Violent Crimes Lawyer Glendale, CA. Any criminal accusations are serious, but few are as serious as violent crimes. They risk harming your reputation, devastating your career, and worst of all, a lengthy prison sentence. But you can fight to protect yourself. And when you hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you are hiring a team that knows how to safeguard you from these devestating consequences. We will tenatiously defend you against violent crimes accusations from any of categories (and more):
- Assault, Threats, and Interpersonal Harm
- Firearm Mishandling
- Family and Animal Abuse
- Sentencing Enhancements
- Procedural and Governance Charges
Our expert Glendale, CA, violent crimes defense lawyers will investigate your case, give you upfront, straightforward answers, and develop defense strategies that should be effective for your situation. We view your case, and you as a person, as unique and deserving of individual attention. If you need to craft your defense, call us at (800) 755-5174 or reach out online today for a free, private consultation to discuss your case.
How the Law Offices of David S. Chesley's Lawyers Defend You Against Violent Crimes Allegations
Our team of Glendale, CA, criminal defense lawyers know that every violent crime case is unique, and we give each of our clients' cases a tailored defense. This is how we do it:
- Listen to Your Story – When we build a defense, it all starts with you. We want to hear from you what really happened and why.
- Research the Statutes and Your Case – We'll look into the charges and Glendale, CA, violent crime law specifics, to see if there are any special circumstances which apply to you.
- Put Together a Defense Strategy – Our lawyers will recommend a defensive strategy such as defense of others, consent, or procedural error.
- Negotiatiate With the State – We won't back down in negotiations; we'll fight to secure a plea deal that protects your interests.
- Fight At Trial – Should your case go to trial, we'll present our matchless defense in court and show the judge and/or jury your side of the story.
Major Glendale, CA, Violent Crime Allegations We Defend
Assault, Threats, and Interpersonal Harm Defense Lawyers
When you ask someone to name an example of a violent crime, there's a good chance they'll mention assault. While you might be picturing cuts and bruises, California law actually describes assault as an attempt to inflict "a violent injury on someone else." A lot of people are unaware that to be charged with assault, one only has to attempt to cause harm, even if you don't actually cause harm.
Simple assault charges are usually a misdemeanor, however there are several more serious variations of them. Aggravated assault types of charges stem from attempts to cause serious harm, rather than just harm in general. Closely related is assault with a deadly weapon: Committing assault while using a weapon other than a gun. These variations don't actually have statutes of their own, and instead are nicknames used to describe specific assault cases
Now that we've covered assault, let's discuss battery. Battery is a step past assault, and allegations include actual harm being caused, rather than only being attempted. After a fight, Glendale, CA prosecutors are often prone to issue both assault and battery charges to defendants. On the flip side, criminal threats charges can occur completely over the phone, text, or verbally in person. They don't have to involve literal violence at all. Regardless of whether you wanted to (or even could) follow through on the threats, you can be found guilty.
We also commonly defend reckless endangerment charges in Glendale, CA. This can include reckless driving, child endangerment, and other charges along those lines. Because of the variation in each of the laws, it's paramount to work with a violent crimes lawyer who knows how to defend each of the charges.
Our violent crime defense attorneys can also help you fight the following charges in Glendale, CA,:
- False Imprisonment: This occurs when one person confines another to a space against their will, and could be as simple as you allegedly blocking a doorway.
- Kidnapping: Whereas false imprisonment confines a person to one location, kidnapping involves moving that person to a new location.
- Human Trafficking: As opposed to the above allegations, human trafficking is done for specific, extra heinous purposes such as forced labor or sex.
- Stalking: To be guilty of stalking in California, you have to both follow a person without their consent, and make a believable threat.
- Terrorist Threats: Sometimes, criminal threats charges might be referred to as terrorist threats, if they are especially bad – you're also likely to see hate crime charges in these cases.
- Torture: Torture goes beyond battery and includes serious injuries, done to make the alleged victim suffer.
- Mayhem: Mayhem is like a more advanced version of battery, though in this case, a permanent disfigurement or disability must have been caused.
- Arson: Whether or not you burned something on purpose is the key difference between arson charges and reckless burning.
- Rioting: RIoting can either consist of starting a riot or participating in one, and is normally a misdemeanor unless it occurs in a jail and/or someone is seriously harmed.
Firearm Mishandling Defense Lawyers
The right to bear arms comes with many restrictions and responsibilities in Glendale, CA. California firearm offenses vary widely in nature and scope, and you can get in trouble for something as simple as unlawful possession.
Commonly, possession charges are related to a felon in possession of a firearm, but it could also be related to possessing a concealed firearm when you don't have a permit or a felon possessing ammunition.
