Torrance Criminal Defense Lawyers

Skilled counsel you can trust

When losing is not an option, we know how to fight any criminal charge including Torrance assault, battery, criminal immigration, drug, DUI, domestic violence, federal, felony, misdemeanor, professional license, sex, theft, white collar and violent crimes.

Read client reviews and you’ll see that our compassionate Torrance criminal attorneys are laser-focused on protecting you in the criminal justice system.

Call us at (424) 340-7220 for a Free consultation. We offer affordable fees and flexible payment plans.

Torrance criminal defense resources

• Guide to fighting criminal charges
• Guide how to beat DUI charges
• Types of criminal charges 
• Noncitizen criminal defense
• Professional license criminal defense
• Guide to DUI penalties and laws
• Torrance arrest process 
• About Torrance courthouse
• How we help you
• Frequently asked questions

Award-winning Torrance criminal attorneys

Chudnovsky Law’s team of criminal defense lawyers are strategic thinkers that listen to your goals and provide expert counsel in some of life’s most difficult scenarios.

We are equally adept at resolving your case in LA Superior Courts and Federal court. Our team has spent over six decades fighting for the rights of the accused.

Equally adept at trials and plea deals

While we live for court battles, we understand the most important thing is to obtain the best possible outcome for you. That may come from a negotiated dismissal, well crafted plea deal or acquittal in a hard-fought jury trial.

No matter how tough your case turns out to be, you can count on our battle-tested Torrance criminal defense attorneys and DUI attorneys to find the best path for you:

• Tsion Chudnovsky has been practicing criminal defense and criminal immigration defense in California since 2002. Tsion is an accomplished defense attorney with experience handling every type of DUI, misdemeanor or felony crime. She has an exceptional reputation as a tenacious and strategic attorney who implements winning defense strategies. Tsion is fluent in five languages and has an exceptional track record defending both U.S. citizens and foreign citizens.
• Robert Weinberg is a renowned former prosecutor that has been practicing law since 1981. Robert is a state and Federal criminal defense lawyer and professional license defense attorney. He has an exceptional record successfully handling over 5,000 cases and jury trials. Robert is a leading authority in criminal law and professional licensing law and their complex intersection for nurses, doctors and other healthcare licensees. Robert is fluent in five languages.
• Suzanne Crouts has been practicing criminal and DUI defense since 2002. Suzanne is a criminal defense lawyer and professional license defense attorney with an exceptional track record handling over 1,500 cases and trials. Suzanne is known and respected by judges and district attorneys alike throughout LA courts.
• Kareem Aref is an experienced Former Prosecutor and nationally recognized trial lawyer that has successfully handled thousands of cases. As a Former DA, Kareem has law enforcement relationships and a deep understanding of how DAs build their cases, and how to craft the most effective defense strategies.

Top-rated criminal defense attorneys

Clients, lawyer ratings committees and professional colleagues alike have rated Chudnovsky Law amongst the best criminal attorneys in California:

• Top 100 Trial Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers
• 5 Star rating by Martindale
• Best criminal defense attorneys in LA rating by Expertise
• 10.0 Lawyer rating by Justia
• 5 Star rating on Google

When your life and reputation are on the line, you can count on us to work hard and fight tirelessly to secure the most favorable result possible in Torrance Court.

Call (424) 340-7220 for a Free Consultation and answers to all your questions.

Types of Torrance criminal and DUI charges

Our criminal defense attorney in Torrance can represent you for any criminal justice matters in Torrance Superior Court including: bail bond hearings, criminal investigations, recalling warrants, DA negotiation, protective restraining orders, probation/parole violations, misdemeanor and felony crime court trials, appeals and record expungement.

We handle all Torrance felony and misdemeanor criminal charges:

• Assault and battery crimes
• DMV admin per se DUI hearings
• Domestic violence
• Drug crimes
• DUI, DUI drugs, DUI with injury, felony DUI
• Federal crimes
• Theft crimes
• Sex crimes
• Violent crimes
• White collar fraud
• Criminal immigration matters
• Professional license
• See all practice areas

Our Los Angeles felony lawyer serves all of Torrance, CA and surrounding areas, including Old Town Torrance, Delthorne, Rancho Palos Verdes, Walteria, Southwood, Southwood Riviera, Torrance Beach, Bridgedale and West Torrance.

Pre-arrest investigation defense

If you are under investigation by law enforcement, but haven’t been charged yet, our experienced Los Angeles misdemeanor attorney can help. Clients often hire us for pre-arrest representation during Police interviews and investigations with the objective avoiding the filing of criminal charges, or reducing them before they are filed.

We can provide pre-arrest defense in front of all police agencies, including:

• Torrance police department
• Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
• L.A. Police Department
• FBI or DEA federal investigations
• Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office
• DCA professional license investigations

Our attorneys have the capability to handle specialized criminal defense cases involving professional health care licensing or U.S. immigration laws.

