Criminal Defense and DUI Lawyers & Attorneys El Cajon, CA

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El Cajon

Our El Cajon Office is located at:

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

124 West Main Street
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 312-6035

El Cajon Criminal Defense Lawyers

El Cajon translates to “the box” in Spanish. This city was named after Rancho El Cajón due to the box-like configuration of the valley that surrounds it. El Cajon was founded on November 12, 1912, and is known for its role in grape, citrus, and tomato agriculture. With a 2010 population of 99,478, 30 percent of El Cajon’s population are immigrants from Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Turkey, and other countries. As such, El Cajon is often called a “mini-United Nations.” Many Major League Baseball players, as well as other famous athletes, call this city their hometown.

Helpful city resources:

El Cajon Police Department
100 Civic Center Way
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 579-3311

El Cajon City Hall
200 Civic Center Way,
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 441-1726

El Cajon Library
201 E Douglas Ave
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 588-3718

Attractions Around El Cajon, CA

Water Conservation Garden
12122 Cuyamaca College Dr. W.
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 660-0614

Heritage of the Americas Museum
12110 Cuyamaca College Dr. W.
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 670-5194

Air Group One CAF
1921 North Marshall Ave.
Hangar #13
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 259-5541

Sky Combat Ace
2015 N Marshall Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92020
(888) 494-5850

Parkway Plaza
415 Parkway Plaza
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 579-9932

Olaf Wieghorst Museum
131 Rea Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 590-3431

Crime in El Cajon

Most arrests made in El Cajon are for theft or various types of assault. Crime is the highest in central El Cajon, with these areas of particular concern:

E. Main St./E. Madison Ave.
N. Mollison Ave/E. Bradley Ave.
N. Mollison Ave/Broadway Ave.
S. Mollison Ave./E. Lexington
Bostonia

To find out more, the City of El Cajon also provides crime mapping services and crime alerts.

Local Criminal Courts:

Central Courthouse
1100 Union Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Get Directions

Hall of Justice
330 West Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
(858) 634-1919

East County
250 East Main Street
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 456-4100

North County
325 South Melrose Dr.
Vista, CA 92081
(760) 201-8600

South County
500 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 746-6200

The reputable El Cajon criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley are no strangers to these courthouses. We’ve successfully helped many clients fight the charges against them in these courtrooms. We combine our skill and knowledge of California law and our familiarity with the prosecutors and judges to help our clients achieve the best outcome possible.

Possible Defenses to Criminal Charges in California
Whether you are charged with a felony or misdemeanor, you need a strong defense. There are many available defenses, and your attorney will work with you to decide on the best strategy once they’ve examined your case from all angles. These are two of the most commonly used defenses available that might apply to nearly any criminal charge.

Lack of Evidence
It’s critical that your El Cajon criminal defense lawyer hold the state to its burden of proof. Prosecutors will frequently try to focus a trial on the defendant’s character. However, it’s never the defendant that has the burden of proving what happened. Rather, the prosecutor has to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. If they can’t do this, there should be an acquittal.

Even still, the lack of evidence defense demands more from a lawyer than passively betting on the jury not seeing sufficient evidence to merit a conviction. Instead, an El Cajon criminal defense lawyer must take active measures to defeat the prosecutor’s theory. They don’t need to provide an alternative theory or suspect. No matter what testimony the defendant provides, the evidence made available by the state has to be enough for conviction. Since prosecutors have this burden of proof in every case, this is a common defense that can be used on any case.

Constitutional Violations
The way that crimes are investigated varies based on what the specific allegations are and the circumstances. Some are initiated through a traffic stop, such as a DUI. Others, like drug crimes, typically involve searching a home, car, or alleged suspect. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution places stringent limitations on how law enforcement officers may perform searches and seizures.

Two legal standards apply to the measures that law enforcement officers take. They need to have a reasonable suspicion that you have committed a crime to stop your vehicle and investigate further. If they want to perform a search or arrest you without a warrant, they are held to an even higher standard known as probable cause. Suppose the officers can’t establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause. In that case, the court might rule that those searches, seizures, or stops are illegal and violated your constitutional rights.

This is critical in criminal defense cases since the prosecutor may not use any evidence collected illegally due to an unlawful search or seizure. If your El Cajon criminal defense attorney finds that the police performed an illegal search in your case, they can file a motion with a court to reject all of the evidence found in the unlawful search. Without this evidence, the chances of a criminal conviction decrease significantly.

Are You Facing Criminal Charges? Call an Experienced El Cajon Criminal Defense Attorney Today
To ensure our defense fits your needs, one of our esteemed El Cajon criminal lawyers will take time to understand your circumstances thoroughly. We will examine all areas of your case to build a robust defense that matches your testimony.

With so much at stake, you can’t afford to overlook the opportunity to hire an experienced El Cajon criminal defense attorney to build a strong defense on your behalf. If you or someone you love has been arrested for an alleged crime in the El Cajon area, the Law Offices of David S. Chesley can defend your legal rights and seek a positive resolution to the troubles you are facing. Call our El Cajon offices at (619) 312-6035 today to schedule your case review.

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.