San Diego Criminal Defense Attorneys

Providing Dedicated Legal Representation to Clients Facing Criminal Charges

If you were arrested for a criminal offense in San Diego, CA, you should reach out to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. Dealing with serious criminal charges can be stressful, especially if there’s a chance you’ll go to prison if convicted. Instead of facing the charges alone, you should hire a skilled criminal lawyer ready to do everything possible to protect your rights after you’ve been arrested.

When you contact the Law Office of George Gedulin, you can arrange to speak with caring San Diego attorneys who are faithful advocates for the accused. Rest assured that our leading criminal attorneys are devoted to protecting your future and will work tirelessly to defend you in hopes of reaching the most favorable outcome possible. If your freedom is on the line due to criminal charges, our San Diego criminal defense lawyers are eager to help, so call our Southern California law firm for a free consultation.

What Kinds of Criminal Cases Can Our San Diego Defense Attorneys Handle?

The lawyers at our San Diego criminal defense law firm have more than 30 years of combined experience defending clients from serious allegations. With many of the criminal cases we’ve handled, our clients faced life-altering consequences if convicted, which is why we’ve always worked hard to avoid convictions and minimize penalties. So no matter how severe your criminal charges are, our San Diego criminal lawyers are prepared to defend you within the California criminal justice system.

Over the years, we’ve provided legal representation to clients facing criminal charges that include the following:

Fraud.
DUI.
Domestic violence.
Traffic offenses.
Sex crimes.
Drug crimes.
Juvenile crimes.
Theft charges.
Violent crimes.
Probation violations.
Weapons charges.
Restraining orders.

If you’re accused of committing these or other criminal offenses in San Diego County, you need to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney who can carefully consider the details of your case before developing an effective defense strategy. When you contact our San Diego law firm for legal support, you’ll speak with a criminal defense lawyer with the legal skills and experience necessary to aggressively fight the accusations against you.

After all, we understand what’s at stake for you if you’re found guilty, so we’ll treat your criminal defense case with the care and attention it requires for the best possible outcome. Whether you were accused of domestic violence, sexual abuse, drug possession, or other crimes, you can rely on our criminal defense law firm to represent you. Call our San Diego law office today for a free consultation with a trusted criminal defense attorney.

Were You Charged with a Misdemeanor in San Diego?

San Diego criminal cases can involve misdemeanor or felony charges, depending on how severe the crime is considered and what the punishment is likely to be. Generally, misdemeanors are not as serious as felonies, but they can still lead to jail time, fines, and other consequences unless you can avoid a conviction.

More specifically, the maximum punishment for a misdemeanor is up to $1,000 in fines and up to one year in county jail, though you could be required to pay additional fines and do community service. If you want to avoid these penalties after being accused of committing one or more misdemeanor offenses, you should consult a San Diego criminal lawyer for legal support.

The following are some examples of common misdemeanors and the penalties associated with them:

Simple assault: Up to six months in jail and a fine of $1,000.
Simple battery: Up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Sexual battery: Six months to one year in jail and up to $2,000 in fines.
Stalking: Up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Identity theft: Up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Domestic battery: Up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Petty theft crime of property worth up to $950: Up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Vandalism: Up to one year in jail and fines between $1,000 and $50,000, depending on the extent of the property damage.
Drug possession: Six months to one year in jail, and $500 to $1,000 in fines, depending on the type and amount of drug.

Whether you’re facing misdemeanor charges for drug crimes, sex crimes, or other offenses, you’ll need a quality defense strategy to minimize or avoid jail time and fines. Our San Diego criminal defense firm has assisted countless clients with various criminal cases, so call us today to discuss your legal options with a caring criminal defense attorney eager to get started on your case.

Are You Facing Felony Charges in San Diego County?

The most serious type of criminal charge is a felony, which can be punished by anywhere from one year in jail to life in prison. The specific punishment will largely depend on the severity of the crime and your criminal history since your sentence will be harsher if you’ve been convicted of one or more felonies in the past.

