Criminal Defense and DUI Lawyers & Attorneys Oakland, CA

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Oakland

Our Oakland Office is located at:

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

1901 Harrison Street, Suite 1100
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 306-2889

Oakland Criminal Defense Landing Page

Oakland is the eighth-most populated California city and the 45th most populated city in the U.S., with an estimated population of 433,031 in 2019. It was incorporated as a city on March 25, 1854. Lake Merritt is the only natural saltwater lake within city boundaries in the world. The oldest U.S. wildlife refuge, which was designated in 1870, also calls Oakland home. The Port of Oakland sees 99 percent of containerized goods that come through Northern California. Oakland is the home of the University of California system headquarters and the University of California Office of the President.

Helpful city resources:

Oakland Police Department
455 7th St.
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 777-3333

Oakland Town Hall
455 7th St.
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 238-7001

Oakland Public Library
125 14th St.
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 238-3134

Attractions Around Oakland, CA

Oracle Arena
7000 Coliseum Way
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 569-2121

Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St.
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 318-8400

Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood Rd.
Oakland, CA 94619
(888) 327-2757

Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Rd.
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 632-9525

Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 336-7300

Children’s Fairyland
699 Bellevue Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 452-2259

Crime in Oakland

Historically, Oakland’s crime rates are nuanced. There are both positive and negative facets of the crime trends here. Violent crime is a serious problem in several of Oakland’s East and West neighborhoods. Other areas with frequent crime include:

Doolittle Dr./Earhart Rd.
Coliseum Way/45th Ave.
Majestic Ave./Outlook Ave.
International Blvd./77th Ave.
Bancroft Ave./107th Ave.

Local Criminal Courts:

Dublin – East County Hall of Justice
5151 Gleason Drive
Dublin, CA 94568
(925) 227-6700

Fremont Hall of Justice
39439 Paseo Padre Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 818-7500

Oakland – René C. Davidson Courthouse
1225 Fallon Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 891-6000

Oakland – Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse
661 Washington Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 627-4700

Going to court can be naturally frightening and overwhelming. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our Oakland criminal defense attorneys have extensive experience in the area’s criminal courts and all areas of California’s criminal laws. We are well-versed in each court’s proceedings, as well as the judges who work there and the prosecutors that might be assigned to your case.

How an Oakland Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

A knowledgeable can help you before and after you have been charged with a crime. They will evaluate the charges or potential charges against you to determine what defenses might be successful against them. If charges haven’t yet been filed, they might be able to stop them from being formally filed or have lesser charges filed.

Your Oakland criminal defense attorney will work towards a plea bargain with the prosecutor whenever appropriate and possible. A plea bargain can result in lesser penalties, reduced charges, and sometimes even the charges against you being dropped.

If your case goes to trial, your attorney will be right there with you representing you and fighting for your legal rights. If you are convicted, they can negotiate sentencing or alternative sentencing options. Alternative sentencing programs are founded on the principle that rehabilitation is a more successful solution for offenders than prison. Some standard options include therapy, alcohol or drug programs, house arrest, and community service.

California Criminal Charge Convictions: Collateral Consequences

If you have been charged with a crime, your first thought might be: will I go to jail or prison? Imprisonment is a scary potential. It means being away from family. If you are the primary source of income for your family, that could put them in a financial crisis. Even if no one depends on you, going to jail is not something anyone wants to think about.

However, there’s more to a criminal conviction than incarceration, fines, probation, community service, and other possible statutory consequences. If you are convicted, you will have a criminal record. That record often leads to serious collateral consequences that can affect your life decades after you have paid your debt to society. Common collateral consequences you might face for a criminal conviction include the following:

Trouble obtaining employment
Difficulty keeping a current job
Possibly losing a professional or business license
Immigration issues
Obstacles with child custody
Difficulty traveling
Problems getting accepted into an educational program or continuing education
Trouble getting a loan
Issues securing housing
Mandated sex offender registration
Loss of driving privileges
Loss of the right to vote
Loss of the right to own or use a firearm

Whether these consequences apply in your case depends on the extent and classification of the crime. Some of these collateral consequences are enforced under California or and some under federal law. You should be aware that these collateral consequences exist. If you are convicted of criminal charges, they will affect you in one way or another.

Having a seasoned Oakland criminal defense lawyer defending you against allegations of a crime is essential to avoiding these collateral consequences. More than jail time, fines, or other legal penalties imposed on you by law, these collateral consequences can have a permanent and adverse impact on the quality of your life and future.

Contact an Experienced Oakland Criminal Defense Lawyer Now

If you were arrested on criminal charges, be aware that not fighting the charges can bring more problems than you might have expected. Some people get nervous and think pleading guilty, or no contest is their ideal option so they can do their time and move past this phase. However, with a criminal conviction, the past never leaves you. You will always have a criminal record. Fighting the charges is often the best option to avoiding collateral consequences.

At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our Oakland criminal defense lawyers work tirelessly to obtain the best possible outcome, no matter your criminal charges. We handle many different misdemeanor and felony charges such as theft, assault, sex crimes, murder, and drug crimes. Contact us at (510) 306-2889 or (510) 519-9200 to schedule your case consultation.

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.