Criminal Defense

The Law Offices of Jay Tanenbaum assist individuals charged with a crime and handle all misdemeanors and felonies, including: DUI, drug crimes, sex crimes, violent crimes, and white collar crimes. Our lawyers have an expertise in addressing the unique challenges that aliens and immigrant face.

Felonies & Misdemeanors

An arrest record or conviction can damage your reputation in the community and make it difficult to keep your job or obtain certain employment or government service.

We utilize our skills and experience to provide you with every avenue of defense, seeking an acquittal (not guilty verdict) or dismissal of charges wherever possible. When a plea bargain is in your best interest, we will advise you of your option and negotiate the best possible outcome in accordance with your wishes.

DUI

DUI arrests are vigorously prosecuted, and offenders tend to be treated more harshly than those convicted of more serious offenses. In addition to a host of criminal penalties beyond fines and jail time, you can also face an administrative suspension of your drivers license and a steep rise in the cost of automobile insurance.

We can represent you in both the criminal matter and the administrative hearing on your license suspension. We understand the defense available and how to attack a prosecution which may be based on faulty diagnostic equipment or subjective field testing.

Drug Crimes

Penalties for a drug conviction can vary widely, depending upon the type of drug and the amount involved, as well as the offense charged. Possession offenses are often charged after “discovering” drugs through questionable or unconstitutional searches. More serious charges, such as distribution, sale, and drug trafficking, are often based on unreliable observations or untrustworthy sources.

Our strong defense makes sure that your constitutional rights are protected and that if the state cannot prove its case, you go free. In situations where a plea bargain is preferable, we seek alternatives to incarceration through drug courts and treatment programs to better address your real-life needs.

Sex Crimes

Conviction of any of a number of “sex offenses,” from lewd and lascivious conduct to sexual assault or rape, can result in the offender being placed on the California Sex Offender Registry. A registered sex offender is severely restricted on where he or she can live or move, and registration in a public database makes it difficult for individuals to move on with their lives in their jobs and in the community. For most people, registration is a lifetime requirement.

Sex offenses are difficult to defend, since jurors often sympathize with the accuser and are predisposed against the defendant. We approach these cases with sensitivity while at the same time zealously fighting for our clients. We also use our experience in both criminal prosecution and defense to influence what charges are filed and whether sex offender registration will be sought.

Violent Crimes

The types of offenses which are classified as violent crimes vary widely. When charged with assault, aggravated assault, robbery, or other violent crime, it is crucial to retain an attorney who understands the technical distinctions and the ways in which different offenses are defined. A conviction for most violent crimes are considered “serious felonies” and “strike offenses” for the purpose of California’s habitual offender law, commonly known as Three Strikes. With only two prior convictions on one’s record, a third arrest and conviction can land one in prison for life as a habitual or repeat offender, even for a relatively minor offense.

We work diligently to make sure that you are not charged with or convicted of a strike offense. We also avail ourselves of all applicable defenses in your case, such as self-defense, defense of others, or the lack of capacity or intent to harm another.

White Collar Crimes

One hallmark of a white collar offense is that the crime is perpetrated through means of fraud or deceit as opposed to force or the threat of force. Traditionally, common examples of white collar crime were offenses such as embezzlement, forgery, and taking money under false pretenses. These days, white collar crimes are prohibited under complex, complicated, and lengthy statutes, where even experts in the field disagree over whether a particular activity is a questionable but acceptable practice or a technical violation of the law. It is easy for people in the banking, finance or securities industries to run afoul of the law, with serious consequences.

Another hallmark of white collar crime is that the police and prosecutors often go through a lengthy investigative phase before filing charges and making arrests. This period is crucial to your defense. If you know you are being investigated for a white collar offense, do not agree to an interview; you are only helping the prosecution build a case against you whether you know it or not and regardless of your innocence. Instead, contact an attorney immediately. We can often influence what charges are filed before they are brought, or even see to it that charges are never filed at all.

Expungements

For people who have been convicted of felonies and misdemeanors, the law provides multiple avenues to allow individuals to clear their name and move forward in their lives. We represent people in obtaining a Dismissal of Conviction following probation, or a Certificate of Rehabilitation following release from prison or court supervision. We also work to remove individuals from the sex offender registry, to reduce felonies to misdemeanors and change strike offenses to non-strike offenses. Our office seeks Deferred Entry of Judgment in applicable drug cases, and works to reduce DUI charges to wet reckless or other charges.

Experienced California Criminal Defense Lawyers

Jay Tanenbaum is a former Deputy District Attorney who understands police and prosecutorial tactics and how to stand up against them. Our office will work to ensure that you receive a fair trial and that your constitutional rights are protected. In addition, we will fight to provide you with a strong, effective defense to charges brought against you. Don’t consent to a search, and don’t talk to the police until you have talked to an attorney. In southern California, contact the Law Offices of Jay J Tanenbaum for a free initial consultation regarding any criminal law matter.