Experienced San Diego criminal lawyers can let you know what penalties to expect if you’re convicted of a felony. This can be confusing since some charges have their own range of penalties, while others are typically punished by 16 months, two years, or three years in prison. If you want an idea of the penalties you might face for a felony charge, consider the most common punishments for some severe crimes in California:

First-degree murder: 25 years to life in state prison.
Second-degree murder: 15 years to life in state prison.
Voluntary manslaughter: 3, 6, or 11 years in state prison.
Involuntary manslaughter: 2, 3, or 4 years in state prison.
Rape: 3, 6, or 8 years in state prison.
Rape of a victim under 14: 9, 11, or 13 years in state prison.
Lewd or lascivious acts with a minor under 14: 3, 6, or 8 years in state prison.
Domestic violence charges involving corporal injury to a spouse: 2, 3, or 4 years in state prison.

If you’re convicted of these or other felony charges in San Diego County, the resulting prison time is only one of the life-altering consequences you face. You could also be ordered to pay up to $10,000 in fines, depending on the offense you’re convicted of.

You may be sentenced to additional penalties specific to the crime. For example, drug crimes often require the completion of a drug treatment program as part of the punishment, while theft charges and violent crimes frequently require restitution to victims. Additionally, sex crimes might require you to register as a sex offender in California.

If you’re worried about how these penalties could affect your freedom, finances, or ability to work, you need an effective legal defense strategy that can get the charges dismissed or reduced as you navigate the criminal justice system. A skilled San Diego County criminal defense attorney can assist with this, so call our trusted criminal defense law firm today to discuss your legal options.

What Should You Do After Being Arrested in San Diego County?

If you’re concerned about your future after being arrested, you should keep in mind that there are some steps you can take toward getting the best possible outcome on your San Diego criminal case. They include the following:

Stay calm and cooperate with the police. Do not try to flee or resist arrest, as this can lead to more criminal charges. You will have a chance to prove you’re not guilty in the local court system, so do your best not to panic upon arrest.
Use your right to remain silent when you’re arrested. This means that while you should cooperate with the directions from the police officer, you should explicitly state that you want to invoke your right to remain silent and will not answer questions until you talk to a San Diego defense lawyer.
Avoid talking to other people about your charges. Telling your friends about the arrest or posting about it on social media can provide the prosecutors with incriminating evidence or even lead to them asking your friends to be witnesses against you.
Stay out of legal trouble until your criminal case is resolved. If you’re arrested again before you even attend your first court hearing, the judge is less likely to offer you the least amount of punishment for your crime or agree to a plea bargain.
Do not plead guilty before consulting a San Diego criminal defense attorney. Even if the prosecutors claim they have sufficient evidence against you for a guilty verdict, there is a good chance skilled criminal defense lawyers can provide a strong defense strategy to get you a better deal than the prosecution team is offering.
Schedule a free consultation with trusted criminal defense attorneys. You deserve to have peace of mind about your criminal case, and the legal team at our criminal defense law firm would be happy to guide you through the complex legal process of fighting a severe criminal charge.

If you were unable to take all of these steps immediately following your arrest in San Diego County, that’s okay. The most crucial step is the last one, since an experienced San Diego criminal attorney can use their knowledge of criminal law to advise you during every phase of your case.

Whether you’ve been charged with identity theft, domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, or any other serious crime committed in San Diego County, our criminal defense attorney can craft some potential legal defenses personalized to your case. Call our law firm today to speak with a caring San Diego criminal attorney about your legal defense options.

What Should You Expect from the Legal Process in San Diego, CA?

If this is your first time facing criminal charges, the idea of going to court and fighting the accusations against you can be daunting, especially if your case is likely to end in a jury trial. Even if this isn’t your first time dealing with the criminal justice system in San Diego, it’s understandable to be worried about your criminal defense case. You can ease your concerns by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney from our law firm and getting to know the steps of the legal process involved in most criminal defense cases.

Arraignment

This should be your first court appearance after the arrest, as it’s the moment you find out what crimes you’re being charged with. You’ll be expected to tell the judge if you’re pleading guilty, not guilty, or no contest, so meeting with a criminal defense attorney is vital to discuss the appropriate plea before the arraignment.

