When it comes to criminal defense, there are many City Attorney hearings throughout the San Fernando Valley, which are controlled by the City Attorney's office for misdemeanor cases, domestic violence cases, and the like.

A City Attorney hearing in Van Nuys is conducted right near the courthouse. In the Marvin Braun Building in Van Nuys, basically, what's happening with the City Attorney hearing is that a hearing officer who is not a City Attorney is paid to try to resolve criminal cases.

When your case is set for a City Attorney hearing, there's a significant possibility of a non-filing outcome. This means you could convince the City Attorney's office not to file a criminal case against you, offering a hopeful resolution and a chance to move forward.

If the City Attorney decides to file a case and you continue to commit offenses, they have the authority to refile both the new and the old cases. In essence, they are telling you, 'Do not repeat this behavior.'

Sometimes, if it's a domestic violence case, they might make you do some anger management courses or domestic violence courses to get them not to file a claim. Other times, they'll warn you and tell you that they're going to keep the case in the office for a year, and if you have any other issues, they will file this case against you.

It's crucial to understand that your conduct at the City Attorney hearing can significantly influence the outcome. I've witnessed cases where a lack of politeness or cooperation led to filings. This underscores the power you have to shape your own legal journey.

Experienced Lawyer City Attorney Hearings

If there's a possibility of a criminal case being filed against you, it's highly advisable to have a competent attorney by your side. With their expertise, they can navigate you through the process. Having handled numerous City Attorney hearings, I understand how the Van Nuys City Attorney's office operates. They may decide to give you a break, but having an attorney can significantly increase your chances.

Let's have a City Attorney hearing. Then, the hearing is held, and the hearing officer, at the end of the hearing, will either make a decision or let you know at a later date. Usually, they're going to make it on that date, and then they'll talk to the City Attorney about it.

Now, many times, you can get your arrest record clean if they do a City Attorney hearing and decide not to file any charges against you, which is beautiful. They'll have you or your attorney contact the liaison officer for the City Attorney's office in Van Nuys and make the moves to get them to give you the slip – basically saying that it's not an arrest.

If the City Attorney hearing results in a non-filing, your arrest record can be cleared. This means that future background checks won't reveal any filed cases or convictions. It's a reassuring outcome that can provide a sense of security and peace of mind.

So, City Attorney hearings in Van Nuys are basically to determine whether charges will be filed. But I'm telling you, having done this for twenty-five years, most of the time, if it's handled the right way with your criminal attorney, you're going to end up with a non-filing, and you're going to get a chance to move on with your life.

But I have seen them conduct City Attorney hearings in Van Nuys. They let the person have a break, and they don't file anything. Six months later, the person picks up another domestic violence charge related to the same individual—now they file both cases against them. The chance that they got the City Attorney hearing on and the new orders, and now you're looking at double the time and double the problem.

So, if you were arrested and have a City Attorney hearing in Van Nuys, huddle up with an excellent criminal defense attorney familiar with that courthouse and the prosecutors and how the City Attorney hearings work, give them all the relevant information. Let them advise you on how you will conduct yourself in the City Attorney hearing. Let them do most of the talking to try to help you. Follow their lead, and you should be able to get a non-filing, which is just as good as a dismissal.