Orange County Three Strikes Defense Lawyers

How We Defend Your Three-Strikes Case

After 30 years of defending Southern Californians against criminal charges, the Tustin strike crime defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich recognize that the three-strikes law can cause injustices. That's why we take every third-strike case extremely seriously. If we are retained to defend a three-strikes case, our first priority is to carefully scrutinize the new charges against our client. Thanks to decades of criminal defense experience and several former prosecutors on staff, we know where to look for flaws and mistakes in criminal cases. Using the facts of the case, rights violations and other errors by the prosecution, we will work to get your charges dropped or dismissed.

When that's not possible, Wallin & Klarich will next look for ways to reduce or drop your charges. Many crimes in California are "wobblers," which means they can be filed as either misdemeanors or felonies. If we believe your case could have been filed as a misdemeanor, we will negotiate with the prosecutor to change it, taking your case out of the running for a three-strikes conviction. The law also allows prosecutors to ask judges not to use the three-strikes law, if they feel that using it would cause a miscarriage of justice. (to strike the strike for purposes of sentencing) If we can't change your felony charge to a misdemeanor charge, or seek to strike a prior strike conviction for purposes of sentencing on the new felony, we will negotiate with the prosecution about not pursuing a three-strikes conviction.

Unfortunately, prosecutors aren't always willing to bargain. When that's the case, we may still be able to stop the three-strikes law by scrutinizing your previous strikes. In some cases, it may not be clear whether a previous crime was truly a strike. For example, a strike from another state or the federal judicial system must include all the elements of a crime that's a strike in California. The prosecution must prove this, and Wallin & Klarich can mount a defense showing that the previous crime would not be a strike in our state.

Finally, Wallin & Klarich may still be able to help if your case goes to a jury trial. In addition to mounting an aggressive defense on the facts of the case, we can intervene at the sentencing stage. California law allows judges to ignore a prior strike on your record when a sentence of 25 years to life in prison would be unfair and disproportionate to the crime. When this is the case, we will do everything in our power to convince the judge to "strike the strike" and to sentence the defendant just like any other defendant -- with a sentence that serves justice. This can mean the difference between a few years in prison and a few decades.

The law firm of Wallin & Klarich has defended Southern California residents facing serious criminal charges for more than three decades. That long experience -- and the former prosecutors on our staff -- means we have the knowledge, the experience and the resources to win your case. We know the judges and jurors we work with, and we understand how the system works in each of the local courts where we work. We're proud of our strong record of successful criminal defense, including defense of serious three-strikes crimes like murder, assault, burglary, theft and sex crimes.

At Wallin & Klarich, we believe that everyone deserves a complete and enthusiastic defense, no matter what the charges may be. As experienced California three strike crime defense attorneys, we understand that criminal charges cause a lot of anxiety and strain for defendants and their families. That's why we're committed to always being available for our clients -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every day of the year. By the same token, we maintain offices throughout Southern California, from San Diego to Ventura to the Inland Empire, so we can always be where our clients need us. And in recognition of our community's diversity, we maintain staff members who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Farsi and Japanese as well as English. We promise to be there when you call.

If you're facing three-strikes charges in California, you're facing serious, life-changing criminal penalties. You need the expert legal counsel of Wallin & Klarich. For a free evaluation of your case, call us today at 1-888-287-3485. The stakes are simply too high to wait.

At Wallin & Klarich, we approach every case with the belief that the person we're defending could easily be one of our own family members. We've seen firsthand how stressful legal matters can be for our clients and their loved ones. We are committed to being available to our clients at all times -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you or someone you love is facing criminal charges in Southern California, you should call Wallin & Klarich today for a free evaluation of your case. Call 1-888-287-3485 or fill out our online consultation form to get in contact with a legal professional today. We will be there when you call.