Violent Crimes Lawyer Pasadena, CA. Violent crime allegations are dangerous, whether they are felonies or misdemeanors. They risk wrecking your reputation, hurting your career, and worst of all, a long time in jail or prison. But all hope is not lost. And when you call the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you're getting expert legal representation to protect 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 Pasadena, CA, violent crimes defense lawyers will research your case, tell you the truth about your situation, and find defense strategies that should be effective for your case. We view your case, and you as a person, as unique and deserving of individual attention. If you're ready to create your defense, call us at (800) 755-5174 or send us a note 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 Charges
Our team of Pasadena, CA, criminal defense lawyers know that every violent crime case is unique, and we give each of our clients' cases a tailored defense. It all starts with the following steps:
- Learn Your Story – Every case starts with our client. We want to hear from you what really happened and why.
- Research the Statutes and Your Case – We'll research the charges and Pasadena, CA, violent crime law specifics, to ensure that we're well prepared to build a strong defensive strategy.
- Put Together a Defense Strategy – We'll recommend a defensive strategy such as self-defense, lack of intent, or false allegations.
- Plea Bargain With the State – For many cases, the easiest way to a positive outcome is through a plea deal. When we negotiate plea deals with the state, we don't give up and fight to get something favorable.
- 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 Pasadena, CA, Violent Crime Categories We Defend
Assault, Threats, and Interpersonal Harm Defense Lawyers
If you hear the phrase 'violent crimes,' assault is probably one of the first to come to mind. 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 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 can already get you months in prison and a $1,000 fine, but you could also potentially face a severe variation on the charges. Aggravated assault is just that: assault with intent to cause serious bodily injury. Closely related is assault with a deadly weapon: Assault using a non-firearm weapon. These variations don't actually have statutes of their own, and instead are nicknames used to describe specific assault cases
You might be asking yourself now, "What's the difference between assault and battery?" Battery is a step past assault, and allegations include actual harm being caused, rather than just being attempted. You'll find that in many cases, if you're accused of battery in Pasadena, CA, you'll also be accused of assault. On the other hand, criminal threats charges don't even require an attempt at violence, just an attempt to 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 Pasadena, CA. This can include reckless driving, child endangerment, and similar charges. Because of the variation in individual statutes, it's paramount to work with a violent crimes lawyer who knows how to defend each of the charges.
Here are some other related violent crimes charges our attorneys defend in Pasadena, CA,:
- False Imprisonment: False imprisonment occcurs when an individual detaining another without just cause, 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 reasons such as forced labor or sex.
- Stalking: California defines stalking as repeatedly following or harassing another person, and making a related credible threat.
- Terrorist Threats: Terrorist threats aren't their own statute, but are an unofficial term for certain criminal threats charges – 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 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
While most people do still have the right to own a firearm in Pasadena, CA, it comes with many constraints. California firearm offenses can result from any number of statute violations, and you don't even have to fire the gun to get in trouble. You can be arrested simply for unlawful possession.
In many cases, unlawful possession charges are related to a felon in possession of a firearm, but you could also face them for having a concealed firearm without a permit or a felon possessing ammunition.
While all Pasadena, CA, firearm charges are major, a major differentiator is whether you allegedly used the weapon or not. Brandishing a weapon does not typically involve firing the gun, but instead using it to make a threat. Most of the time this is charged as a misdemeanor.
On the contrary, discharging a firearm will frequently get you harsher sentences. Particularly for cases such as a drive-by shooting or shooting at an inhabited dwelling, it's unlikely that you'd get off with a small fee or community service.
An experienced Pasadena, 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. But if family is involved, they get even scarier. Domestic violence isn't just battery on your spouse; it includes injuries of all kinds, threats of harm, and even just causing a situation where someone is afraid they'll be hurt. 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.
If the alleged victim was a child, that can also affect which charges are filed. Child abuse involves the direct, intentional cause of harm to a child, meanwhile child endangerment could be any action that endangers a child, regardless of whether you meant to or not. These charges are often filed together, raising their gravity.
Our household violent crimes defense lawyers can help with more than just alleged conflicts between spouses and children. We also defend against 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 Pasadena, CA, violent crime cases are rooted in some alleged act of violence. However, you could also be up against elevated 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 could be found guilty of conspiracy if you collaborate with another person to break the law, and either one of you does something that furthers the commission of the crime.
Another common sentence enhancement is when an alleged action is charged as a hate crime. While hate crimes can be standalone offenses, it's common for them to be used as enhancements to other crimes. The prosecutor in Pasadena, CA may charge another crime as a hate crime if they believe that the alleged offender's motivation was related to race, religion, sexuality, or another protected characteristic.
Lastly, our Pasadena, CA, violent crimes attorneys can help defend 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 to wait significantly longer before earning eligibility for parole. With two prior strikes, you are facing 25-years-to-life in prison, with further restraints on parole.
Procedural and Governance Charges Defense Lawyers
When you get into an altercation with the police in Pasadena, 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 carries similarly harsher sentences for a wide array of alleged misconduct. Obstructing a police officer is a similar 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 Pasadena, CA, local prosecutor. But for more serious cases, 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 prepared to be your defense attorney for federal crimes in addition to state charges.
Top 3 Violent Crimes Defense Lawyer Qualities
Violent crimes charges need high-quality defense lawyers. When you're deciding on an attorney to fight your case in Pasadena, CA, 'good enough' isn't good enough. You want a firm with the below 3 qualities:
- Prior Success: You want to be represented by an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the California court system. Our team is know for our successful violent crime defense results.
- Diverse 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 handle court cases all over California, including in Pasadena, CA. We are familiar with local prosecutors and judges, and will use them to your advantage.
When fighting your violent crimes case, you don't want to gamble on an attorney who's unprepared or doesn't meet these criteria. And with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., you'll get those qualities.
Staunch Protection Against Violent Crime Charges – Call Our Lawyers Right Away
Violent crimes charges are tough to fight on your own. The statutes are complex. The Pasadena, CA, district attorney is powerful. And the consequences are brutal. If you don't have an expert violent crimes lawyer to defend you, your innocence 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 faster. We battle the state. We start every case by listening to our client, and fight for your rights from when we first speak until the case is done.
Reach out to us now to start building your defense. Call us at (800) 755-5174 or fill out our online contact form to speak with an attorney about how to defend you.
We also offer the following legal services in Pasadena, CA:
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