Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

The result of your case depends on many things. You have important choices to make right now that could affect the rest of your life. One very important choice is selecting a lawyer to defend your criminal charges. If you are seeking legal representation, please feel free to call me anytime.

Your are facing criminal charges for theft, that carry potentially up to a year in jail, depending upon the specific charges filed. What 'happens to you' will be determined by your attorney, the DA and the judge in either a plea bargain of some kind, or in the verdict of a jury if you take it to trial. If serious about hiring counsel to represent you, feel free to contact me. If you can't afford private counsel, apply for the Public Defender on your first court appearance.

On the 24th will be the arraignment. In many courts, a tape is played for the many defendants, like you, who were and are accused of a crime. The tape will explain your rights, including the right to ask the court to appoint an attorney at your request, from the public defender's office. During the arraignment, the judge reads the charges that you are being accused of. You can plead guilty, not guilty, nolo contendre (which is really the same as guilty, without an admission for civil liability), you can demurrer, or continue the arraignment.

If you plead guilty, you will be sentenced. Most likely the sentence will involve summary unsupervised probation, with a fine, fine enhancements, and possible community service.

If you plead not guilty, it will most likely be set for a trial setting hearing in the future. If you ask for a continuance to obtain an attorney, or have one appointed, the court will usually grant a short continuance.

Prior to the hearing, the City Attorney (who is the prosecutor) will hand you a police report and a package, containing a request for discovery from you. The City Attorney may offer you a plea bargain.

DO NOT CONFUSE THE CITY ATTORNEY WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER!!!