Criminal defense lawyers in North Hollywood, CA. Everyone in North Hollywood, CA, hopes that they'll never need a criminal defense attorney. Maybe you unintentionally broke the law. Maybe one of your friends broke the law, and you've just gotten wrapped up in it, or you made a mistake and need a second chance. Or maybe your best friend tried to drive home after one too many drinks, and you need to contact a North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense lawyer to help you defend your rights.
Whatever you need help facing, the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc. is prepared to go to bat for you. We have over 25 of the top criminal defense attorneys in California, and our results speak for themselves. Get in touch with a lawyer at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online for a free review of your case.
Reasons to Find a North Hollywood, CA, Criminal Defense Lawyer ASAP
If you don't hire an attorney right away in the legal process, the consequences can be dire. While you're waiting, the police and prosecutors are setting you up for a guilty verdict. California is known for being very harsh in sentencing, and failing to build your defense right away could make the difference whether or not you'll have any options available outside of prison.
What's more, the longer you take to work with , the more possible it is to unittingly give the state evidence they can use against you. By underestimating the charges or talking to the authorities without counsel present, there's a good chance that you will be unknowingly decreasing your chances of a positive outcome.
Speaking with a North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense lawyer ASAP can give you access to different, easier resolutions. By utilizing their knowledge of your case, evidence rules, and connections with the district attorney, your defense attorney may be able to reach a resolution with no prison time.
Whether it's midday on the weekend or the middle of the night during the week, you need a lawyer who is prepared for your call. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc., we're available around the clock for your call and will give you honest, straightforward advice from day one.
Arrested in North Hollywood, CA? Follow These 5 Steps
Being arrested in North Hollywood, CA, is a very stressful event. Your defense starts the moment you are arrested, and you want to handle it the right way. Take the below steps during the arrest proceedings, in order to strengthen your chances of a good outcome:
- Don't Fight Back: Acting out, attempting to flee, or attacking the law enforcement officers won't help your case. In fact, you could see more criminal charges that are even harder to beat.
- Don't Answer Questions: If you are interviewed by the investigators, just tell them that you are invoking your right to remain silent and your right to an attorney.
- Find an Attorney: California allows people to make three phone calls after an arrest – the first one of these should be to your attorney.
- Post Bail (If Applicable): Most people charged with a crime in North Hollywood, CA, are either released on their own recognizance or given a bail amount to post. Being released before a potential trial can be invaluable.
- Collect Evidence: To ensure you have it available to reference later, you should put together any information you have related to the charges and provide it to your criminal defense lawyer.
If you do all of the above and work with a leading North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense lawyer, you'll create a base for a mighty defense.
The Role of a North Hollywood, CA Criminal Defense Lawyer
When you work with us, you're getting a law firm that not only knows how to win in court, but also knows how to treat you like a person, not a case number. Because all our cases are focused on our client, we both build a defense based around your situation and make decisions based on the broader effects on your life.
Our lawyers help you by:
- Learning about your case from all angles – we examine the prosecution's case, conduct our own research, and listen to you in order to get the full story.
- Design a fierce defense often consisting of motions to suppress evidence, consulting subject matter experts, and pushing back against the state's subpoenas.
- Be at your side in court should the case reach trial. We protect you from a biased jury, deftly cross-examine the prosecution's witnesses, and create reasonable doubt.
- Negotiate with the prosecution for plea deals. When the prosecution knows that you have a strong defense, we can often reduce the charges and sentence you're facing.
- Advocate for lesser sentences during negotiations and after a trial. We want to keep you out of prison, and will fight for probation or a shorter sentence.
- Helping you move on with your life after a court case. We can aid you with the expungement, sealing, and destruction of arrest and criminal records. Don't allow labels to control you.
North Hollywood, CA, Criminal Defense Practice Areas for the Law Offices of David S. Chesley
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley knows how to fight against all sorts of criminal accusations in North Hollywood, CA, and are prepared to fight for your rights in any North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense case. Our criminal defense attorneys can help you defend against:
Traffic Charges
People don't always think of traffic charges as 'criminal,' but they technically are. Sometimes it's something simple, like driving without a license, but it can also include higher profile charges like DUIs or Hit and Runs. Some of the most common North Hollywood, CA, traffic charges we defend are:
- DUI/DWI Charges
- Felony DUI Charges
- Hit and Run Charges
- DMV Hearing Defense
- Driving Without a License Charges
- And more
Violent Offense Charges
Violent crime charges cover a wide range of alleged offenses, and all of them are serious. They can include anything from threats to firearm possession to actually harming another person. Following are some of the violent crime practice areas which the Law Offices of David S. Chesley defends clients:
Drug Charges
Drug charges in North Hollywood, CA, could be anything from possession, usage, or sale, depending on the situation. California's controlled substances list is long and covers anything from marijuana to opioids. If you're accused in North Hollywood of the below, or any related charges, contact our attorneys for immediate assistance:
- Marijuana
- Prescription Drug Abuse
- Opiods
- Possession of a Controlled Substance
- Manufacturing or Producing Controlled Substances
- Drug Possession for Sale
- And more
Theft Charges
North Hollywood, CA, theft charges vary greatly depending on the alleged act. Sentences are more severe for forceful or violent theft, such as robbery. With a local criminal defense lawyer on your side, you can get help fighting the following:
Sex Crime Charges
Sex crimes are often viewed as some of the most serious charges a person can face. They range from rape to prostitution to pornography charges. Here are some sex crime charges that we defend against:
Murder Charges
When you're facing murder charges in North Hollywood, CA, you need a top-tier defense plan. If convicted, you could go to jail for decades. This means that you need a powerful defense strategy to protect you. Our attorneys can help you fight all of the below charges:
- Attempted Murder
- First Degree Murder
- Second Degree Murder
- Voluntary Manslaughter
- Involuntary Manslaughter
- And more.
