Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

20 years ago I entered a guilty plea to a crime I did not commit 273.5 CA penal code. I was addicted to drugs at the time as well as under the influence when I entered the plea and wasn't listening to the judges instructions. I was also in extreme duress due to family circumstances. I left state before sentencing and now 20 years later for pulled over and now have a court date for failure to appear and sentencing. Is there any hope in filling a MOTION to VACATE a GUILTY PLEA?


Asked on 9/13/13, 2:46 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

You long ago passed the time limits for filing such motion.

More to the point, you now need to appear in court and 'explain' and seek sympathy from the court about the failure to appear and your 'flight to avoid'.

If serious about hiring counsel to help in this, and if this is in SoCal courts, feel free to contact me. I�ll be happy to help fight and get the best outcome possible, using whatever defenses and sympathies there may be. If you have gone 20 years living a clean productive life without other charges anywhere, your attorney can beg for mercy in sentencing, presenting what would be called a pre-sentencing report with character references, etc

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Answered on 9/13/13, 4:51 pm


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