Criminal Defense and DUI Lawyers & Attorneys Newport Beach

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Newport Beach

Our Newport Beach Village Office is located at:

Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc.
Newport Beach Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers

2801 West Coast Hwy, Suite 270
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 891-0102

Newport Beach Criminal Defense Attorneys

Do You Stand Accused of Committing a Serious Crime in Newport Beach? Experienced Local Attorneys with an Outstanding Track Record Can Help You Get Perspective and Control Over Your Case. If you’ve been accused of a crime, any crime, whether you did it or not, you deserve quality legal representation. That’s one of your fundamental rights as an American.

Unfortunately, not everyone understands this. We live in a culture that is quick to jump on you when you’ve made a mistake, to assume you’re guilty before you’ve even had a trial, and to hold past sins against you forever. That’s especially true in a wealthy, insular community like Newport Beach.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, though: you still have rights.

You’re probably under a lot of stress right now. You’re not sure what may happen to you, you’re wondering what kinds of penalties you might be facing. You’re trying to hold everything together. Let us help. We’ve taken the time to outline some of the most common types of crime in Newport Beach. We explain how they are normally prosecuted and detail what fines and other punishments they typically bring.

Once you’ve learned a little more about what you’re up against, though, we also want to help in more direct ways. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we specialize in defending clients from a wide range of charges. Whether you’ve been accused of pickpocketing in Balboa Village or assault at Fashion Island, we’re on your side.

Helpful City Resources:

Newport Beach Police Department
STATION INFO
870 Santa Barbara Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 644-3681

West Newport Community Center
883 W. 15th St.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 644-3151

Ocean Recovery Drug Rehabilitation Center
1601 West Balboa Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(888) 348-1937

Superior Court of California – West Justice Center
8141 13th St.
Westminster, CA 92683-4593
(657) 622-6878

DUI (Driving Under Influence)
Like most cities and towns across America, Newport Beach has its fair share of DUIs each year—400, in fact, in 2020. If you’re one of that number, how are you likely to be treated?

If you’ve been arrested, you already know the police force in Newport Beach takes DUIs seriously. You may even have spent a little time in the Orange County jail. Ultimately, though, the police will hand your case over to the Harbor Justice Center branch of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The “legal limit,” for operating a motor vehicle in California is .08% blood alcohol content. However, you should know that if an officer believes you are under influence, they’re allowed to arrest you no matter what the breathalyzer might say. They can also take you in for refusing to cooperate. Further, you can be charged with a DUI for simply having drugs or alcohol in your vehicle, whether or not you’ve been using them.

A first-time DUI conviction is typically only a misdemeanor, but it can bring with it several penalties:

Fine of between $390 and $1000
Jail time of between 48 hours and six months (though the more likely outcome is three to five years’ probation)
Six months suspended or restricted license
Three months of DUI school

A DUI remains on your record for up to ten years, and subsequent convictions come with stiffer penalties. In addition, aggravating factors like an injury or a fatality can turn a DUI into a felony.

Burglary:

Burglary is defined under California law as entering any building, commercial or residential, with the intention of committing theft. Burglary can be charged in either the first or second degree.

Stealing from a residence is a more serious crime. It is always treated as the first-degree burglary and always charged as a felony. Second-degree burglary, in contrast, involves theft from a commercial property. To qualify as burglary, you must take at least $950 in merchandise. Otherwise, you’ve committed shoplifting rather than actual burglary. Second-degree burglary can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor.

Sentences vary based on the specific charge and the circumstances surrounding the crime.

A first-degree burglary conviction carries a sentence of between two and six years in state prison.
A second-degree felony conviction can garner a county jail sentence of between sixteen months and three years
A misdemeanor conviction is punishable by up to a year in county jail

Finally, it is important to note that burglary doesn’t necessitate that you actually take something. That is, if a prosecutor can prove you intended to take something, they may be able to convict you, even if you never actually took the item.

Assault:

Like burglary, how Newport Beach treats an assault depends on a number of factors. Simple assault means attempting to do violent injury to someone else. A conviction for simple assault can get you up to a $1000 fine and up to six months in county jail.

Assault differs from “battery,” which means actually committing violent injury on someone. In other words, taking a swing at someone on the Newport Beach pier qualifies as assault. Actually hitting them qualifies as battery. Note that you don’t actually have to injure the other person in order to have committed battery. Like assault, misdemeanor battery comes with a six-month stint in county jail. The fine, however, is $2000.

However, the battery can also be charged as a felony punishable by up to four years in state prison.

In addition, aggravating factors can exacerbate the offense. Threatening someone with a knife, for instance, is usually treated as assault with a deadly weapon. Try to hit a police officer can get you charged with assault on a public official.

Your Local Newport Beach Defense Attorney, David L. Chesley

Whatever you may be accused of—DUI, burglary, assault, or some other charge—David L. Chesley can help. David L. Chesley has built a reputation as a tough defense attorney. That means prosecutors are more eager to negotiate good plea deals. They don’t want to face him in court. David L. Chesley has years of experience representing clients just like you, in Newport Beach and throughout the state of California. Don’t trust your future to anyone else.

If you’ve been arrested in Newport Beach for DUI, burglary, assault, or any other type of crime, make sure you have s strong lawyer to represent your best interests. Contact the Law Offices of David L. Chesley today, at (949) 891-0102.

