Other Criminal Charges I Defend in Ventura County

After 30 years and more than 20,000 court appearances in the Ventura County courts, there is virtually no criminal charge I haven’t defended. The pages on this site cover my most common practice areas in depth — but “other” does not mean less serious. Some of the charges below are strikes; some carry mandatory jail; and even the most minor misdemeanor leaves a record that follows you. Whatever you’ve been charged with, call me at 805-889-9000 and I’ll tell you exactly what you’re facing and how I’d defend it. The consultation is free.

Driving and Vehicle Offenses

Hit and run (VC §§ 20002, 20001). Leaving the scene of an accident — even a minor parking lot scrape — is a crime: a misdemeanor where only property was damaged, and a felony where someone was injured. These cases often turn on identity (who was driving?) and knowledge (did the driver know there was contact?), and many property-damage cases can be resolved through civil compromise or other outcomes that protect your record. If you left the scene and are worried, call me before the police contact you — what happens in that window matters.

Evading a peace officer (VC §§ 2800.1, 2800.2). Failing to stop becomes felony evading when the driving shows willful disregard for safety — an element that is heavily contested.

Reckless driving and speed contests. Often the reduction target in DUI negotiations, but serious charges in their own right.

Threats, Harassment, and Conduct Offenses

Criminal threats (PC § 422). A statement made in anger — in person, by text, on social media — can be charged as a felony strike if it allegedly placed someone in sustained fear. Many people are stunned to learn a heated argument produced a strike charge. The elements are technical (the threat must be specific, immediate, and unconditional, and the fear must be reasonable and sustained), and these cases are very defensible.

Stalking (PC § 646.9), annoying/harassing communications, and violations of restraining orders (PC § 273.6).Frequently arising from divorces and breakups, where context, intent, and the accuser’s credibility are everything.

Resisting or obstructing an officer (PC § 148). One of the most overcharged offenses in California — often added when an arrest got rough or a citizen asked questions. Bodycam footage frequently tells a different story than the report.

Disturbing the peace, public intoxication, and trespassing. Low-level charges that still create records — and that are usually excellent candidates for dismissal or diversion.

Violence and Person Offenses

Kidnapping (PC § 207) and false imprisonment (PC § 236). Kidnapping is a strike carrying severe prison exposure; false imprisonment charges often arise out of domestic disputes where no one left a room. The line between the two — and between either and no crime at all — is movement and consent, both fertile ground for defense.

Child endangerment (PC § 273a) and elder abuse (PC § 368). Emotionally charged wobblers that often follow accidents, family conflicts, or caregiving disputes rather than actual abuse.

Brandishing a weapon (PC § 417) and firearms offenses. From carrying a concealed firearm (PC § 25400) and a loaded firearm in public (PC § 25850) to felon-in-possession (PC § 29800), gun charges carry serious consequences for both liberty and gun rights — and they frequently rise or fall on search-and-seizure challenges.

Mayhem, torture, and other aggravated charges. Rare, grave, and absolutely cases for an experienced trial attorney.

Theft, Fraud, and Financial Crimes

Embezzlement (PC § 503), check fraud, forgery, and false pretenses. White-collar theft cases are document cases: intent is everything, restitution often drives the outcome, and early, organized defense work can mean reduced charges or none at all.

Receiving stolen property (PC § 496) and possession of burglary tools (PC § 466). Knowledge that property was stolen — or that tools were possessed with criminal intent — is the contested element, not mere possession.

Identity theft (PC § 530.5), computer crimes, and unlawful taking of a vehicle (VC § 10851). Modern theft charges driven by digital evidence, which deserves the same scrutiny as any forensic evidence.

Vandalism (PC § 594). Felony or misdemeanor depending on the damage amount, and a frequent companion charge in domestic disputes (a broken phone or windshield). Often resolvable with restitution and a clean record.

Extortion, looting, misappropriation of public funds, and diversion of construction funds. Less common, but I have seen them all in three decades.

Probation Violations

A probation violation can land you in custody faster than a new case — there is no jury, the standard of proof is lower, and the judge has wide discretion. Whether the alleged violation is a new arrest, a missed class, or a failed test, how the violation is presented to the court makes an enormous difference. I handle probation violation hearings constantly, and I know what the Ventura County judges want to see before they reinstate probation rather than impose time.

Many Misdemeanors Can Be Dismissed Through Judicial Diversion

Here is something important about this page: many of the cases I handle are simple misdemeanors — disturbing the peace, public intoxication, trespassing, even resisting arrest and misdemeanor hit and run. And in many cases, charges like these can be resolved through judicial diversion without ever becoming a conviction.

Under Penal Code § 1001.95, the judge — even over the District Attorney’s objection — can place most misdemeanor cases on judicial diversion. Here is what that means in practice: instead of pleading guilty, the judge sets reasonable terms tailored to the case — a class, counseling, community service, or restitution — for a period of up to 24 months. When you complete those terms, the case is dismissed. There is no conviction. The arrest is deemed never to have occurred for nearly all purposes — meaning that on most job applications, you can truthfully say you have never been convicted of a crime. For someone facing their first brush with the criminal justice system, that difference is everything.

In my experience, the Ventura County courts use judicial diversion routinely for appropriate misdemeanor cases. It is not available for every charge — DUI and domestic violence are excluded by law — it is unlikely in serious cases, and a judge may say no to someone with a significant record. But for a great many of the offenses on this page, diversion is the realistic path to a clean record, and because I am in front of these judges nearly every day, I know how each one approaches diversion requests and how to present yours persuasively. It is one of the first things I evaluate in every misdemeanor case I take.

Whatever the Charge, Call Me

If your charge isn’t listed anywhere on this site, that doesn’t mean I haven’t handled it — after 30 years practicing almost exclusively in the Ventura County courts, I know the prosecutors, the judges, and how every kind of case actually gets resolved here. Call me at 805-889-9000. I will answer personally — no secretary, no paralegal, no associate — and the consultation is free. Available 24/7, serving Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and all of Ventura County.