Irvine Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers

Our Irvine Office is located at:

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

Irvine Criminal Defense Attorney

Irvine – like many coastal cities in California – was originally inhabited by indigenous peoples before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the eighteenth century. Spain controlled the area until Mexico’s independence in 1821. The Mexican government then distributed land in the area to Mexican citizens as part of a land grant program, and this started a period of successful farming enterprises in the area. James Irvine acquired 110,000 acres of farmland to found the Irvine Company.

This successful farming operation was handed down through several generations of the Irvine family. By 1959, the company was so successful that it was able to grant the state’s request for a thousand acres of land to build a new campus of the University of California. In conjunction with the development of the university, architects for the school and the Irvine Company started developing a master planned community around the school. The original plan for a community of 50,000 residents quickly expanded. Residents of several expanding communities voted to incorporate into a larger city, and Irvine was formally incorporated in 1971. Today the city boasts a population of more than two hundred thousand residents.

If you have been accused a crime in the area, you should talk to an attorney as soon as you can. David S. Chesley is an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Irvine who is committed to resolving every case he handles as favorably as possible. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.

Here are some links to local resources that may be helpful to Whittier residents:

Irvine Police Department
1 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
Emergency: 911
Telephone: (949) 724-7000

Irvine City Hall
1 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
Telephone: (949) 724-6000

Crime in Irvine
Neighborhood Scout reports that Irvine is safer than 39 percent of American cities. This makes it significantly safer than other cities in Southern California (which tend to have crime rates that are higher than both the national and state averages). For comparison: the national rate of violent crime per thousand residents is 4. California’s rate is 4.41, but Irvine’s rate of violent crime is just a fraction of these, at only .73 violent crimes per thousand residents. The rate of property crime in Irvine is also lower than California’s rate or the national average.

Irvine Court Houses:

Harbor Justice Center
4601 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Criminal Department: (657) 622-8459

The Collateral Consequences of a Sex Crime Conviction
If you have been charged with a sex crime, you are facing a long list of serious consequences that can follow you for the rest of your life. This is why it is so important to hire an experienced sex crimes defense lawyer as soon as possible. Our defense attorneys work hard to protect your constitutional rights, prevent wrongful convictions, negotiate fair plea agreements, and mitigate the damage of a sex crimes conviction. Here are some of the most common consequences our clients face as the result of being convicted of a sex crime:

Sex Offender Registration
For some crimes, sex offender registration is mandatory. This means that the judge must order you to register as a sex offender as soon as you plead guilty to – or are convicted of – the offense. In other cases registration is discretionary. This means that the judge can decide whether to order you to register, and your attorney will be able to make arguments against registration at sentencing. Sex offender registration has a huge impact on a defendant’s life. It can limit employment and housing options, social interactions, and other legal rights. This is why our attorneys work hard to prevent S.O. registration when possible. For example: if you are initially charged with an offense that has mandatory S.O. registration, your attorney might work to negotiate a plea deal for an offense that has no registration requirement. If the prosecutor wants to maintain the option of S.O. registration, the attorneys might agree to a plea deal that has a discretionary registration requirement, and let each side make its case to the judge. This is just one of many ways that our lawyers address sex offender registration in plea deals.

Limited Employment Options
Having a conviction for a sex crime on your record can seriously limit the employment that is available to you. But here, too, your attorney can mitigate the effects of a conviction by brokering a fair plea deal on your behalf. For example: a conviction for sexual conduct with a minor will automatically prevent you from holding many jobs. But a prosecutor may agree to let you plead guilty to an adult sex offense if, for example, the alleged victim was 17 years and 11 months old. Speak with your attorney about the best way to maintain employment in your specific circumstances.

Subsequent Offenses
A conviction for a sex offense can even lead to subsequent criminal convictions. Failure to register as a sex offender is a separate crime, and it can exacerbate the collateral damage the original conviction has already had on your life. Your attorney can reduce the likelihood of certain subsequent charges. If, for example, your lawyer is able to negotiate a plea deal without S.O. registration, you cannot be charged for failing to register. Preventing future problems is a critical step to helping you get your life back after a sex crime conviction.

The Right Irvine Criminal Defense Attorneys For All Charges

Whether you are charged with a serious sex crime or a minor traffic infraction, you have important constitutional rights that must be protected. The experienced Irvine criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley know how to defend clients on all types of charges. For years, clients throughout California have trusted our skilled team to protect their legal rights during a critical time. Our team serves Irvine, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Orange, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Yorba Linda, Tustin, Cyprus, La Palma, San Juan Capistrano, Los Alamitos and throughout Orange County. Call our Orange County offices at (714) 442-2601 to schedule your free case review.