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408-622-0204

Call Us Today

408-622-0204

When the cuffs go on, the gloves come off. Put California Criminal Lawyer Group in your Corner.

Aggressively Protecting
Your Freedom from Injustice.

  • Aggressively Protecting Your Freedom From Injustice.
  • Over 30 Years of Experience
  • Knowledge of the Local Court Systems
  • Stellar Negotiators
  • Your Consultation is Always Free and Our Conversations are Always Private.

Jonathan Reza - Lead Attorney

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California Criminal Lawyer Group

The team at California Criminal Lawyer Group knows the ins and outs of the California penal code, and we have years of experience in the court system of San Jose representing clients facing criminal charges. We focus on criminal defense and have built a reputation of tenacity and dedication among our clients, while our commitment to professionalism and integrity in the courtroom has gained respect among judges and fellow legal professionals throughout San Jose. We are equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to build a strong defense explicitly tailored to your case and your circumstances, and our history of success and client satisfaction speaks for itself.

Our firm offers a free primary consultation with our team of legal experts because we believe that each of our clients deserves to be heard and to have all of their options laid out openly and directly before they go through the lawsuit process. We are here to listen to the particular circumstances in which you find yourself in order to give you our professional opinion about defense options for the best possible outcome in your specific case. Our seasoned attorneys are prepared to investigate the evidence presented by the prosecution, identify the best witnesses for your defense, skillfully cross-examine the witnesses called by the prosecution, and use our extensive knowledge of California law and the court system of San Jose to fight for you aggressively. We know that facing a criminal charge can be overwhelming, confusing, and traumatic, which is why we will be in your corner every step of the way communicating directly and openly with you so that you know what to do, what to expect, and so you feel confident about the proceedings of your case.

In your initial consultation with California Criminal Lawyer Group, we encourage you to ask the necessary questions to ensure that you are getting the best possible representation for your case. Some important details you will want to know about your attorney include: who is going to handle my case and how available will they be to me throughout this process? How many years of experience do they have? Do they have experience in the area of law that my case falls into? Where can you read their client reviews? Which San Jose courts have they worked in?

Call now at 408-622-0204 .to speak to one of our legal experts and to set up your free primary consultation. If you are facing criminal charges in San Jose, you want the expert team at California Criminal Lawyer Group fighting for you!

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Finding the Best Attorney to Represent You

The person you choose to represent you in a criminal case can make a big difference in the final outcome. In fact, choosing a criminal defense attorney is perhaps the most significant decision you will make after you have been arrested for a criminal charge! Your attorney will be the one investigating your case, analyzing the evidence, assessing the details, and building your defense. This is the person who will be on your side through the duration of the process, fighting to minimize your conviction and mitigate any negative effects on your future. Any time you hire an attorney, you need to know they are prepared to build a strong case and advocate for you during every step of the conviction process. You should always research your attorney online to see what their other clients have to say about them, how they have been described in news articles, and how they are rated based on their AVVO reviews. You should also ask your criminal defense attorney some key questions before you hire them to find out critical details like how many years of experience they have practicing criminal law cases, how many cases they have handled (and the number of those that have been like your case), what particular areas of law are their focus, what courts they usually work at, and how many trials by jury they have led.

Without knowing your attorney’s background, you cannot know if they are going to be the best person to represent you in your particular circumstance. At California Criminal Lawyer Group, we encourage every client to ask the tough questions in their initial consultation to make sure they will get the best possible representation.

You need to be sure that your attorney is prepared to take into account the strengths and weaknesses of your case and then map out the optimum defense strategy. The expert team at California Criminal Lawyer Group specializes in criminal cases and takes an active role when representing clients. We will be with you throughout each step of your lawsuit and will put all of our firm’s resources to use for you. Don’t just take us at our word--we encourage you to research the attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group and see their experience and expertise for yourself.

A Firm that Knows the San Jose Courtroom

If you are facing a criminal case in San Jose, you want an attorney with extensive experience in the San Jose courtroom. At California Criminal Lawyer Group, we know how important it is during a criminal conviction to have an attorney on your side who is respected by other legal professionals in San Jose. When you are up against criminal charges, you should have legal representation who knows the ins and outs of the local system in addition to being well-versed in the state laws.

