- Criminal DefenseContact our law firm today, or use the confidential form to the right to gain a better understanding of what you are facing and what a skilled criminal defense lawyer can do to make it better. There is no charge for the initial consultation.
- DUI/DWIA skilled DUI defense lawyer can, in many cases, beat the suspension at a hearing (even if the BAC is very high). The fact is, many police officers and health professionals who are involved with the collection and testing of blood and breath for alcohol are either poorly trained in this regard or choose not to apply their training in certain important respects. Whatever you do, don't try to judge what your chances of success are at a DMV hearing on a DUI-related suspension. You should talk with a lawyer who frequently represents people at DMV hearings, and wins, before the initial 10 days have lapsed. If you are in need of legal representation at a DMV hearing, please contact us to make arrangements.
- Traffic ViolationsIn cases where an arrest occurred and the authorities decline to pursue any charges, the event is thereafter considered a "detention"; not an "arrest". Detentions are not as damaging to a person's reputation as are arrests. Consider that a detention occurs every time a police officer pulls someone over to issue them a traffic ticket. An arrest implies, very powefully, that the individual arrested did something serious enough to be handcuffed and taken to jail. What's worse is that questions such as, "have you ever been arrested?" will be asked down the line (properly or not). If you were fortunate enough to have had your case rejected for prosecution, either by the arresting agency or the local prosecutor's office, you need to be aware of this key legal distinction in how the event should be described. More than that, they are legally entitled to a "Certificate of Detention Only" and the event should be removed as an arrest from their record by the California Department of Justice and all other law enforcement records.
- Sex Crimes"Mr. Makler was great. He was very knowledgeable and handled my situation with care. I was wrongfully arrested for sexual assault/battery. I was released on bail after one night in jail. That is when I contacted Mr. Makler. He wrote an outstanding letter to the DA, which convinced him/her to drop the charges against me. I then thought that I was in the clear, but Mr. Makler let me know that there was still a booking order in my name and could be seen by prospective employers and others, so then he went about filing a petition to seal and destroy the arrest record for me. This petition was granted and now I feel great knowing that this situation is over and done with.
- Theft
- MisdemeanorsThere are a variety of ways through which you MAY be able to reduce the negative effects of many criminal convictions and juvenile adjudications. Among them are the remedy commonly referred to as expungement. Other remedies include the reduction of a felony to a misdemeanor, plea withdrawal, pardons, and the sealing of a juvenile record. They each function differently and may or may not apply to the conviction or adjudication at hand, depending on timing and many other factors. Moreover, it is important to recognize that none of these remedies function like a " time machine " to enable you to go back in history and undo something which, fundamentally, cannot be undone. However, they can, in some circumstances, allow you to move ahead with your life (and career plans) without being unduly dragged down by one or more past events. To find out more about what, if any, of these remedies you may be eligible for, you may contact us for a free initial consultation. However, we require that the conviction(s)/adjudication(s) you are seeking to remedy took place in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. If you were never convicted of the crime for which you were arrested, or had the conviction set aside post-conviction, be sure to ask an attorney about your eligibility for the "Cadillac" of all reputational remedies: a finding of factual innocence. This remedy can even cause the expungement of a booking record. It may, however, be a good idea to take a look at what actually shows up on your record before consulting a lawyer about how to remove or modify a conviction or booking record.
- Drug CrimesContact us. We can help. Being accused of selling or possessing drugs can lead to terrible and long-lasting consequences. Being found guilty of many of these charges can lead to jail time, a hefty fine and an indelible criminal record. If you are facing one or more drug charges it is imperative that you obtain the help of a skilled attorney as soon as possible, to ensure that your rights are not abused. You need an experienced Santa Barbara drug possession lawyer fighting for you.
- Assault
- Property DamageThe consequences of a DUI with one or more prior DUI's (within the last 10 years), or a DUI with other aggravating facts, such as injuries, deaths, major property damage, resisting/evading arrest, and driving without a valid driving privilege, can be very severe, and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.