COVID-19 Criminal Law Impact

LOS ANGELES CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

First off, WE ARE OPEN, and working hard to protect the safety, rights, and liberty of our clients during this global health pandemic.  For the safety of our team, clients, and community, we have moved most consultations to be conducted via telephone, as well as seeking accommodations from courts to permit remote court appearances and to excuse our clients from unnecessary court appearances.

As if incarceration and the rapid global spread of a deadly virus were not independently scary enough, those in correctional facilities at this time are especially vulnerable due to overcrowding (previously discussed here for jails and here for prisons), unsanitary conditions, and lack of access to adequate healthcare.  Jail and prison inmates live in close proximity to one another, are not given ample opportunity to wash hands, and jails are filthy (perhaps most true of Los Angeles County).  Further, staff and other visitors, who have daily contact with the outside world, go in and out in large numbers, exposing inmates to risk of infection.  In other words, like nursing homes, jails are a severe health hazard, especially during these difficult times. 

In response to the pandemic, courts have moved to more limited operations, as well as permitting more court appearances by phone, without the requirement of the defendant's personal presence, and have put off some procedures such as jury trials (which require many people to be together in one room, risking the health and safety of the attorneys, the jurors, and of course our clients).  In some cases, these delays are not the end of the world, notably for defendants who are out of custody.

Additionally, courts have adopted an emergency bail schedule to permit many defendants who have pending charges to remain out of custody on their own recognizance, or at least at substantially reduced bail.  Bail for serious, violent offenses is generally still required, but can be lowered with a bail motion by a skilled criminal defense attorney.  Our office has recently assisted in the release on reduced bail of clients facing charges as serious as murder and attempted murder.  NOTE:  Our firm deals with a significant number of serious and violent felonies, even having a dedicated unit for life cases.

Presently, crime, arrests, and prosecutions are down, but the uncertainty of our economy and vast unemployment may soon result in a spike in all three.  Staying out of trouble will become increasingly more difficult, but it is important that we all do our best.  Jail, prison, and even court, are not places that we want to be during this crisis.  In the event that you or a loved one is arrested or charged with a crime, we are here to help.

It is likely that both during this pandemic, and once we are able to resume normal activity, the courts and prosecuting agencies will be dealing with a significant backlog of cases, which can drastically benefit our clients.  By maintaining manageable caseloads, we are able to devote individual attention to our clients' needs and concerns, and are here to work out the best possible outcomes in these cases.  In cases where our clients are in custody, we aim to get them out as quickly as possible, whether by securing a lowered bail amount, or obtaining a disposition that will result in the nearest release possible.  If you or a loved one is currently facing criminal charges in Los Angeles, know that having an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side may be more vital than ever before.

Our firm offers free consultations, now being done primarily over the phone for the health and safety of all involved.  If you have legal questions regarding a new or pending case, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Loncar now for a Free Consultation.  Our office number is 213-375-3775.  With much of our staff working remotely, we may not be able to answer every call, but if you leave a brief message, we will be able to get back to you very quickly to answer any questions you may have.  FREE CONSULTATIONS WITH A LOS ANGELES CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY   213-375-3775.  You can also reach us by filling out the contact form on the right side of this page.

OTHER RESOURCES:
LA County Court Covid-19 Updates
Court and other LA County facility closures
News article about modified bail schedules
LA County Sheriff's Department Inmate Search
LA County Superior Court

PLEASE STAY SAFE during this difficult time, and know that the Law Offices of Nicholas Loncar are here to help you through this unusually difficult time.

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