La Mirada Criminal Defense Lawyer

La Mirada Criminal Defense Attorney

Kareem Aref is a dedicated La Mirada criminal defense lawyer capable of seeing your case all the way to the end. Since he has great relationships with prosecutors, he is skilled at negotiating deals for his clients.

If you need an experienced private criminal defense lawyer, the team at Shield Law is ready to listen to your side of the story. We’re not looking for easy cases – we are looking to provide quality legal assistance.

Mr. Aref is a master at negotiations and after he investigates your case, he can explain the options for your case and discuss possible plea deals. Rest assured, if negotiations fail, Mr. Aref has an impeccable track record in court and can help build a strong defense case for you. The whole team at Shield Law can fight to protect your rights.

What Is The Criminal Defense Process?

1. Prefiling DefenseWhen you are confronted with a police investigation, don’t take a chance. Hire Shield Law early to ensure that you are protected during the officer’s investigation. When you hire Shield Law early, you get the best chance to stop the case before it even starts.
2. Trial and NegotiationsMr. Aref uses his experience coordinating police investigations as a specialized Deputy District Attorney to know what the police reports are missing, where the weak points in the case are, and what the best strategy is to win your case.
3. Trial ConsultingMr. Aref, or Professor Aref as his students know him, has been teaching and training up and coming lawyers in trial skills for years. Now working with the Nationally renowned trial program at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, the Professor is an asset for your firm to prepare for trials or to hire as trial counsel for your case.

What Cases Fall Under the Scope of Criminal Defense?

Criminal defense cases cover a wide range of changes that all present their own unique legal challenges. A skilled defense lawyer knows how to protect the rights of their clients, regardless of which category their case falls under.

Some of the most common cases we help defend include:

Assault & Battery

An assault and battery charge happens when someone is accused of harming or threatening to harm someone else. The differentiation between the two involves contact. An assault involves an intentional act to create a fear of harm, while battery is the actual physical contact. This can be in the form of hitting, punching, or pushing. Penalties will vary greatly under this category, as it often depends on how severe someone’s injuries were and whether a weapon was used or not.

Bench Warrants

A bench warrant is issued by a judge anytime an individual fails to comply with a specific court order, like a missed court appearance or paying a fine. These warrants authorize law enforcement to arrest the individual in question and bring them in front of the court. If someone were to ignore a bench warrant, it could escalate the situation even more. This could bring on extra charges or penalties that could have otherwise been avoided.

Domestic Violence

Cases of domestic violence are when someone accuses someone else of abuse or acting in a violent manner. This is typically in close relationships, like between two spouses or another family member. These cases can include physical violence, emotional abuse, stalking, or even threats of harm. It’s not unusual for domestic violence cases to result in protective orders, which can restrict someone’s access to their home or family until a final verdict is reached.

Drug Crimes

Most drug crimes are categorized by the presence of a controlled substance, such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, or prescription drug. These charges can accuse someone of either being in possession of the drugs or manufacturing them with the intent to distribute. The more involved the actions are and their impact on others, the more severe the penalties could be.

Felony Defense

Being charged with a felony is one of the most severe categories of criminal offenses one could face. This includes crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and grand theft. When someone is convicted of a felony, they are likely subjected to lengthy prison sentences, hefty fines, and a permanent mark on their criminal record. Because the stakes are often high in these cases, it’s common for a defense strategy to try entering a plea bargain to reduce the charge.

Homicide

A homicide charge involves the unlawful killing of someone else. This can either be a murder or manslaughter charge. The difference between the two is that a murder charge means that someone has the intent to kill, while manslaughter recognizes that the defendant engaged in reckless behavior without intending to harm anyone else. Common homicide defense strategies include focusing on disproving intent or suggesting the defendant acted in self-defense.

Probation Violation

Anytime someone is accused of violating the terms of their probation, like failing a drug test or missing a required meeting with their parole officer, this is considered a crime. Violating probation has its own set of legal consequences outside of what someone was already convicted of. A defense attorney will work with clients facing this charge to help show that the violation in question was not as it seems.

Theft Crimes

Theft crimes involve taking something unlawfully from someone else. It is defined as an individual’s intentional action to deprive the victim of the item permanently. The most common examples of this include shoplifting, burglary, robbery, and embezzlement. Theft crimes vary in severity. This depends on factors like how valuable the stolen property was and whether or not the individual used force to carry out the act.

FAQs

Contact Shield Law, APC Today

If you have been accused of criminal behavior, contact our law firm today. We can help ensure you are fully prepared for the process, advocate for your rights, and maximize the odds of achieving the outcome you’re looking for. We look forward to meeting you and learning more about how we can help.