Mission Viejo Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers

Our Mission Viejo Office is located at:

Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc.
Mission Viejo Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers

27281 Las Ramblas, Suite 200
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 207-7646

Mission Viejo Criminal Defense Attorneys

Have You Been Arrested for a Crime? An Experienced Mission Viejo Criminal Lawyer Will Fight For You.
Being charged with a crime in Mission Viejo, CA can seriously disrupt every aspect of your life. Whether you’ve been arrested for DUI on one of the many tree-lined streets, or charged with shoplifting at Plaza del Lago, the repercussions can impact your family, job, dreams, and even your freedom.

While our laws hold people “innocent until proven guilty,” the harsh reality is the criminal justice system often is not skewed in favor of the accused. If you are facing criminal charges in Mission Viejo, CA, it can be scary, confusing, and complicated to try and navigate the criminal justice system on your own. You need an experienced Mission Viejo criminal defense lawyer to make sure your rights and freedoms are protected.

With more than five decades of combined courtroom experience, the attorneys of The Law Offices of David S. Chesley have successfully defended hundreds of clients against charges ranging from DUI and drug possession to burglary and murder. Our team includes former prosecutors and judges who once worked on the other side of the law—and this gives us a distinct advantage over other firms. We know the prosecutors in Mission Viejo and how they work—and we know how to challenge their evidence and arguments effectively. We will work to help you defend yourself and protect your rights.

Helpful City Resources:

Orange County Sheriff’s Department – Mission Viejo Police Services
STATION INFO
200 Civic Center
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 470-3015

Laguna Hills Community Center
24035 El Toro Rd.
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 707-2600

Turning Point Treatment Center
24851 Via Santa Cruz
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
(949) 353-6361

Common Crimes in Mission Viejo, CA

Overall, crime rates in Mission Viejo are well below the national average, making the community a fairly safe place to live. Local authorities want to keep crime rates low—which means they are more likely to prosecute crimes to the fullest extent of the law. If you are arrested and charged with a crime in Mission Viejo, regardless of guilt or innocence, prosecutors will be highly motivated to procure a conviction against you. In many cases, only the help of an experienced defense attorney can help you avoid jail time. Below is a list of some of the more common criminal charges our Mission Viejo lawyers have successfully defended.

Theft: Theft is one of Mission Viejo’s most commonly reported crimes. Most incidents are nonviolent and include shoplifting, petty theft (under $950), and similar offenses. Burglaries occur at a rate about half the national average, and the rate of car thefts here is almost 80 percent lower than California’s state average.

Driving under the influence (DUI): It’s not uncommon in Mission Viejo for drivers to be arrested for DUI. Most are misdemeanor offenses unless someone is arrested for repeat offenses or unless someone is hurt or killed in a DUI-related accident. (Our Mission Viejo attorneys have a 95 percent success rate in helping DUI defendants avoid jail time.)

Drug Crimes: Illicit drugs are common in most U.S. communities, and Mission Viejo is no exception. Most drug-related charges are related to possession and abuse of controlled substances.

Simple assault: Mission Viejo sees its share of assault charges, most of which are tried as misdemeanors. Aggravated assault or assault with a deadly weapon are less common, but they do occur.

Fraud and forgery: Many criminal charges in Mission Viejo are of the nonviolent, “white collar” variety. In particular, fraud is more prevalent than most, with prosecutors filing several fraud charges per month on average.

Violent Crimes: Violent crimes don’t frequently occur in Mission Viejo, and prosecutors tend to come down hard on the perpetrators when they do. If you’re charged with crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault, or murder, you could be facing maximum penalties without the help of a criminal defense attorney who has experience with the local court system.

The Superior Court of California – County of Orange
Superior Court Service Center – Mission Viejo
27573 Puerta Real
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(657) 622-6878

How a Mission Viejo Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help
If you face criminal charges in Mission Viejo, your case will likely be tried at the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, CA. Let’s talk about the process of trying criminal cases and how an experienced defense lawyer can assist you at every step.

Arraignment:
At the arraignment hearing to enter your plea to the charges, your attorney will negotiate conditions for your pre-trial release, working either to have you released without bail or to have the lowest bail amount possible.

Pre-Trial Period:
Many people naturally assume a defense attorney does their best work during the trial itself. Actually, it’s during the pre-trial phase that your attorney can make the biggest impact on your case—by negotiating at multiple points for dismissal or reduction of the charges, working out plea bargains, etc. Having a good criminal defense attorney can often help you resolve your case without ever going to trial.

Your attorney will review your case and work with you to decide the best way to defend against the charges. At different points during the pre-trial period, the attorney may file a motion for dismissal or suppress evidence. They may also negotiate directly with prosecutors to have certain charges reduced or dismissed—or even convince the judge to dismiss your case for lack of evidence. If a conviction seems likely based on the evidence, a good attorney will negotiate a plea bargain, which allows you to plead guilty to a lesser charge and receive a lighter sentence. Prosecutors like plea bargains because it helps them avoid the cost of a trial.

The Trial Itself:
If your case does go to trial, your attorney will represent your interests fiercely from the jury selection process throughout the trial itself. The attorney will call witnesses for your defense, cross-examine the prosecution witnesses, and poke holes in the prosecution’s arguments to convince the jury to clear you of the charges.

Sentencing Phase:
If the trial ends in a conviction by the jury, your attorney may file a motion for a new trial if there is evidence of mistakes or missteps that affected the verdict. If the prosecution’s evidence was shaky for the first trial, they may opt not to re-try the case. In the meantime, your attorney will continue to advocate on your behalf through the sentencing phase to help obtain the most lenient sentence possible. If you agree to a plea bargain, the judge will typically hand down a sentence according to what your attorney negotiated with the prosecution.

Appeals:
You have the right to appeal your conviction to a higher court, and your attorney will advise you as to whether you have sufficient grounds to file a successful appeal. If the appeals court agrees with your attorney’s arguments, they may either overturn the eviction or remand the case back to the lower court to make needed corrections—which can often result in a reduced sentence.

Mission Viejo Criminal Defense Attorney:

A criminal conviction can have serious consequences for you, your family, and your future. Attorney David S. Chesley and his team have the skills, experience, and proven track record to help you get the best outcome for your case. Take steps now to protect your future and your freedom with the best Mission Viejo criminal defense lawyers on your side. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at (949) 207-7646. Someone is available to assist you 24/7.