Case Reviewed By Filing Deputies
I've been practicing in this courthouse for the last 26 years. I've handled thousands of cases, including doing jury trials in every courtroom in that courthouse. I have a pretty good feel for how the prosecutors deal with a criminal case.
The first thing that happens is somebody is typically investigated. Often, I will get on the case before any charges are filed so I can try to take some pre-emptory moves to avoid a criminal filing altogether.
That could include an investigation and talk to the police in charge of the investigation. That can consist of me talking to the prosecutor on your behalf.
Suppose you've already been arrested or your loved one has already been arrested and has a case that is going to be going to the Van Nuys criminal court. In that case, your best bet is to come and sit down with me, or I will visit your loved one in custody, and we will go over the options to defend the criminal case.
When the police arrest somebody, the case will be sent to the prosecutors. The prosecutors in the Van Nuys courthouse have filing deputies whose sole job is to look at issues and decide whether or not those cases should be filed.
If they decide not to file the case, the case can be referred down to the District Attorney's office, which prosecutes felonies.
It could go down to the City Attorney's office in Los Angeles prosecuting misdemeanors, or they can reject the case outright, in which case there will be no criminal case filed against you.
Sometimes people are mistaken. They think that just because the police arrested them means a case was filed against them.
The police do not have the authority to file a case in Van Nuys; only the prosecutors have that authority. Often, I will try to get to those prosecutors before they decide and provide them with mitigation information that might prevent a filing.
An Arraignment in Van Nuys Court Department in 101/103
If your case gets filed, you will appear in court at the arraignment. In Van Nuys, department 100 is the felony arraignment court, and dependent 101 and 103 are the two misdemeanor arraignment courts in Van Nuys.
I have pretty good familiarity with the judges and the prosecutors in the Van Nuys courthouse, and I think that's crucial for defending a case.
I know how to mitigate a case and negotiate a case in the Van Nuys courthouse because you want to end up with the best result for your case. You want to try to avoid a conviction and/or jail time.
Posting Bail or Own Recognizance Release
After the arraignment, bail is set. If you've already posted bail, you'll probably end up in a position where you remain out of custody while your case is pending, or your attorney can argue for what's called a ROR, where you've released your recognizance.
In the Van Nuys courthouse, they are giving many OR releases where people don't have to pay any money to remain out of custody because of the Coronavirus. So, I've been very successful in keeping people out of custody so they can fight their cases from the outside.
Case Assigned to a Courtroom
Your case will be assigned to a courtroom after the arraignment, and then your attorney will be provided with whatever evidence there is against you. Often, I like to give my client the proof so they can look at it. I will look at it.
I will speak to the prosecutor to see their point of view on the case, and then we'll sit down and get our strategy together.
One of the first things we're going to decide if you have a case in the Van Nuys court is whether or not the case will be fought or negotiated. These are pretty much the two roads that we go down. Of course, I'm always trying to get filed cases dismissed, but they can't be dismissed because the government has the evidence to prove it.
Call us to Review All Your Legal Options
If the case is severe enough that they're not just going to dismiss it, then we have to look at all options for you, and that's where somebody has a lot of experience with the Van Nuys courthouse.
This means the players within the court — the judges, the prosecutors, the court staff — will be essential for your best defense in the Van Nuys courthouse.
So, if you've got a case there, pick up the phone. Let's go over the facts of your case because not all patients are treated the same; not all results are the same.
But if you want to get the best result, you've got to get somebody who has the inside track and knows how to handle a Van Nuys criminal court case.
Make an appointment right away. Sit down with Ronald D. Hedding, and I will do everything to help you.
Hedding Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm located in the San Fernando Valley at 16000 Ventura Blvd #1208 Encino, CA 91436. Contact us for a free case evaluation at (213) 542-0940.
Related:
Step by Step Process for a Van Nuys Criminal Case
How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Criminal Case in Van Nuys Court?