Because we focus on serving clients in San Jose, we know everything about the court system of San Jose. What distinguishes us from other seemingly similar California criminal law firms is our familiarity with the local judges and their court procedures, the particular tendencies of prosecuting attorneys in the area, the way these courts deal with different crimes, and other know-how specific to the legal system in San Jose. We are prepared for the typical procedures in the city’s various courtrooms, and that gives us a significant advantage over other firms when building a strong defense for our clients.

Our local expertise is what really sets California Criminal Lawyer Group apart from the rest. A well-respected attorney with a good reputation can have more success in getting the best outcome for your case. Not only will your attorney from California Criminal Lawyer Group enter the court with tenacity and expertise, but they will also leverage the respect they have in the courtroom to get a favorable outcome for you.

Just as they are respected for their integrity, our attorneys respected for their prowess in the courtroom. Prosecutors know that they cannot hope to exploit weaknesses for the attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group than they might in other, less experienced defense attorneys to win a case. We are prepared to argue your case persuasively and aggressively in order to get the best outcome possible in your circumstance, and you can rely on us to put all of our resources to work for you. Call to speak to one of our legal experts about your case so we can pair you with the perfect attorney on our team and you can prepare together for your criminal case.

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What to Do If You Are Charged with a Crime

 

We know that an arrest and a charge for a criminal offense can leave you worried and scared for your future. Navigating the California legal system without help or guidance can be a daunting, stressful, and traumatic prospect even for a very determined individual, and how you handle a criminal charge can have a lasting impact on the rest of your life. A negative outcome in a criminal case can affect your job or job prospects, background checks, school or program applications, security clearance, professional licenses, and the possession or purchasing of firearms. Each individual person will have a unique set of circumstances that will determine how a criminal charge will affect them in the short- or long-term, which is why it is of the utmost importance to choose a criminal defense attorney who can create a personalized defense strategy based on your particular circumstances and the specifics of your case.

Furthermore, choosing an attorney who knows the courtroom, judge, and/or prosecutor can be a significant factor in their ability to tailor an appropriate defense for a given case. Our team of defense attorneys knows the San Jose court system well because we focus specifically on serving clients in criminal cases in San Jose. Not only is it important for an attorney to know all the details of the case and circumstances of the client, but it also provides a significant advantage when an attorney has enough knowledge of the local court system to factor that in when building their defense.

If you have been arrested for a criminal charge, the California Criminal Lawyer Group Law Firm offers a free consultation so that we can learn all the information--the details of the charge, personal factors that influence the case, and what is important to you. The consultation is also a great chance for you, the client, to ask any and all questions that you might have about the court process, your legal options, and the information you might want to know about your attorney. This way, we can make sure that the attorney who takes on your case is the best fit for you, and you can feel confident knowing who is representing you and what you can expect.

Although the attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group will build a personal, customized defense for your case, you may be wondering the possible defenses for the common criminal charges we deal with. Our goal is always to achieve the best possible outcome for your case, and we frequently achieve acquittals and plea bargains before the case ever reaches trial. We are prepared to customize our approach to your particular circumstances. When you contact us for a consultation, we can tell you which approach will be the most effective based on the details of your situation.

In any criminal case, it is possible to determine that the arrest and/or detainment of the accused were unlawful. If we believe this to be the case, we know how to gather the facts and evidence to sufficiently demonstrate to the judge during the preliminary hearing that the police acted outside of the law. Often, our clients walk away completely free before the trial process begins. Another way to get out of any criminal charge before it reaches trial is to determine that the evidence cited by the prosecution is weak or insufficient. The lawyers of the San Jose Criminal Attorney Law Firm have an expert sense for weak evidence, and they are skilled at spotting the flaws and using these to get charges dropped. A stop and search without probable cause is illegal, and if your criminal defense attorney can show that you were arrested in such an event, your case will be over before proceeding to trial, and you will be free. Finally, proof that the police violated your Miranda rights or performed an improper interrogation will earn you an acquittal. It is critical to hire an experienced attorney who knows how to spot weaknesses in the charges against you so that you can be acquitted without having to endure ongoing court procedures.