Depending on your criminal record and the severity of the crime, the judge will release you until the next court date, send you back to jail, or set bail that you must pay before you can return home.

Pre-Trial Preparation

After the arraignment, your criminal defense attorney will begin preparing for trial, starting with discovery, a process in which defense attorneys and prosecutors share information with each other.

Once your criminal defense lawyer has started investigating by reviewing police reports, witness statements, pictures, and other evidence, they might file a motion for the case to be dismissed or for certain evidence not to be used at the trial.

Depending on the outcome of this step, you’ll have the chance to change your plea. Your San Diego criminal defense attorney will likely talk to the prosecutor and judge about settling the case out of the courtroom. If they cannot negotiate a plea agreement that’s fair to you and satisfactory to the prosecutor, the case will go to trial.

The Trial

In most criminal defense cases, the defendant can choose between a jury trial and a bench trial, in which the judge decides the outcome. If your case reaches this stage, your San Diego criminal defense attorney will advise you on which type of trial would benefit you.

If you get a jury trial, both the prosecutor and your criminal defense attorney will participate in choosing the 12 jurors, carefully asking numerous questions to ensure they are fair and unbiased. Once the jury is selected, the trial can begin with opening statements from the prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.

During the trial, the lawyers on both sides will present evidence and ask their witnesses to testify in court. They can cross-examine each other’s witnesses to reveal any weaknesses in the legal arguments. Both lawyers will get to present closing arguments at the end of the trial before the jury deliberations begin.

The Verdict

The jury will meet privately to discuss all aspects of the trial before unanimously deciding on a verdict. If they determine that the prosecutor did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you’re guilty of the crime, they’ll announce a non-guilty verdict and you’ll be acquitted of the charge.

If the jury announces a guilty verdict, the next step is for the judge to decide the appropriate punishment for you. They can do this immediately following the verdict or schedule a separate sentencing hearing.

If you and your criminal defense attorney do not believe the trial was just or legally sound, you can file an appeal. You’ll need to meet with your San Diego criminal attorney to decide if this is the best action for you. The legal team at our San Diego criminal defense law firm can defend you from serious charges while guiding you through every step of this process, so contact us for legal help.

How Can Our San Diego Criminal Defense Attorneys Assist with Your Case?

If you were accused of committing a criminal offense in Southern California, you should immediately contact a skilled San Diego criminal attorney for legal advice. While criminal allegations are serious and can lead to life-altering consequences, they don’t necessarily have to when you have a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer on your side throughout your case. When you hire The Law Office of George Gedulin for criminal defense services, you can rest assured you have a team fighting for you to retain your freedom and keep your criminal record free of convictions when possible.

Backed by more than 30 years of combined experience, our criminal defense lawyers are capable, compassionate, and dedicated to delivering favorable results on criminal cases. We care deeply about the well-being of our clients and have a proven track record of working tirelessly to protect their rights through the criminal justice system. Whether you’re facing drug charges, domestic violence allegations, or other serious accusations, our San Diego criminal attorney is here to help. We also have experience defending minors accused of juvenile crimes, so if your child needs guidance with the juvenile court system, contact our firm to speak with a caring defense lawyer.

Our San Diego criminal defense lawyers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because your problems and concerns involving criminal law are important to us. We have extensive experience fighting for clients inside and outside the courtroom, so your case is in good hands whether it goes to trial or is settled out of court. After all, our San Diego criminal attorney has a proven track record of negotiating a fair plea agreement outside of court when appropriate, or preventing the prosecutor from proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Either way, our compassionate San Diego criminal defense attorney has your best interests at heart.

During our years providing legal services to residents of San Diego County, our philosophy has always been that tough defense should be accessible to anyone and everyone. You can benefit from this belief when you allow us to put our proven legal abilities to work for you on your criminal case. If you’re ready to speak with a San Diego criminal defense attorney about your legal options, call 858-943-6591 for a free case analysis.