While all Glendale, CA, firearm charges are perilous, one thing that can make a big difference is how you supposedly used the gun. Brandishing a weapon normally does not include use of the weapon beyond showing it with the intent to scare another person. This is often prosecuted as a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
On the contrary, discharging a firearm will almost always be a more serious charge. Particularly for allegations such as a drive-by shooting or shooting at an inhabited dwelling, the penalties are very harsh.
A high-quality Glendale, CA, violent crimes defense attorney can not only protect you from a prison sentence and hefty fine, but also from further restrictions on your Second Amendment rights.
Family and Animal Abuse Defense Lawyers
Violent crime charges are bad enough on their own. However, the stigma and penalties are even worse when spouses, children, or other family members are affected. Domestic violence isn't just battery on your spouse; it includes any actual harm caused, threats of abuse, and even just making someone think that they could be injured. Domestic violence charges are about more than just the alleged harm or danger, though — they're about who it supposedly was committed against. To qualify, the alleged victim must have held some kind of close relationship with the alleged offender, for example, romantic partners or parents who share a child.
Domestic violence charges aren't the only ones that are defined by the alleged victim. Child abuse charges are saved for when someone alleged hurt a child on purpose, meanwhile child endangerment includes either negligently or purposefully putting a child in danger. These charges can be filed together, increasing their seriousness.
Our experienced violent crimes defense lawyers aren't limited to just conflicts between family members who live together. We can also help you fight animal cruelty charges, elder abuse charges, and, in cases with youth defendants, juvenile crime charges.
Sentencing Enhancement Defense Lawyers
If you're facing violent crime charges in Glendale, CA, there's a good chance that they're one of the ones above. However, you might also face increased charges and/or sentencing enhancement for special circumstances.
One of the most common examples is gang enhancements. If a crime was committed in the furtherance of gang activities, the sentence you face can be increased by several years. Conspiracy charges are dangerous because you can face penalties without having personally done something actively wrong. You can be found guilty of conspiracy if you make a plan with another person to break the law, and either one of you takes action towards committing that crime.
You could also see increased penalties if you're being charged with a hate crime. Sometimes, a hate crime accusation is its own charge. However, they are often used as enhancements to other crimes. The prosecution in Glendale, CA may charge another crime as a hate crime if the alleged offender's motivation was related to race, religion, sexuality, or another protected characteristic.
Additionally, our Glendale, CA, violent crimes attorneys can help protect you against California's three strikes law. Under it, certain serious felonies are classified as "strikes" in your criminal history. With one prior strike, sentences for felony convictions are doubled, and you will have a harder time securing early release. If a conviction would be your third strike, the penalty could be 25-years-to-life in prison, with further limitations on parole.
Procedural and Governance Charges Defense Lawyers
Glendale, CA, violent crime charges can be particularly damaging if they were allegedly committed against law enforcement. Assault on a police officer can result in more prison time than if the assault was against a non-officer, while resisting arrest carries similarly harsher sentences for a wide array of alleged misconduct. Obstructing a police officer is a similar set of charges, though this can penalize you for any way you prevent an officer from doing their job, regardless of if they were trying to arrest you.
For the majority of violent crime charges, you'll be up against the local Glendale, CA prosecution. On some occasions, when the accusations are especially severe, a federal prosecutor will take charge. When you're up against the federal government, you need a powerful legal team on your side. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., is equipped to defend you against federal crimes in addition to state charges.
Top 3 Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer Qualities
Violent crimes charges require top-tier defense attorneys. When you're deciding on an attorney to fight your case in Glendale, CA, you want a firm with the below 3 qualities:
- A History of Success: You want a lawyer who knows how to fight your specific charge. Our team has a history of successful violent crime case results.
- Varied Legal Experience: The Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., has over 50 years of combined law experience, including time as prosecutors, judges, and police officers. We know the ways the state builds its case against you, and how to poke holes in it.
- Relationships in Your Area's Court: We're ready for your case in Glendale, CA. We have relationships with local prosecutors and judges, and will leverage our relationships in your negotiations.
To maximize your chances of beating violent crimes charges, you need lawyers with all of the above attributes. And with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you'll get someone with all those properties.
Staunch Protection Against Violent Crime Charges – Call Our Lawyers Now
You need help when you're fighting against violent crimes allegations. The legal system is complicated. The Glendale, CA, prosecutor is powerful. And the consequences are brutal. Without an expert violent crimes lawyer to defend you, your liberty and constitutional rights are in danger.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., we don't take a passive approach to your defense. We don't accept a poor plea deal, just because it was easier to get. We battle the state. We listen to your story, craft a resolute defense, and defend your rights from the day you call until the case is done.
Contact us now to begin putting together your defense. Call us at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case via our online contact form to speak with a lawyer about how to defend you.
We also offer the following legal services in Glendale, CA:
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