Welcome to my law practice and my website! I love what I do, I love the practice of law, and I love helping people facing criminal charges get through what is probably the most difficult time of their life! It is a real joy to me to get people out of their legal difficulties with the minimum amount of exposure to negative legal consequences and punishments.

I think I'm really good at it, and pride myself on my ability to be the legal equivalent of a skilled doctor or surgeon with the skill, experience, and know-how to save people's freedom and even lives.

My Philosophy:

Communication is the essence to any successful relationship between parties. I communicate with you and keep you up to date on the status of your case and the proceedings which your will go through when I represent you in Court. I write a letter to you after each court appearance, I confirm conversations in writing with you so you clearly understand the complex legal process.

The majority of the referrals who retain me are individuals that are not able to communicate with their current attorney. Specifically in my written contract with every client I include the phrase: "I will utilize my best efforts to return your telephone calls". It is our agreement that I will return your call promptly. My client's understand as a good lawyer I am in court during the day and they can expect me returning their telephone calls early in the morning and in the evening.

As I communicate with you, I also do this with prosecutors, probation officers, police officers and the court so your position is clearly understood regarding the charges that are pending against you. As a result of my emphasis on communication, my client's benefit. When I am retained immediately after a person is arrested, I contact the police, negotiate with the police to recommend lesser charges to the D.A. and if the matter is filed and the court appearance has not yet occurred, I contact the District Attorney, putting them on notice that I shall be representing you. This facilitates acceptable dispositions of matters and demonstrates to the District Attorney that your case should be a top priority for them to pursue or resolve expeditiously.

You can review the success of my philosophy by going to my trial experience.

NOTHING IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED

The resources of the State are infinity. However, these resources do not make up for guile and experience to question the foundation of their case or facts against an accused. Our criminal justice system is not perfect. A defendant trusts his attorney to question the facts, investigate the truth and convince an accuser or a trier of fact that their case is not what it appears to the police, prosecutor and government investigators.

As a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, I am the "expert" to represent an accused in complicated criminal matters. Things are not what they first appear. Law enforcement see things through a tainted window without the benefit of a clear view of the circumstances. As a result, many are accused without the proper evidence being presented or evidence of exoneration being considered.

The Innocence Project has clearly demonstrated that our system is not infallible. Over 78 people have been set free after being convicted when scientific evidence i.e. DNA, faulty eyewitness identification etc. have demonstrated the convicted was not the perpetrator of the crime. I have tried over 30 cases where DNA, eyewitness identification, ballistics, blood splatter, dog scent and material identification were a pivotal part of the evidence in the prosecution and defense of the case. All the scientific protocols available to law enforcement is available to a defendant and exonerates an accused when presented properly to Law Enforcement or Jury. No stone should ever be left unturned when the criminal justice system uses cutting edge technology to prosecute and defend individuals.

As a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law I use the latest scientific tools to assist me in defending my clients. NOTHING IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

Question Authority!

I was taught at an early age to question authority....I was blessed by having not only parents who taught me to question authority but also teachers who taught me that as well. This has served me and, more importantly, my clients, very well in walking through a complicated and usually overburdened legal system that often cares little about one individual's rights. Criminal law is often a matter of who shouts long enough and loud enough ---- even if it's 2+2=5!!!  It's not about accepting the status quo, or the realities and events as presented by the Police or the District Attorney just because they say so.

In any given legal situation, whatever actually occurred may never be clear or known, but what you can be sure of is that there will be a District Attorney-Prosecutor who will put the very worst possible interpretation on the events, from the defendant's point of view. Their interest is to convict you, and they will always interpret everything negatively as far as you are concerned. My job is to not let that happen!!! My job is to not allow the Prosecution or the  Police's version of events to stand and convict you --- I interpret the events in YOUR favor, and am not afraid to show strength and determination while I do it.

Some attorneys advertising their services in this field like to focus on the fact that they are a former District Attorney or Prosecutor. I'm proud of the fact that I have only practiced criminal DEFENSE and never worked as a prosecutor. Why would anyone want a criminal defense attorney who thinks, acts, and sees things like a prosecutor?

The problem is that when an individual has spent a significant portion of his professional life in an authoritative position such as Prosecutor or District Attorney he does not know how or when to question authority in the proper manner, and can only cower to the rules and the existing status quo.

One of the accomplishments I am proudest of in my life is to have earned the title of Criminal Law Specialist! I only do Criminal Defense, and have spent my entire life thinking of ways to defend people against criminal charges and to challenge authority.

A Moment in every Case

Every case has what I like to call a "moment" --- that time in the case when the Prosecution no longer feels that they are absolutely going to win the case and that they might be better off in settling it. I perceive it as my job not only to recognize that moment but to create that moment. Ways that I have found to create that moment include extensive motion work, causing the District Attorney to feel overwhelmed. At that point the Prosecution will be wanting to find a way to get out of the case without having to do a lot of work so they can have an easy and quick exit. Other times, the strategy will be by winning a motion that suppresses some of the evidence which causes the District Attorney to realize they will not have all of the weapons in their arsenal that they thought they would have if they had gone to trial.

Another way of creating the moment is through creative investigation and showing instances to the District Attorney where their witnesses might not be telling the truth. It is with these strategies and tactics that the best possible chance of an acceptable settlement can often be achieved.

Equal Justice for All is Not Automatic or Even Available Without a Fight

While I am very often impressed with the majesty and magnificence of our laws and criminal justice system, at times I am appalled, and after over 20 years in the field, still get shocked by some of the things that can happen when people aren't defended well and a client's defense file isn't worked properly and effectively. Things can happen quickly in a courtroom. Many times, people wait to "see what will happen" instead of hiring a skilled criminal defense attorney right away, when we can be most effective (and for the least amount of money).

Prosecutors --- and Public Defenders!!! --- are overburdened and have large case loads. No one is automatically going to investigate a case properly just because it's the right thing to do when there isn't enough time or resources, and people loose their freedom because of it!

Clients often ask me what the exact end result of their legal matter will be, and I always have to tell them that I cannot guarantee or promise any specifics, other than that they and their families will have the satisfaction of knowing that, whatever happens, everything will be done on their case to work the file properly and get the best possible result in their case. Every effort will be made to ensure that the wheels of justice don't roll over my clients, and I will leave no stone unturned to defend them.

Serving Greater Southern California , and all of Southern California

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