Legal "Second Opinions"

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Former Police & Prosecutors...
Now California Criminal Defense Attorneys

Our California criminal defense attorneys handle misdemeanor, felony, DUI and juvenile cases throughout Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Orange County, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Our staff of California criminal lawyers includes three former prosecutors and two former career police officers. Together with our private detectives and forensic experts, we work as a team, drawing on more than half a century of law enforcement experience.

We know firsthand how cops and district attorneys put together cases. We used to be in their shoes. We have the playbook. Now we use this insider knowledge to your advantage in fighting your criminal charges.

An Aggressive, Proactive Approach to all Cases

Some California criminal defense lawyers take a wait-and-see approach. They stall until the first court date, or until they receive the police reports, before investigating and working up your case.

By contrast, we believe there’s no time to waste. The most critical window for defense work may be the first few days following an arrest, or even prior to formal charges being filed. By getting to work immediately, often we can locate favorable defense evidence and witnesses, and get a "head start" towards defeating the charges.

Private Defense Investigation by Former Police

Make no mistake. Cops concern themselves mainly with aiding the prosecution and building up a case against you. They should not be relied upon to gather favorable evidence that helps exonerate their suspect. They are not on your side.

Our private defense investigators are all former career police officers. But now their job is to find the evidence that will benefit you. We assign them to re-interview and locate witnesses, to canvass neighborhoods, to obtain surveillance tapes, to do background checks on key prosecution witnesses, and to locate evidence to corroborate our client’s version of the events.

Knowing the Local Courts

Every county and every courthouse has its own way of doing things. The criminal court process in Los Angeles County, for example, differs significantly from the process in San Bernardino. But even within San Bernardino County, the procedures at the central courthouse vary considerably from Rancho Cucamonga or Victorville.

We assign each of our California criminal defense attorneys to a specific set of courthouses. By working day in and day out in the same places, we develop trusting relationships with judges, prosecutors, probation officers and court staff. Moreover, we know how things work in particular courtrooms, and with particular prosecuting agencies. We’ve learned whom to talk to, who has discretion, and the most effective ways to get the job done.

Close Personal Contact with Your Attorney

Facing criminal charges traumatizes people. Nothing compounds the stress more than the inability to reach your attorney.

At the Shouse Law Group, we put a premium on the accessibility of our California criminal defense lawyers and support staff. We’re here to provide moral and emotional support as well as legal representation. To do this, we observe two policies:

1. Every client phone call, email or text is returned the same day; and



2. Every client gets the personal cell phone number of his/her attorney and the lawyer’s assistant

Not only does this provide you the assurance of knowing you can reach your lawyer at critical times. It also helps us to do our job more effectively.

We find that close client interaction is pivotal to our work. Our clients are the best resource for understanding what happened and who the key players are in the case. We want to hear from you, and you’ll definitely be hearing from us…as together we map out the story and put together the best defense possible.

Early Intervention Before Charges Get Filed

Sometimes it’s possible to stop criminal charges from ever being filed.

After making an arrest or investigating a suspected crime, the police take their evidence to the district attorney. The D.A. evaluates the potential case and decides what criminal charges (if any) to file. Usually, the prosecutor makes this decision based solely on what the police present. But often there’s much more to the story.

Many times our California criminal lawyers can also meet with the D.A. during this same time period. We can present our witness statements, our evidence and ourinformation.

Knowing your side of the story may affect the D.A.’s calculations. When the prosecutors see the whole picture, not just what the cops (or the alleged "victim") have to say, they may decide to file lesser charges (a misdemeanor rather than a felony, for example)…or not to file criminal charges at all (we call this a "D.A. Reject").

los angeles criminal defense attorneys

Perhaps you already have a California criminal defense lawyer. Your case has been pending for awhile. Your attorney advises you on a certain case strategy…such as accepting the D.A.’s offer, or taking the case to trial. Now you face a major life decision. And you’re just not sure what to do.

We can evaluate your case and offer our independent judgment as to your various options and the merits of each. Much like a patient may see another doctor for a "second opinion" before deciding whether to undergo an elective surgery, we can give you a legal second opinion.

In the end, we may concur with your present attorney’s position. Or we may not. Or we may suggest a totally different approach. But our advice to you will be (a) unbiased, (b) independent, (c) looking only to your best interests, and (d) based on a careful analysis of all the facts and law.