Whittier, California is a town in Southeastern Los Angeles County, near the border with Orange County.  Neighboring communities include:  Norwalk, Downey, Pico Rivera, Montebello, El Monte, Hacienda Heights, West Covina, La Puente, Rowland Heights, La Habra, Fullerton, Buena Park, Cerritos and Bellflower.  According to the City of Whittier's website, there are roughly 85,000 residents in the suburban community.  Whittier is a moderately diverse community, with a Hispanic/Latino majority. 

There used to be a Whittier Courthouse, but the building closed in 2013.  Criminal cases from Whittier are now heard at the Downey, Norwalk and Bellflower Courthouses.  In 2004, the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility in Whittier closed its doors as well.  Whittier has its own police department, but does not handle its own criminal prosecutions.  If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Whittier, your alleged crime will be aggressively prosecuted in LA Superior Court by the LA District Attorney's office. 

Whittier is a fairly safe community, but criminal offenses, arrests, and criminal charges are fairly frequent.  The most common offenses include: DRUG CRIMES, DUI, DUI CAUSING INJURY, DUI W/ PRIOR, FELONY DUI, VIOLENT CRIMES, THEFT CRIMES, PROSTITUTION/SOLICITATION, WEAPONS OFFENSES, SEX CRIMES, HOMICIDE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,JUVENILE OFFENSES, PROBATION VIOLATIONS and more.  If you or a loved one has been arrested or charged with a crime in Whittier (or anywhere else in LA County for that matter), it is important that you have experienced, passionate representation.  Let our office fight for your rights now.  Call 213-375-3775 for a Free Consultation with a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney.  We can go through the events leading up to your arrest or charges, the defenses you may have, and what to expect in court.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ARRESTS AND CRIMINAL CHARGES YOU MIGHT FACE IN WHITTIER:
1.  John, a Whittier resident was convicted of DUI two years ago.  He had a license at the time, but has not yet completed the alcohol class needed to restore his driving privilege.  One evening, John is pulled over by Whittier Police.  John has not been drinking, but refuses a breathalyzer on the scene and at the station.  John is arrested for driving on a suspended license and a possible violation of probation.  In court, John is facing a new charge of VC 14601.2 (driving while privilege is suspended for DUI) as well as violations of probation for (1) driving without a valid license, and (2) refusing to submit to a chemical test as ordered by a peace officer, both conditions of his probation.  John faces mandatory jail time in court, and faces a one year license suspension from the DMV for a refusal.  John's lawyer sets up a DMV hearing to challenge the refusal, arguing that the officer did not properly advise John of his obligation to provide a sample, and also that the officer did not have reasonable suspicion to stop John.  In court, John's lawyer makes the same argument, and files a motion to suppress the evidence due to a bad traffic stop.  The video footage from the patrol vehicle's dash cam shows good driving, and does not appear to offer a real justification for the stop.  If the judge agrees, the case could be thrown out.  If the motion is denied, John's lawyer will have to help John get his license back and work out a deal for a lesser charge and no jail time.

2.  Nadia is shopping at Target in Whittier, when she is approached by store loss prevention officers (store security).  The LPOs accuse Nadia of taking several cosmetics items and concealing them in her purse.  She is brought to a back room, where the officers recover approximately $60 worth of merchandise from Nadia's purse.  The LPOs call the police, who come and cite Nadia for petty theft.  She is not arrested, but is given a date to appear in Court.  Nadia hires a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer to represent her on the matter.  Nadia's lawyer is able to persuade the court to allow Nadia to perform some community service in exchange for a dismissal of her case.  No guilty plea is ever entered and she will have no criminal conviction.

3.  Nate is a frequent user of methamphetamine with several arrests on his record for possession and theft offenses.  Several of his priors were treated as felonies, but now qualify for a reduction to a misdemeanor pursuant to Prop 47.  Nate is arrested for possession of methamphetamine for sale, and is brought before a judge, where he is charged with HS 11378.  This charge makes him ineligible for diversion, a misdemeanor, or a Prop 36 drug program.  Additionally, he faces up to three years in Prison.  Nate hires an experienced criminal defense attorney to handle to case.  Nate's lawyer will: (1) challenge the search that led to discovery of the drugs, (2) challenge whether there is any evidence of an intent to sell, (3) argue that any drugs were for personal use, and (4) get all eligible prior felonies reduced to misdemeanors. 

Being arrested and facing criminal charges can be the most stressful time in your life.  A criminal conviction can ruin everything you have worked so hard to accomplish, and could affect your job, license, school, and even liberty and immigration status.  If you have been arrested or charged with a crime, we know how to best protect you from those possible consequences and have a great track record of helping people charged with a broad range of offenses achieve tremendous results.  You need a lawyer who will really fight for you, asserting your rights and defenses and working hard to get you results.

CALL NOW FOR A FREE CONSULTATION 213-375-3775