Recent Results

Our client faced multiple serious charges in Los Angeles County, including Penal Code § 211 (Robbery), § 245(a)(1) (Assault with a Deadly Weapon), and § 245(a)(4) (Assault with Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury). Unlike a co-defendant represented by another firm who pled to a felony conviction with a "strike," our legal team pursued a different strategy. Through the submission of a comprehensive mitigation package to the District Attorney, we successfully negotiated a complete dismissal of all charges.
Our client faced serious charges under Penal Code section 211 for alleged felony robbery involving force and fear in Riverside County (Murrieta Court) . The prosecution argued that probation was not appropriate due to our client’s prior felony convictions in San Bernardino County, including a previous robbery in April 2021 and grand theft in November 2019. Despite the severity of these allegations, our legal team successfully demonstrated insufficient evidence during the preliminary hearing. As a result, all charges were dismissed. This outcome allowed our client to move forward without the burden of a new conviction.
Multiple defendants each facing 7 years charged with smuggling prescription drugs into California from Mexico our client was the only defendant who received NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 5 years for possession of deadly weapon we negotiated a plea for NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 3 life terms for multiple felony counts of Child Molestation and Sodomy with child we proved the charges were fabricated by victims mother DISMISSAL of all charges at preliminary hearing!
Strike case: Client charged with possession of methamphetamine facing 25 years we filed a Romero Motion which was granted case REDUCED TO MISDEMEANOR!
Client's estranged girlfriend alleged Client broke into her room and choked her facing 14 years in State Prison we won at trial JURY ACQUITTAL.
Police allegedly discovered 3 bags of marijuana in client's glove box faced 6 years we filed a 1538.5 motion to suppress resulting in DISMISSAL of all charges!

What our clients say Client Testimonials

I am truly pleased with my experience with the Law Offices Of David S Chesley. They answered all my questions and provided me with great advice and legal services. My case resolved quickly. Thank you!
Rodrigo L.

I left court yesterday with my last case being wrapped up. Two court appearances and that’s it. He represented me in a couple of different cases and was impressive to say the least. Always a phone call or text message away. Confident and aggressive when he needed to be. Calming and thorough when meeting with me. Attorney Chesley did exactly what he said he would and I got the results I needed. He seemed to know all the right people at the Temple Street courthouse. You can always get in contact with him quickly and he is a great lawyer. I highly recommend his legal services.
Ricardo Esteves

My brother was given a very caring attorney that was assigned to his case and we had very helpful case managers throughout the process. I strongly recommend David Chesley to anyone who is in trouble. I called in to get help on my brothers case and right away I liked their service. My brothers charges were eventually dismissed after the attorney got him into a program, now he could go on without the trouble of having anything on his record
Erica Geller

I retained Mr. Chesley and his firm and from the beginning they were extremely professional both in communicating the status of my case to me, explaining the situation as a whole, and just downright taking care of business. It was money well spent for a job well done. Thanks again to David and Melissa others that worked on my case. I recommend this firm to anyone in need of legal representation. Don’t just accept things the courts force on you, call this firm and protect yourself.
Elizabeth F.

I contacted Mr. Chesley and his firm because some unfortunate events had left me in a jam. Detectives were demanding I testify or be prosecuted for a crime I didn’t commit. (I wasn’t involved or even at the scene of the alleged crime when it supposedly took place.) Mr. Chesley explained to me that he had been through similar situations with his clients before and understood exactly what was going on. His response to what took place was nothing short of amazing. No matter how small my concern, Mr. Chesley addressed it in a timely manner. He advocated for what is right and empathized with me in dealing with the Court system. After meeting with the supervising D.A. and providing alibi evidence he was able to get me out the situation. I’m very grateful to have found him.
Leon Hanley

I hired David Chesley for my criminal defense in 2012. he was recommended to us for is success results and his low fees. David is very smart and his professional legal advice was honest & much appreciated during these stressful time. David’s knowledge, advice, and communication about what we were to expect was reassuring and beneficial to me. He charged me a reasonable flat rate and didn’t charge me any surprise fees. In my case David Chesley was able to negotiate with the prosecution attorney for the best result I could hope for. He had success at getting my criminal charges dismissed with the judges approval. You will not be disappointed if you hire The Law Offices of David S. Chesley.
Britanny Givens

David is very professional, yet very casual. Although it is typically not easy to speak straight up with an attorney, he is very easy to talk to. He replied to my questions quickly and was available all hours. Not only did he get my case resolved with a dismissal, he went above and beyond and got me an expungement without me even requesting it. He never beats around the bush and tells you like it is. At the same time is willing to work overtime to get the results you request. I would use David’s services again in the future.
Andrew A.

very satisfied being a client with the Law Offices of David Chesley.. Negin represented both my husband and I and got both our cases dis issued… Negin was on top of our cases she really cares and did everything she said she would do!!! thanks a lot Negin
Rita K.

I don’t write many reviews, however this time I had to share my admiration and appreciation for this firm. Attorney Negin Akhavan is definitely a person you want representing you in any criminal legal battle. She is the clear definition of the frace “is not what you know, but who you know ” she is not only knowledgeable, she also has the relationships with the right people. I couldn’t be happier with the results she was able to provide.

Thank you Negin.
Gabriel V.

An old felony charge came up, so I hired David and his team in June, and he got me a release on my own cognition on a felony charge in July which has never happened to me, and got it dismissed in October. He was responsive when I called and always kept me updated. Got my case dismissed, was easy to work and handled everything for me. He did an excellent job. I highly recommend David Chesley for any criminal defense.
Jason Corona

They really helped me out in a timely manner. I had a drug charge from 16 years ago and they dealt with it quickly. I can’t recommend them enough. If you have a criminal charges check them out they are awesome.
Santiago L.