Get in touch with our attorneys for any criminal defense charges and we'll let you know how we can help.
How to Pick a North Hollywood, CA, Criminal Defense Lawyer
You will have no problem finding a criminal defense lawyer in North Hollywood, CA, but deciding on the right one can make all the difference in your case. Partnering with the right criminal defense attorney is essential to protect your freedom and empower your case. When you're looking at lawyers to hire, be sure to keep the following in mind:
- Experience – ideally as both defense and prosecution attorneys.
- Connections With Local Courts – to make negotiating plea deals or dropped charges easier.
- Insights About Your Charges – practice defending previous cases just like yours.
- Positive Reputation – seen in reviews and accolades.
- Responsiveness and Availability – a team that you can get ahold of when you need them most.
- Open and Honest Costs – affordable rates and payment plans can give you a defense without crippling your finances.
The Steps Our North Hollywood, CA Criminal Defense Lawyers Take to Protect Your Freedom:
As soon as you hire us, we get to work on a compelling, vehement defense strategy for your case. We don't sit passively by while the prosecution builds up evidence against you; we're proactive and by your side throughout the legal process, petrifying the state and persuading the jury.
When you call our North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense lawyers, we are dedicated to finding ways to protect your freedom. When we get started on your major criminal defense case, this is the general process we go through:
- Study Your Charges – We listen to you and do our own research to craft a strong defense.
- Fight For Early Dismissal – Either at a pre–filing investigation conference or a preliminary hearing, we try to end the case early, before it goes to trial.
- Argue To Get You Out of Jail Before the Trial – At a bail hearing, we show why you should be freed in the meantime before a trial, and minimize the bail you'll need to post to get your freedom back.
- Act as Your Intermediary With the Prosecution – If the prosecution cooperates, we'll secure a plea deal that protects your interests.
- Defend You at Trial – Since we've been preparing from day one, we'll dissect the state's argument at trial and present a convincing defense to the jury.
- Represent You for Sentencing and Appeals – After the trial, if needed, our team will argue for lenient sentencing and can appeal the verdict to reclaim your freedom.
The Advantages of Working With Our North Hollywood, CA, Criminal Defense Lawyers:
Our lawyers have experience. When you work with us, you're getting a law firm with a combined more than five decades of legal experience. We know from personal experience how the state crafts its case, and we use our knowledge to tear it apart.
Using our existing relationships with prosecutors and judges, we're experts at getting alternative options to a trial, most notably a dismissal or a favorable plea deal. If you do end up in a courtroom in front of a jury, your criminal defense lawyer won't hesitate to give you a powerful defense.
We're highly regarded by both clients and experts. Our firm defends all major criminal charges, and is comprised of the leading criminal defense lawyers in California. We have affordable rates, multiple payment options, and you can get in touch with us at all times if you need an update on your case or something happened and you need urgent help.
Frequently Asked Criminal Defense Questions in North Hollywood, CA
When charged with a crime, there's probably a lot going through your head. On your own, there's no guide on what to do next, and without a guide, there isn't a map to find your way through the situation. We've put together some of the common questions North Hollywood, CA, residents ask about criminal defense, and have answers for you below:
Should I still hire a North Hollywood, CA, criminal defense lawyer if I'm not guilty?
Yes – while the police investigators want to find the right person who committed a crime, errors can always happen, and when your freedom is at stake, you don't want to take chances.
Is there a way to remove convictions from my record in North Hollywood, CA?
There are options to seal your records for many misdemeanors and even several felonies. In California, this process is called sealing a record, but is sometimes referred to as expungement. A criminal defense lawyer can assist you with this process.
Are arrests also on my criminal record?
Arrests do go on your record, but these aren't always permanent – the California Department of Justice keeps a record of arrests, but these can be sealed and destroyed if the arrest did not result in a conviction.
If there is not a warrant out for my arrest, how can the police arrest me?
If a police officer has a reasonable suspicion that you've broken the law, they can place you under arrest without a warrant.
How does California's Three Strikes law work?
California's Three Strikes law is a system in which certain serious criminal convictions assign a "strike" to a person's records. If that person is convicted of another crime in the future, they can face an increased prison sentence.
What are the advantages of plea bargaining in North Hollywood, CA?
Plea bargaining is a common way to resolve cases in North Hollywood. In the process, a specific (usually lighter) penalty is offered to the accused person in exchange for a guilty plea. The state uses them to manage their high caseloads, while defendants can take them to avoid the risks of a trial.
Get in Touch With Our Firm – Your Future Is at Stake
Whatever North Hollywood, CA, charges you're facing, it's critical to have a powerful defense. You can't settle for anything less than a top criminal defense attorney. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc. is up to the job.
We will watch out for your rights and make sure you get justice in your case. Get in touch as soon as possible – if you take too long to get started on your defense, you'll be fighting an uphill battle against the prosecution. Call (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start crafting your case today.
We also provide the following legal services in North Hollywood, CA:
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