When you are arrested or suspected of a crime in Contra Costa County, it is important to contact a Walnut Creek lawyer immediately. You have rights, but you need someone advocating for your rights to ensure that the full measure of the law is working in your favor, not against it.
Felony & Criminal Law in Walnut Creek, California
How crimes are classified, tried, and sentenced varies from state to state. To help you understand how California differs from other states, Walnut Creek criminal defense lawyer David B. Pastor offers the following information comparing felonies and laws in California with those in other states.
The states use different methods to classify felonies. The classifications correlate to the severity of the crime and its punishment. Some states classify felonies by number, with the lowest number—Class 1 felony, for example—being the most serious. Other states use letters in a similar manner—for example, a Class A felony is the most serious and a Class D or E felony is less serious. However, in California, felonies are classified by name categories, including white collar felonies, drug felonies, sex crime felonies, violent felonies, and serious felonies. A California felony conviction can result in fines, probation, and jail time.
The state uses certain terms to describe California felonies, including—
- White collar felonies—Often called paper crimes—such as bribery, computer crimes, embezzlement, fraud, forgery, identity theft, and perjury.
- Violent and serious felonies—The most serious felonies under California law, including arson, felony DUI, grand theft with a firearm, involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping, mayhem, and murder.
- California DUI felony—Unlike most DUI charges in California, which are not felonies, this felony applies when you receive a fourth DUI charge within ten years.
- California sex felonies—These are felonies such as sexual abuse, illegal possession of pornography, sexual assault, and continuous sexual abuse of a child, often resulting in sex offender registration.
- Wobblers—These are certain California misdemeanors that are classed and punished at a more severe level. Some include battery, some types of assault, vandalism, fraud, hit and run, possession of a firearm, domestic violence, criminal threats, and embezzlement.
- Three strikes law—Under California Penal Code, Section 667 requires that an individual convicted on a third instance of the same crime is automatically sentenced to a minimum of 25 years and as much as life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Expungement in Walnut Creek, California
You may be eligible for expungement if you have fulfilled the conditions of your probation, but it is difficult to do so without the assistance of a criminal defense attorney. There are many rules that determine if and how you qualify, depending on the crime. And it is worth pursuing a California expungement, as an expungement removes roadblocks to future employment and professional licensing. To discuss expungement with one of our criminal defense lawyers in Walnut Creek, contact the Law Offices of David B. Pastor.
Walnut Creek criminal law defense
If you are charged with a crime in the Contra Costa County area, it is important to know that, with a strong defense from skilled lawyers, criminal charges do not always equate to criminal conviction and prison. To protect your rights, contact Walnut Creek criminal defense attorney David B. Pastor toll free at 1-866-737-4038.
