Violent Crimes Lawyer La Jolla, CA. Fighting violent crimes charges is critical to your future. They risk destroying your reputation, hurting your career, and worst of all, a lengthy prison sentence. But accusations are not the same as convictions. And with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you are hiring a team that knows how to safeguard you from these legal and personal consequences. We defend all of the following violent crime categories (and more):
- Assault, Threats, and Interpersonal Harm
- Firearm Mishandling
- Family and Animal Abuse
- Sentencing Enhancements
- Procedural and Governance Charges
Our experienced La Jolla, CA, violent crimes defense lawyers will investigate your case, give you upfront, straightforward answers, and find defense tactics that will be effective for your situation. You deserve a defense tailored to you, and we can provide that. If you're ready to build your defense, call us at (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online today for a no-obligation, private consultation.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley's Process to Defend You Against Violent Crimes Charges
Our team of La Jolla, CA, criminal defense lawyers know how different each violent crimes accusation can be, 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. You can be honest with us about everything, and we'll start with your perspective.
- Research the Statutes and Your Case – We'll look into the charges and La Jolla, CA, violent crime law specificsIf there are any quirks that are applicable to your case, we'll find them.
- Build a Defense Strategy – We'll recommend a defensive strategy such as defense of others, consent, or procedural error.
- Plea Bargain With the State – When speaking with the prosecutors, we will stand strong and demand the justice you deserve.
- 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 La Jolla, CA, Violent Crime Accusations 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. What's interesting about it is that no harm has to actually be done. To be guilty of assault, one has to attempt "a violent injury on someone else." Many people don't realize that to be charged with assault, one only has to attempt to cause harm, not necessarily actually cause harm.
While simple assault charges are harsh in and of themselves, the line can be fuzzy between simple assault and some of it's more serious versions. Aggravated assault types of charges stem from attempts to cause serious harm, rather than just harm in general. Another similar one is assault with a deadly weapon: Committing assault while using a non-firearm weapon. These variations aren't official charges, but rather subcategories for more serious assault charges
You might be asking yourself now, "What's the difference between assault and battery?" Battery occurs when harm is actually done, instead of only being attempted. After a fight, La Jolla, CA prosecutors are often prone to issue both assault and battery charges to defendants. On the other hand, criminal threats charges can result even from a nonviolent altercation. All you have to do is intimidate someone. You can be found guilty even if you didn't have the ability to carry out the threats.
We also commonly defend reckless endangerment charges in La Jolla, CA. This can include reckless driving, child endangerment, and other charges along those lines. Due to the variation in individual statutes, it's critical to have a violent crimes lawyer who knows not only how to defend against individual charges, but also the combinations of them.
Our lawyers also defend the following violent crimes charges in La Jolla, CA,:
- False Imprisonment: This occurs when one person wrongfully restrains or confines another, for example, locking another person in a room.
- Kidnapping: Kidnapping is different from false imprisonment because it involves forcibly moving a person from one location to another.
- Human Trafficking: As opposed to the above allegations, human trafficking is done for particular, extra grim purposes such as forced labor or sex.
- Stalking: California stalking law requires more than just following another person who doesn't like it – it also requires that the accused make a credible threat.
- Terrorist Threats: Sometimes, criminal threats charges might be referred to as terrorist threats, if they are especially bad – watch out for linked hate crime accusations in these cases.
- Torture: Torture is used for particularly grisly allegations of harm, wherein the action was performed for a sadistic purpose.
- 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 involves multiple people acting together to cause and/or threaten violence while disturbing the peace.
Firearm Mishandling Defense Lawyers
Due to state law, you're not able to just do whatever you please with a gun in La Jolla, CA. California firearm offenses vary widely in nature and scope, and you don't even have to fire the gun to get in trouble. You can be arrested simply for unlawful possession.
Most commonly, these 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 La Jolla, CA, firearm charges are significant, a major differentiator is whether you allegedly used the weapon or not. Brandishing a weapon is when one person shows another a gun (or other weapon) to intimidate them, not necessarily firing it. This is often prosecuted as a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
Meanwhile, discharging a firearm will almost always be a more serious charge. Particularly for cases such as a drive-by shooting or shooting at an inhabited dwelling, the penalties are very harsh.
