Westminster Criminal Defense Lawyer

West Justice Center expertise

Our distinguished Westminster lawyers include a former Orange County prosecutor and lawyers that have handled over 8,000 cases and jury trials. We have extensive experience in the Westminster court West Justice Center and all OC courthouses.

We will help to: 

1. Resolve police investigations to get charges dropped before filed
2. Argue to lower or remove bail
3. Work with the DA and judge to achieve a positive outcome
4. Skillfully fight your case in a court trial, if required

Trusted counsel when you need it most

Read client reviews and you’ll see why clients entrust us with defending their lives. We know your case deserves urgency and a strong defense. We will dedicate ourselves to your case, and draw on our vast experience as prosecutors to mount your defense.

Call us at (949) 750-2500 for a Free consultation. We offer affordable fees and flexible payment plans.

Westminster defense resources

• Criminal and DUI cases we handle
• Noncitizen criminal defense
• Professional license criminal defense
• How to beat Westminster criminal charges
• How to fight drink driving charges
• Guide to DUI laws and penalties
• Understanding the arrest process
• About Westminster courthouse
• Misdemeanors and felonies explained
• Frequently asked questions

Award-winning lawyers fighting for your rights

Attorneys Tsion Chudnovsky, Robert Weinberg, Melissa DuChene, David Stein, Kareem Aref, Suzanne Crouts, and Nicole Enyart have stellar reputations as respected, compassionate criminal defense attorneys, skillfully guiding clients through some of life’s most treacherous situations and delivering excellent case results.

They have been named Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers and are nationally recognized legal authorities featured in news media including CBS News, NBC News, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post.

ABOUT OUR LAWYERS

5-Star ratings ★★★★★

Chudnovsky Law attorneys are committed to helping you achieve the best outcome for your case. Our experienced, tenacious lawyers work hard to achieve your goals.

Favorable results have earned us a Best criminal defense lawyers in Orange County rating by Expertise and top drink driving lawyer Westminster awards:

• 5 star rating on Martindale-Hubbell 
• 5 star rating on Findlaw 
• 5 star rating on Lawyers.com

Criminal defense and DUI cases we handle

Our Westminster criminal lawyers are skilled at resolving all types of criminal matters, DUI, investigations, warrants and expungements:

• Assault
• DMV admin per se hearing for DUI
• Drug possession
• Elder abuse and neglect
• Burglary, robbery
• Battery
• Criminal immigration matters
• Domestic Violence
• DUI (1st DUI, multiple DUI, DUI accident)
• Felony DUI with injury
• Grand theft
• Hit and run
• Homicide
• Fraud
• Identity theft
• Corporal injury to spouse
• Domestic battery
• Criminal threats
• Money laundering
• Prostitution defense
• Sex crimes
• Shoplifting and petty theft
• Vehicular manslaughter
• Violent crimes
• See all practice areas

Our Orange County felony defense attorney also handles law enforcement investigations and pre-filing defense with the goal of preventing the filing of criminal charges or getting charges reduced before they are filed.

We handle cases throughout Orange County and all of Westminster, CA including Little Saigon, Midway City and surrounding areas.

Westminster criminal and immigration lawyer

The immigration consequences for criminal charges can be devastating for immigrants that have not become U.S. citizens. Noncitizens can be deported for crimes and simply being arrested and fingerprinted can trigger automatic visa revocation for many.

If you are a foreign national, DACA recipient, international F1 student, visa holder or even green card permanent resident arrested or charged with any crime, you need a lawyer expert in both criminal and immigration laws. Your future may be at risk.

Attorney Tsion Chudnovsky is a nationally recognized criminal defense attorney and criminal immigration lawyer expert at defending noncitizens and working to minimize the immigration consequences of state or federal crime charges.

Call (949) 750-2500 for a Free consultation to start your defense.

Professional license criminal defense

Professional licensees invest years in education, residencies, certifications and hard work to earn a license to practice. Unfortunately, one mistake can put that all at risk.

Criminal charges and even allegations can trigger board license investigations and disciplinary actions that can result in loss of your license or crippling restrictions. This is why nursing, medical doctor, dental and chiropractic license holders need to hire an expert professional license defense attorney to protect their license and career.

Our attorneys Robert Weinberg, Melissa DuChene, and Suzanne Crouts are preeminent California professional license defense lawyers and criminal defense attorneys. They handle state and federal criminal defense and licensing board investigation defense for all licensees including:

• Medical Board of California license investigation lawyer
• Board of Registered Nursing license defense attorney
• Dental Board of California investigation attorney
• Board of Chiropractic Examiners investigation lawyer
• California State Board of Pharmacy license lawyer

Chudnovsky Law has extensive experience handling all types of professional license criminal defense matters including: Westminster nurse DUI defense, Department of Consumer Affairs Division of Investigation investigations, medical doctor DUI defense, nurse criminal defense, DEA drug registrant investigations, dentist DUI defense, medical doctor criminal defense, insurance billing fraud, chiropractor license defense, Medical Board of California disciplinary actions and nursing practice act violations.

Call (949) 750-2500 for a consultation to discuss your case.