Torrance criminal immigration lawyer

Noncitizens that have been arrested or charged with a crime face more serious consequences than U.S. citizens. Criminal charges and arrests can trigger visa revocations, deportation and affect citizenship and green card applications.

Tsion Chudnovsky is a top-rated Torrance criminal and immigration attorney qualified to handle criminal defense for non-US citizens such as permanent residents, international F1 visa students, visa holders (H-1b, E-2, L-1, L-2, O-1 …) and DACA recipients.

As a nationally recognized criminal immigration lawyer, Tsion is knowledgeable about how to minimize immigration consequences for noncitizens charged with a crime.

Medical & nurse license criminal defense

California licensed professionals must be very careful when facing criminal or DUI charges, DCA investigation or allegations of misconduct. An arrest or conviction can trigger Department of Consumer Affairs investigations and board disciplinary actions.

Torrance nurses, medical doctors, pharmacists, chiropractors, dentist and dental hygienists all face heightened scrutiny and risks to their license that require a professional license defense attorney to resolve.

Robert Weinberg, Suzanne Crouts, and Melissa DuChene are experienced criminal defense lawyers and Los Angeles professional license defense attorneys adept at handling criminal defense and license board investigation cases for all Torrance healthcare license specialities, including:

• Nurse license defense attorney California
• Los Angeles medical license defense attorney
• Dental Board of California investigation attorney
• Board of Chiropractic Examiners investigation lawyer
• Pharmacy license lawyer Los Angeles

Our lawyers handle all criminal matters for professional licensees including: Torrance nurse DUI, DUI medical license, nurse criminal defense, billing insurance fraud, sexual misconduct, California MBC disciplinary actions and DEA registrant drug issues. In addition to individuals, we represent health care businesses, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, Torrance skilled nursing facilities, hospitals and senior care facilities.

Call (213) 212-5002 to speak with our attorneys.

Torrance criminal arrest process

If you’re arrested for a crime in Torrance, you’ll be taken to city jail where you’ll be booked, photographed and fingerprinted. It’s important to call a criminal defense attorney at this time to assist you with questioning, bail, resolving the police investigation and any other further steps your case may require.

1. Torrance City Jail: After arrest, you will be taken to Torrance City Jail at 3300 Civic Center Dr, Torrance, CA 90503. The jail is one of the largest city jails in Los Angeles County. For inmate information, call (310) 618-5631. This jail is a temporary holding facility used until you are released or transferred to LA County jail.
2. LA County Jail: If you’re not offered or cannot pay bail, you will be transferred to LA County Jail. You can locate inmates held in county custody using the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s online inmate search tool.
3. Court appearance: Criminal cases are heard at the Torrance Courthouse at 825 Maple Ave. Torrance, CA 90503. For court information, call (310) 787-3700.
4. Bail: Bail can be posted at the Torrance Police Station at any time. You may pay with cash, a cashier’s check or a bail bond.

Torrance bail amounts

• Bail for Torrance inmates are set by judges based on the LA Superior Court bail schedules: Felony bail schedule | Misdemeanor bail schedule.

How court penalties are set

• Torrance crime penalties and fines are set at the judge’s discretion within parameters explained in the Judicial Council Uniform Penalty Schedules.

Torrance crime

The Torrance Police Department reports city crime statistics and crime data by neighborhood on the Torrance crime map.

Torrance Pay to Stay – Inmate Worker Program

The City of Torrance has a Pay to Stay – Inmate Worker Program. The cost is $99 per day. For information call the Torrance Jail Supervisor at (310) 618-5638.

The Pay to Stay program is a type of private jail, where those sentenced to jail time can pay to be housed separately from the jail’s general population. Participants have minimal exposure to other inmates and are expected to assist with minor chores, such as food preparation, laundry, trash removal and cleaning. The program is only available to defendants who have been convicted of non-violent crimes.

⤓ Download Pay to Stay Inmate Worker Program Application

Automatic criminal record expungement

California enacted the “Clean Slate Act” new criminal law in 2021 that will automatically erase records of criminal conviction when certain conditions are met.

Torrance courthouse

Torrance courthouse is one of twenty-four Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal court locations. The court is in the Southwest Judicial District of Los Angeles at:

TORRANCE COURTHOUSE
825 Maple Ave
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 787-3700
Google Map

Torrance Superior Court information

The Torrance court building is open 8:15am to 4:30pm, Monday – Friday. Court clerk’s offices are open 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday – Friday.

Criminal cases in Torrance court are prosecuted by either the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office in Torrance or the Torrance City Attorney’s Office.

