Accused of a Crime?
Consult with a Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer
A conviction of a felony, misdemeanor, or third strike charge will result in your life never being the same again. It may be difficult to find a job, enroll in school, apply for a loan, vote, or keep your driver’s license. There is a real possibility you could go to jail. California has some of the harshest felony laws in the nation. The Los Angeles criminal lawyers of Gardner + Associates understand the seriousness of the charges you are facing and will work to do everything possible to help you.
Types of Felonies
A felony is the most severe of California’s criminal offenses. A conviction in California could mean a minimum sentence of formal probation with little or no jail time, up to life in prison, or any punishment in-between.
Felonies range from nonviolent crimes to violent crimes. Nonviolent crimes include white-collar crimes- bribery, forgery, perjury, embezzlement, identity theft, computer crimes, and petty theft, such as shoplifting with a prior conviction. Violent crimes include sexual assault, sexual abuse, murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping, arson, grand theft involving a firearm, and a DUI for the 4th time in 10 years.
Types of Misdemeanors
A misdemeanor is generally a less serious crime with possible jail time of less than one year, probation, community service, and/or a fine of up to $1,000.00. The consequences of a misdemeanor conviction still have a profound impact on your life. A misdemeanor criminal record will appear on background checks and could negatively affect future employment or financial transactions.
There are instances where a misdemeanor charge can rise to a felony charge instead. Even a seemingly simple drug possession arrest can put you at risk. A Los Angeles criminal attorney will discuss the seriousness of your crime, any injuries to a victim, and your prior criminal record to estimate the possibility of this risk. Some offenses that increase the risk of your misdemeanor changing to a felony charge include, but are not limited to: receipt of stolen property, domestic violence, drunk driving with 3 prior drunk driving convictions within 10 years, possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, and indecent exposure.
Three Strikes Law
A strike is any felony conviction involving anything violent, serious, or with a firearm. The California Three Strikes law sets extremely high punishments for persons who have two previous felony “strike” convictions. A third felony conviction - even if it is not a “strike” - results in a mandatory jail sentence of 25 years to life.
- There are no expiration dates on prior strike offenses.
- Multiple crimes committed at the same time count as separate strikes.
- Some offenses committed by juveniles count as strikes.
- Convictions that did not result in jail time count as strikes.
- Dismissal of a crime upon successful completion of probation still counts as a strike.
- Expunged convictions can count as a strike.
“Strike” offenses are extremely serious and defending against them can be very complicated. Jennifer Gardner and Mark McBride are aggressive yet compassionate Los Angeles criminal attorneys who pursue every option possible to secure the best outcome for you. With more than 30 years of experience, they have achieved dismissals, acquittals, probation, and reduced penalties for their clients.
Contact the Los Angeles criminal attorneys for a free consultation at Gardner + Associates today. Doing so can mean the difference between jail and freedom.