In the event that your case does proceed, here are possible defenses for the common crimes we deal with at San Jose Criminal Attorney Law Firm:

  • Drug crimes: the defendant was unknowingly in possession of drugs, the defendant was not in possession of the drugs, the police planted the drugs, the crime lab analysis does not demonstrate that the seized drugs are an illegal substance
  • Domestic violence: the defendant acted in self-defense or in defense of a child, the accusation was false, the defendant’s actions were unintentional, the alleged victim consented to the act
  • Fraud crimes: lack of criminal intent, the defendant believed they had a right to the property, the defendant committed the crime under threats or violent force
  • Sex crimes: the accusation was false, the alleged victim incorrectly identified you as the perpetrator, the alleged victim consented to the act
  • Theft crimes: the defendant believed they had a right to or ownership of the property, the defendant had permission or authorization to use the property

It is critical to get in contact with an attorney as soon as you are arrested on a criminal charge because an effective defense starts early. When you hire a criminal defense attorney from California Criminal Lawyer Group, the defense strategy will be tailored to your particular circumstances. Give us a call to schedule your initial consultation and ensure that you will have the best possible defense from the moment of arrest.

It is critical to get in contact with an attorney as soon as you are arrested on a criminal charge because an effective defense starts early. When you hire a criminal defense attorney from California Criminal Lawyer Group, the defense strategy will be tailored to your particular circumstances. Give us a call to schedule your initial consultation and ensure that you will have the best possible defense from the moment of arrest.

We Are Here for You

At California Criminal Lawyer Group, we never take a standard “law mill” approach in the courtroom. This is a name for law firms that aggressively take on clients but do not aggressively represent them. The overflow of clients who cannot be represented by the firm due to overabundance is sold off to less experienced attorneys outside the firm who then prepare the case. Beware--this is a common trap in criminal defense law!

We believe the “law mill” approach to be unethical, which is why we have a carefully-built team of expert, honest attorneys who handle each case internally and carefully, never sending them off to lawyers outside of our own carefully built team. Personalized representation puts a client’s best interests at the forefront, and we put the time needed into each and every case with dedication and care. Our attorneys take a one-on-one approach with clients because we know that facing criminal charges can be scary and overwhelming, and you need someone you trust in your corner telling you what is happening and what to expect.

We also do not believe in taking a standard, approach to our cases. Although some lawyers are content to reuse the same old, worn-out defenses in every case in order to put in the minimum possible mental effort or legal research on their part, we do not believe that this is what is best for our clients. Instead, our attorneys customize every defense to the particular circumstance, building our strategy based on our extensive legal knowledge and prior experience in order to provide high caliber service for our clients.

No matter your criminal record, we promise to treat you with respect. We never assume guilt, and we always maintain frequent and ongoing communication to keep you updated with your case and to inform you about your best options. The team at California Criminal Lawyer Group takes pride in our work, which is why we guarantee personal and customized representation to each and every customer. To find out more about the members of our team of legal experts and their particular areas of experience and expertise, check out our website’s “Meet the Team” page.

 

A criminal case almost always begins with an arrest. At California Criminal Lawyer Group, we know that finding yourself behind bars facing criminal charges can be frightening and confusing and can leave you uncertain of what to do. At this point, it is critical to contact a strong, experienced, trial-tested criminal defense attorney to take up your case. That’s where the expert team at California Criminal Lawyer Group comes in.

After the moment of arrest, anything you say or do can impact your case. Any statement or action on your part can change the potential outcome of the case and can be used against you in court. Before you say or do anything in the event of an arrest, it is of critical importance that you get in touch with a lawyer. However, you do not want just any average attorney representing you in a serious criminal charge; the attorney you choose can make the difference between a guilty verdict and an acquittal. After arrest, a criminal defense attorney will determine if there are grounds for dismissal before the case proceeds to plea or trial. Your case might be dismissed if your attorney can prove unlawful arrest and/or detainment, insufficient evidence to prove the claim, or an illegal stop or search. Our expert attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group know how to spot an unlawful arrest and weak evidence, and our clients frequently have their cases dismissed before having to go through a trial.

