
- Battery and Assault: Battery and assault crimes can be simple or aggravated. Assault involves intimidation or threats regarding the potential of physical contact or harm, while battery itself involves contact that leads to physical harm.
- Domestic Violence: Such charges can be related to various forms of alleged abuse within the domestic sphere, including verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. Such charges, if convicted, can lead to restraining orders and the loss of certain parental rights.
- Weapons Offenses: Weapons charges can be related to the unlawful possession of a certain kind of weapon or carrying a weapon without having the appropriate permit. More serious weapons charges include the illegal manufacturing or distribution of weapons.
- Homicide: Homicide charges tend to be more serious felony charges. These can include manslaughter, which is unintentional killing, and murder, which is intentional killing.
If you are facing criminal charges in Chino, California, then it’s important to get in touch with an experienced and knowledgeable criminal lawyer. They can represent your case and help you build up an effective defense strategy to fight against your charges. Alternatively, they can negotiate for more positive outcomes. Because criminal law can vary based on location, it’s important to work with a lawyer who is rooted in the Chino area.
Understanding How to Fight Back: Key CA Criminal Defense Strategies
To fight back against your criminal charges, it is crucial to mount a strong defense strategy that is based on your desired outcomes and the details associated with your case. Defense strategies can range from pleading guilty to questioning the evidence brought forth by the prosecution. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can assist you with a myriad of defense strategies, including:
- Challenging the Evidence: A criminal defense lawyer can analyze the evidence brought against you to determine whether there are weaknesses or inconsistencies in the information and data. Furthermore, they can call into question the legality of how the evidence was obtained, including whether it was collected during an illegal search.
- Questioning Witnesses: By interviewing and cross-examining witnesses, your lawyer may be able to identify any biases that they have or inconsistencies in their testimony. In some cases, certain evidence can be presented to impeach the credibility of a witness.
- Insisting on Mistaken Identity: In cases that rely heavily on eyewitness testimony, which has been proven to be historically inaccurate, it can be argued that you were misidentified as the perpetrator of the offense.
- Presenting a Strong Alibi: If the defendant has a strong alibi, or evidence proving that they were not present at the time and date of the alleged crime, then this can be presented to work toward getting the charges dropped.
- Employing Expert Witnesses: By calling expert witnesses to the stand, such as forensic experts, scientists, and physicians, a different interpretation of the evidence can be presented, which might reduce the credibility of the charges.
- Arguing Lack of Evidence: In cases where the evidence presented by the prosecution is not strong enough to prove that the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt, a criminal defense lawyer can use that as a defense strategy.
These examples only encompass a few of the strategies that can be used to fight back against your criminal defense charges in court. By working with an experienced Chino criminal defense lawyer, you can determine which strategies may be employed to optimize your case outcomes.
How Can I Find a Chino Criminal Defense Lawyer to Represent Me?
Looking for a criminal defense lawyer who can optimally represent your case can feel overwhelming, and you may be unsure about where to look. When searching for a Chino criminal defense lawyer to represent your interests, it’s important to be thorough and conduct your search through a variety of channels, including:
- Reaching Out to Friends and Family: Referrals from people you trust, such as friends and family who have had positive case outcomes in the Chino area, can be a solid way to find a lawyer to represent you.
- Searching Online: There are online directories that you can search through to find dedicated lawyers in the Chino area. You can also use search engines and explore law firm websites to learn about a lawyer’s previous cases and their areas of practice.
- Contacting a Bar Association: You can get in touch with the California State Bar Association or the Butte County Bar Association to get a comprehensive list of criminal defense attorneys who are practicing in the Chino area.
- Observing the Local Court: It is possible to go to criminal case hearings and see attorneys carrying out the activities required to defend a case. If you are impressed with the way they handle a case, then you can reach out to them for a consultation.
After you have compiled a list of attorneys who could be potential matches, it’s important to schedule an initial consultation with them. During these consultation sessions, ask questions about your case and the outcomes that they have had with similar cases in the past. Furthermore, ask the attorney what resources and time they will be able to invest in your case.
Ultimately, go with the lawyer who you feel the most comfortable around and confident in their abilities to adequately represent your case. As you will likely need to share certain details about your case and your criminal history, you will want to work with a non-judgmental lawyer who is there to represent you and make sure that your rights are being defended.
Strong Representation From a Chino Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you are facing criminal charges in Chino, then you may be feeling overwhelmed and even confused about why the charges were brought on in the first place. Therefore, you will want to be sure that you are working with a law firm and criminal defense lawyer who can use the most optimal criminal defense strategy to fight for a positive case outcome.
At My SoCal Lawyers, we weigh all the details of your case, including the prosecution’s evidence, your criminal history, the circumstances of your arrest, and the specific charges that you are facing, to craft a defense plan that you can feel wholly confident in. Get in touch with our law offices today to start working on your Chino defense strategy.