Most people in California know little to nothing about the legal system that dictates the way we live, and defends the laws we take for granted. In fact, to my surprise, many people don t even know what goes on during a trial; and when faced with that situation are quick to feel hopeless. But you can have hope! All you need is a little knowledge, and you can be sure that if the time ever comes you ll be prepared to make the best decision possible.

So we ll start at the absolute most basics. Misdemeanors and Felonies, two very important legal terms people don t know the difference between. So in simple terms, a misdemeanor is a crime that is punishable by about a year or less of time in jail. These offenses are most of the time much much less severe than their counterparts, felonies.

Most of the time, misdemeanors jail-time can be supplanted by various alternatives: like community service or classes or other alternatives. And why wouldn t you want to substitute jail time with something easier than jail?

Exactly,you wouldn t. Misdemeanors are the most common occurrences that warrant the use of a criminal defense attorney. They can include, but are not limited to: vandalism, reckless driving, minor theft, hit and run, DUI and more.

But the more serious brother of the Misdemeanor is the felony. And he is something you definitely don t want to be accused of. A felony is an extremely serious allegation—which is punishable by 3 or more years of jail time. Bail for felonies is at minimum usually $10,000. Examples of crimes that are felonies are (but not limited to): rape, embezzlement, auto theft, arson, molestation, murder and more.

If you re accused of a felony of any kind—you definitely need a criminal defense lawyer, after all the jail time for any of these offenses is quite long. However if you re arrested on the basis of a felony, but the prosecution lacks the evidence—they may choose to charge you for a misdemeanor.

This is another common question in Southern California. How does the trial process go if the defendant is an illegal immigrant? Although this will vary from trial to trial—there is little doubt that there are great consequences to anyone s immigration status if they are charged of a crime. In fact if the charge is serious enough, trials could lead to the deportation process.

So if you re charged with any criminal offenses, the first step is to consult an experience criminal defense attorney. Speaking to this lawyer will give you the best insight to whether or not you want to select him/her. Also you ll want to look at their experience, see if they ve won trials that involved the same accusations or crimes.

You ll also want a lawyer who is local—after all knowing judges and prosecutors can help to get a settlement or even better. A criminal defense attorney s job is to protect your reputation—so its always in your best interest to find one if you need it.

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