However, in the event that your case does proceed, the next step is the preliminary hearing. The purpose of this hearing is to allow the prosecutor to present what evidence they have against you so that the judge can determine if that evidence sufficiently demonstrates that a crime was committed and that you should answer for the charges. From there, you should receive all the evidence and information from the prosecution--and this includes both the evidence that contributes to proving that you committed the crime of which you are accused as well as the evidence that demonstrates your innocence. A skilled and aggressive attorney from the California Criminal Lawyer Group is necessary to ensure that your Constitutional rights are protected and you receive all information to which you are entitled because district attorneys tend to have distinct ideas regarding which information a defendant has a right to. Our attorney will ensure that all pieces of information pointing to your innocence are handed over from the prosecution at this time. During the preliminary hearing, the prosecution also presents any witnesses claiming to have pertinent information regarding the crime of which you are accused. This gives your attorney the chance to cross-examine in order to test the witnesses and thoroughly investigate all the details of their testimonies; our skilled team has mastered this art, and they know how to find the flaws in these testimonies and to use this in their defense of you.

Following the preliminary hearing, the judge will decide whether or not your case should proceed to trial by jury. However, the attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group often employ such exceptional cross-examinations in addition to asking the perfect questions, employing strong evidence in your favor, and discounting the evidence against you during the preliminary hearing that the defendant walks away completely free. If the judge does decide that the evidence against you at the preliminary hearing is sufficient, the case will proceed to trial by jury. At this point, your trial-tested criminal defense attorney from California Criminal Lawyer Group will begin to aggressively prepare your case in order to get you the best possible outcome.

Our Practice Areas

The capable, seasoned attorneys of the California Criminal Lawyer Group specialize in criminal cases in California, with extensive experience in the courtrooms of San Jose. If you have been arrested for a criminal charge, we know that you have many questions about what’s next. Regardless of the nature or gravity of the accusations against you, we will scrutinize your case from every angle to gather all of the nuanced details instead of simply relying on reports from the prosecution or police. Look below to see the basics about the common criminal charges we work with.

According to the California penal code, domestic violence is the willful use or threat of unlawful force or physical harm to a current or former intimate partner. An alleged victim does not have to suffer any physical injury for a defendant to be convicted of a domestic violence charge, and innocent people are often falsely accused. This crime can be considered either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on a number of factors, like whether or not the alleged victim suffered bodily harm, how severe that bodily harm is, the defendant’s previous criminal history, and other considerations made by the judge. In California, a domestic violence charge is very serious, and a conviction--or even just an accusation--can lead to long-term consequences for the defendant. Even offenders with no prior criminal record often receive a minimal jail sentence and are required by the court to complete a batterer’s program. This makes it especially important to hire a strong criminal defense attorney if you’re facing a domestic violence charge in order to avoid a conviction. Having domestic violence on your record can greatly impact your life, and the lawyers of the California Criminal Lawyer Group have extensive experience fighting these charges to get the best possible outcome for our clients.

A drug crime is a violation of any regulation or law surrounding controlled substances, which are legally-classified drugs and chemicals that the US government has labeled as a danger to the health and/or well-being of the American public when used or produced illegally outside of any legitimate medical context. A drug crime can include the possession, manufacture, or distribution of illegal substances. California law makes it illegal to possess any controlled substance without a legitimate prescription, and this category of drug crime is divided into two categories: simple possession or possession with the intent to sell. Sentencing in a case of drug possession will depend heavily upon the amount of drug in your possession as well as the purpose for which the drug is in your possession. The manufacture of drugs involves growing, producing, processing, or compounding a controlled substance. This is a felony and can include a vast array of criminal involvement. Illegal drug distribution, or drug trafficking, includes importing, transporting, and selling controlled substances. California Criminal Lawyer Group is prepared to handle any type of drug-related charges. Most drug convictions result in high fees and jail time, which is why you need an aggressive and experienced attorney who knows relevant laws and strong defense strategies.