A high-quality La Jolla, CA, violent crimes defense attorney will fight no just to keep you out of prison, but also to prevent further restrictions on your Second Amendment rights.
Family and Animal Abuse Defense Lawyers
Violent crime charges are bad enough on their own. Domestic accusations, though, are especially hard to fight. Domestic violence has a wider definition than battery on your spouse; it includes intentional or unintentional harm, threats of abuse, and even just causing a situation where someone is afraid they'll be hurt. And for it to qualify as 'domestic,' the alleged victim can be anyone from your spouse to your child to your roommate.
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, intensifying 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, if an adolescent or child is the alleged offender, juvenile crime charges.
Sentencing Enhancement Defense Lawyers
The majority of La Jolla, CA, violent crime cases are rooted in some alleged act of violence. That said, you might also need to fight elevated charges and/or sentencing enhancement should your case fall into certain categories.
One of the most common examples is gang enhancements. When an alleged offender has a past history of supposed gang activity, and this new charge was in some way related to a gang, prison sentences can drastically increase, though exactly how much depends on the alleged crime. Conspiracy charges are another group-related charge. You can be found guilty of conspiracy if you collaborate with another person to commit a crime, 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. Hate crime charges can be their own case, but, it's common for them to be used as enhancements to other charges. The district attorney in La Jolla, CA may charge another crime as a hate crime if the alleged offender committed the crime as an attack against a specific protected group.
Furthermore, our La Jolla, CA, violent crimes attorneys can help guard you against California's three strikes law. This law allows the government to keep track of your criminal history and assign "strikes" to certain felony convictions. With one prior strike, if you are convicted of a new felony, the sentence will be doubled, and you won't be eligible for parole until you've served 80% of the sentence. When convicted and given a third strike, the sentence could be increased to 25-years-to-life in prison, with additional restraints on early release.
Procedural and Governance Charges Defense Lawyers
When you get into an altercation with the police in La Jolla, CA, you can expect to face extra harsh violent crime charges. Assault on a police officer can result in more prison time than if the assault was against a non-officer, while resisting arrest covers actions ranging from stealing a police officers gun to just acting disobediently. Obstructing a police officer is a closely related category of charges, though these ones aren't contingent on you being arrested, and apply more broadly to anything you do to prevent a police officer from doing they job.
These charges, as well as all the charges listed above, are most often handled by the La Jolla, CA, local prosecutor. But for more serious cases, a federal prosecutor may take over. Federal court can be a whole different arena, and you need a law firm with the strength to fight for your rights against the United States government. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., is proud to defend you against federal crimes as well as state charges.
Top 3 Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer Qualities
Violent crimes charges require top-tier defense attorneys. When you're picking a lawyer to defend you in La Jolla, CA, you want a firm with the below 3 qualities:
- Prior Success: You don't want someone who's new to the California legal system, or new to your type of charge. Our team is know for our successful violent crime defense results.
- Expansive Legal Experience: Our team has over 50 years of combined legal experience, including time as prosecutors, judges, and police officers. We know how the state prosecutes these cases, and how to fight against them.
- Relationships in Your Area's Court: We're ready for your case in La Jolla, CA. We know local prosecutors and judges, and will lean on them to secure a favorable outcome.
With a legal team with these qualifications defending you from violent crimes allegations, you'll get the best chance of a positive outcome. And with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you'll get someone with all those characteristics.
Staunch Protection Against Violent Crime Charges – Call Our Lawyers Right Away
You need help when you're fighting against violent crimes allegations. The legal system is convoluted. The La Jolla, CA, prosecutor is intimidating. And the punishments are oppressive. If you're lacking an expert violent crimes lawyer to defend you, your liberty and constitutional rights are at risk.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., we don't take a passive approach to your defense. We don't settle for a bad plea deal, just because it was the first one offered. We fight. We listen to your story, craft a resolute defense, and defend your freedom from the day you call until the case is concluded.
Contact us now to start putting together your defense. Connect with us at (800) 755-5174 or let us know how we can help you on our online contact form to speak with a member of our team about how to protect your rights.
We also offer the following legal services in La Jolla, CA:
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