• Courtrooms: The court contains 18 courtrooms. You can locate which of 5 floors your courtroom is located on here.
• Matters handled: civil, criminal, family and traffic violations
• Court process: Torrance follows standard criminal case procedures found here.
• Judges: Information about Torrance courthouse judges can be found here.
• Jury: Jury duty and juror information can be found here.
• Parking: Public and juror parking is available in the parking lot on Maple Ave. (north of the courthouse).

How a Torrance criminal defense attorney helps you

When you’re facing DUI or criminal charges that can have life-changing consequences, you need an attorney who understands the Torrance court system.

The attorneys at Chudnovsky Law can assist with:

1) Law enforcement interviews

If you’re accused of a crime, you’ll be questioned by prosecutors and police officers. You should never answer questions or agree to these interviews without your lawyer present. Our attorneys will be there, helping you through questioning, protecting you from unfair questions, and making sure you don’t say anything that will harm your defense.

2) Bail hearings

Our attorneys can assist with bail hearings, and work to reduce or eliminate bail. We can also help with bail bonds by helping you secure an attractive 7% bail bond rate, instead of the standard 10%.

3) Negotiating plea bargains

Most criminal cases are settled outside of the courtroom through case dismissals or plea bargains. In fact, only 2% of all felony cases in California were settled by trial for fiscal year 2013-2014. This statistic understates the rate for those with private counsel because it includes a large number of defendants that cannot afford to hire a lawyer.

Our attorneys will fight to get the charges dismissed or negotiate with prosecutors for a fair plea agreement and/or alternative sentencing that minimizes penalties and may result in charges being dismissed after a probationary period.

4) Courtroom hearings and motions

Court appearances are a necessary inconvenience that can complicate your work and family life. Our attorneys can make most of your court appearances on your behalf, so you can focus on getting your life back on track.

In felony and domestic violence cases, you may be required to make some court appearances, and your attorney will be right there by your side to guide you.

5) Court or jury trial

If you choose to decide your case by trial, our attorneys have the courtroom skills and trial experience to skillfully challenge any evidence presented against you. We know how to fight the prosecutor’s charges and win your case.

Felony and misdemeanor criminal convictions

A criminal conviction can follow you for the rest of your life. A criminal record can make it hard to get a job or keep the one you had prior to arrest. Depending on the crime, you may be prohibited from working in certain fields and you may lose your right to vote.

In 2018, 65.7% of adult felony arrests in California resulted in conviction. If you want to avoid the consequences of a criminal conviction, you need the help of an experienced attorney with a history of success.

Penalties for crimes committed in Torrance can include:

• Misdemeanors: Less than one year in jail and fines up to $1,000
• Felonies: More than one year in prison and thousands of dollars in fines

Along with legal penalties, you may face other consequences, like:

1. A permanent criminal record
2. Damage to your reputation
3. Difficulty receiving or keeping a professional license
4. Immigration consequences or deportation
5. Lose your right to vote
6. Lose your right to own a firearm

The life and legal consequences of a criminal conviction can put a strain on your family. Relationships with friends, family and life partners can be damaged or destroyed.

Hire a top Torrance criminal defense lawyer today

You need the help of an experienced legal professional if you want the best chance of beating a criminal charge. The highly skilled attorneys at Chudnovsky Law are legal experts with decades of experience that help tilt the scales of justice in your favor.

Call us today for a Free consultation at (424) 340-7220.

Frequently asked questions

How can I find out if I have a warrant?

Every state has its own warrant database. You can check to see if you have a warrant by:

• Searching local government records. Many Sheriff’s departments and local courts allow the public to search their database. However, warrants for family law, domestic violence and juvenile cases may be hidden.
• Contacting the U.S. District Court. If you’re searching for a Federal warrant, check with the U.S. Marshals or Federal District Court.
• Contact the Torrance Police Department at (310) 328-3456. The police can check for warrants for free.

READ MORE: Complete guide to how to find, clear a warrant →

Will my case go to trial?

Your lawyer will make a recommendation, but you will make the decision whether to decide your case by trial. The majority of criminal cases are settled outside of the courtroom. In some cases, charges may not be filed or are reduced. Most are settled through plea agreements negotiated with a prosecutor.

Do I really need a lawyer?

Yes. If you are facing criminal charges, no matter how minor the issue, it is in your best interest to hire a lawyer. Do not answer questions or sign anything without your Santa Monica criminal defense attorney present.

The criminal justice system makes it extremely difficult to represent yourself. An experienced attorney understands the intricacies of the law, how to use all the protections built into the court process to protect you and build an argument in your defense.

What happens if I violate my probation for the first time?

If you violate your probation for the first time in Torrance, you may face serious consequences, including:

• Jail time
• Counseling
• Drug treatment
• Community service

In some cases, the judge may add additional conditions to your probation, including:

• Abstaining from drug and alcohol use
• Undergoing regular drug tests
• Having to contact a probation office regularly

The judge may extend the length of your probation, or may even revoke it completely if the violation is serious.