Understanding Westminster criminal process

If you are charged with a crime in Westminster, you will go through several processes that can be very stressful. Our drink drive lawyers in Westminster will help guide and protect your rights at every stage:

1) Jail

• After your arrest, you will usually be taken to Westminster Police Jail at 8200 Westminster Boulevard, Westminster, CA, 92683. Call (714) 548-3212 for information about the jail or an inmate. This police jail is used to temporarily hold inmates before being released or transferred to an Orange County Jail.
• You can search for inmates held in Orange County jail custody by using the Orange County Sheriff’s Department online inmate search.
• You may be released if the prosecutor doesn’t file charges, or you post bail. Otherwise, you will remain in jail until law enforcement transports you to court for the arraignment. Prosecutors usually have 48 hours to file charges.
• Bail for Westminster inmates are set by judges based on the OC bail schedule.

2) Arraignment

• The Westminster courthouse is the West Justice Center at 8141 13th Street, Westminster, CA 92683. Call 657-622-5900 for general info.
• Westminster criminal cases are prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney Westminster Office.
• At your first Westminster court appearance, the judge will inform you of your charges, your constitutional rights, and your right to a public defender. During this time, you will enter your plea: not guilty, guilty, or no contest.

3) After arraignment

• The steps taken after arraignment vary depending on whether the charge is a misdemeanor or felony.
• Regardless of the crime, defendants can change their plea, pretrial motions can be filed, and both sides may negotiate a plea bargain. During this stage, the prosecution and defense will also exchange information, known as “discovery.”

4) Trial

• If the District Attorney will not agree to drop the charges and both sides cannot agree on a plea bargain or any other resolution, the case will go to trial.
• Defendants have the right to decide whether to have a jury trial (the jury decides whether they are guilty or not guilty), or a court trial (the judge decides whether they are guilty or not guilty).

Being arrested and charged with a crime can leave you feeling lost, helpless and alone. Our attorneys provide a helping hand and expert guidance while building an aggressive defense for your case.

About West Justice Center

West Justice Center is one of eight Orange County Superior Court locations. Westminster court has 16 courtrooms and an average of over 2,400 visitors per day at:

WEST JUSTICE CENTER
8141 13th Street
Westminster, CA 92683
(657) 622-8459 (criminal operations)
Google Map

Courtrooms: You can find your courtroom on this Westminster court floorplan.

Cities: The court serves the cities of Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Stanton and Westminster.

Matters handled by criminal operations:

• Misdemeanor and felony criminal matters.
• Charging documents consisting of citations, complaints, informations and grand jury indictments.
• All types of warrants: Search warrants, bench warrants, fugitive warrants, Governor’s warrants and probable cause arrest warrants.

Understanding misdemeanors and felonies

Crimes in California are charged either as a misdemeanor or felony.

• Misdemeanor: Crimes that are less serious than a felony. Misdemeanors have a maximum sentence of no more than one year in Orange County jail.
• Felony: The most serious crime classification. Felonies have a maximum sentence of more than one year in jail or prison. Some felonies are punishable by life in prison or even a death penalty. Fines can be as high as $10,000 (or even higher in select cases).

Some crimes are classified as “wobbler” offenses where judges are authorized by statute to charge them as either a misdemeanor or felony. A wobbler offense initially charged as a felony can also be downgraded to a misdemeanor during plea negotiations or sentencing.

If you’re facing charges for a wobbler offense, you need a strong and experienced Orange County misdemeanor attorney on your side to argue why the charges should be a misdemeanor.

Get help from experienced Westminster lawyers

Criminal charges have serious consequences. If you are convicted, you could lose your job. If you’re a licensed professional, your license is at risk. More importantly, you risk losing or damaging relationships with our loved ones.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case.

Frequently asked questions

What is the arraignment?

The arraignment is the defendant’s first court appearance. During this appearance, the judge will explain:

• The charges
• The defendant’s constitutional rights, and
• The defendant’s right to a public defender

The defendant then enters a plea and decisions regarding bail or release will be made.

How can lawyers beat criminal charges?

A case can be dismissed by a court or a prosecutor. This is the best outcome for any criminal case. One of the first things our attorneys will do is determine whether there are any grounds for dismissal before a plea bargain or trial.

Some grounds for dismissal can include:

• Illegal stop, search or seizure
• No probable cause for arrest
• Lack of evidence the defendant committed the crime
• Loss of a key witness needed to prove the defendant committed the crime

Although it’s uncommon, some cases are dismissed during the appeals phase – after the defendant has gone to trial and lost.

Can my conviction be expunged from my record?

Possibly. In California, some convictions can be “expunged” or hidden from your criminal record. Typically, eligible crimes are misdemeanors or wobbler offenses that were charged as felonies, but could have been misdemeanors.

Felonies are not usually eligible for expungement, but the rules can be complicated. Our attorneys can help you through the expungement process if your charges are eligible.

Disclaimer

This information does not constitute legal advice. No representations are made as to its accuracy and appropriate legal counsel should be consulted before taking any actions. Contact us to see if Chudnovsky Law is the best Westminster criminal defense attorney for you.

We represent clients throughout Orange County and the following Westminster, CA zip codes: 92655, 92683, 92684, 92685 and 92844.

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Written by Tsion Chudnovsky and David Stein