Broadly speaking, a fraud crime involves an act resulting in an undeserved or unfair gain for yourself and/or resulting in loss or harm to someone else. There are a number of fraudulent acts penalized under California law, and some of the most common are insurance fraud, financial fraud, and identity theft. In California, auto insurance fraud is defined as a person attempting to illegitimately get money from an automobile insurance provider through dishonest means like staging a car accident, inflating a claim, and destroying a vehicle to report it as stolen. Both patients and medical professionals can be convicted of healthcare fraud if the prosecution proves that the offender purposely claimed a false benefit, charged for a medical service that was not provided, claimed payments of the same benefit or received personal benefits for prescribing certain medications. Financial fraud can include check fraud--the use of a check with the intention to defraud the recipient by representing the check as legitimate--and credit card fraud--a fraudulent transaction or attempted transaction with a credit or debit card, like using someone else’s card without their permission, knowingly using an expired card, or selling counterfeits. Identity theft is considered a crime when a person uses someone else’s identifying information for an unlawful purpose. Although fraud crimes are typically non-violent white-collar offenses, they often carry heavy sentences and severe penalties. If you or a loved one have been charged with fraud in San Jose, call the San Jose Criminal Attorney Law Firm so we can discuss the best options for your defense.

There are various sex crimes detailed in the California penal code, but all of them generally involve forceful or coerced sexual contact with another person who did not or could not consent to this contact. Consent is a very complicated legal concept; it can be either explicit--verbally stated--or implicit--implied or understood--and California law considers minors unable to give consent to sexual contact legally. Because sex crimes are criminal charges, the district attorney or another law enforcement entity will act as the prosecutor, and the defendant can either make a plea deal or go to trial. California has extremely strict sentencing requirements in the case of sex crimes with mandatory minimum prison terms. If a defendant is declared guilty and convicted of a sex crime, the length of a prison sentence will depend on the severity of the crime, with the minimum sentence being one year in state prison. This conviction can also carry heavy fines and a legal requirement to disclose the conviction on all job applications. Facing a false accusation for a sex crime is terrifying, and even just an accusation itself can ruin your reputation and have lasting effects on your life. The attorneys at California Criminal Lawyer Group are committed to fighting for you to prove your innocence and protect your Constitutional rights, so contact us if you have been convicted of a sex crime and need expert criminal defense.

There are varying degrees of theft in California law that can incur penalties of varying severity. Generally, a crime of theft includes knowingly taking any property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping the property for some amount of time or forever without the permission or knowledge of the property owner. This can also include an instance in which someone entrusts their property to the defendant with the assumption that it would be returned, but the defendant fails to return that property to its owner. A theft conviction in a California court depends on the type of property stolen, but a prosecutor only needs to demonstrate an offender’s intention to deprive the rightful owner of their property in order to reach a theft conviction. Typical theft crimes include petty theft, grand theft, burglary, receiving stolen property, and more. Any theft conviction, no matter how minor, can be detrimental to future employment opportunities or state licensing, because these charges often surface during background checks. Employers tend to avoid hiring anyone with a theft record because they assume the person to be dishonest or deceptive, but we at the California Criminal Lawyer Group know that these crimes are often an unfortunate mistake on the part of honest, productive citizens. That is why we believe in second chances rather than a criminal record, and why we are committed to defending you against any and all theft charges.

Violent crime is a general, broad category. It includes crimes in which violence is specifically the objective, like murder, rape, robbery, or assault. Violent crimes also include those in which a violent act is used to achieve another objective. A defendant can face a conviction for a violent crime if the alleged victim suffered injury or if they can demonstrate that they suffered the threat of violence or injury. Assault and battery are the most common type of violent crimes, which are basically the attempt to inflict physical injury on another person (assault) or the willful use of offensive or harmful force against another person (battery). These types of cases can be very complicated because they can be counted as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances and the decision of the judge, and a good criminal defense attorney will inspect the evidence and cross-examine the witnesses in order to contest a violent crime charge. The team at California Criminal Lawyer Group has experience representing clients in all manner of violent crime lawsuits, and we know that facing any of these serious charges can be traumatizing and overwhelming. Give us a call today to talk to a legal expert about your options.

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