Van Nuys Criminal Defense Lawyer Offers Advice You Can Trust

Van Nuys got its start with an ad in the Los Angeles Times on February 22, 1911: A free train ride was being offered to the “Van Nuys townsite,” for a free Washington’s Birthday barbecue, a patriotic speech about the birth of a town, and an auction of lots in an undeveloped part of the San Fernando Valley.

A train full of curious people came as the lots went up for bid, and a town was sold in an afternoon. The Los Angeles Times called the auction, “The beginning of a new empire and a new era in the Southland.”

The town is named after Isaac Van Nuys, who owned and ranched half of it in the open space south of what is now known as Roscoe Blvd. Some of the buyers were a group of rich land speculators, who recognized that the Los Angeles aqueduct from the Owens Valley would provide unlimited water for the ranchers and farmers to come.

Isaac Van Nuys’ great ranch became the “Van Nuys townsite” and then simply, Van Nuys. The only thing he left is his name. No landmark house, statue, or even a formal portrait of Isacc Van Nuys stands. .

Van Nuys Criminal Defense Lawyer is bordered on the north by North Hills, on the northeast by Panorama City, on the east by Valley Glen, on the south by Sherman Oaks, on the southwest by the Sepulveda Basin, on the west by Lake Balboa and on the northwest by Northridge. Its street and other boundaries are Roscoe Boulevard on the north, Sepulveda Boulevard, the Tujunga Wash, Woodman Avenue and Hazeltine Avenue on the east, Oxnard Street on the south, the Sepulveda Basin on the southwest and Odessa and Hayvenhurst avenues and Balboa Boulevard on the west

Helping Van Nus residents navigate the California criminal justice system

If you or a loved one were arrested in Van Nuys, you know you need a Van Nuys criminal defense lawyer. But you may not realize that you should retain an attorney whose practice is focused on criminal law. At the Law Offices of Arash Hashemi, defending people who have been arrested is not a sideline. It’s all we do.

Felonies

In Van Nuys and throughout California, crimes are classified as felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies are serious offenses that can be punished by more than a year in prison. Most violent crimes are felonies. Many felony crimes in California are what are known as “straight felonies” — meaning offenses that can be charged and sentenced only as felonies. Examples of straight felonies are murder, rape and sale of a controlled substance.

Other crimes are known as “wobblers,” which are offenses that may be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the circumstances. Common wobblers are possession of certain narcotics, statutory rape and spousal battery. Other wobblers include:

  • Burglary
  • Assault with a Deadly Weapon
  • Lewd conduct with a Minor
  • Aggravated Indecent Exposure

Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be charged with a first- or, second-degree offense. Second-degree offenses carry the least severe penalties, and first-degree crimes are the most serious. For example if you are charged with robbery in the first degree, you face a three-, six-, or nine-year prison sentence, but if you are charged with robbery in the second degree, you are looking at two, three or five years in prison. An experienced Van Nuys criminal defense attorney will work to get your charges reduced to a lower degree.

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanors are punishable by no more than one year in jail. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, contact an experienced defense lawyer in Compton as quickly as possible. Examples of misdemeanor offenses include public intoxication, petty theft, DUI and possession of more than 28.5 grams of marijuana. Other common misdemeanors include:

  • Gambling
  • Encouraging Prostitution
  • Assault and Battery

Three Strikes Law

Under California’s three strikes law, individuals convicted of a third felony face 25 years to life in prison if the third conviction involves a “strike crime.” Offenses that qualify as strike crimes include:

  • Lewd or lascivious act on a child younger than 14
  • Arson
  • Assault with intent to commit Rape or Robbery
  • First-Degree Burglary

Skilled criminal law attorney defends clients in Van Nuys

The Law Offices of Arash Hashemi is dedicated to fighting aggressively for the rights of Van Nuys residents who have been arrested. To schedule an initial consultation with a lawyer at our firm, contact us by phone at (310) 448-1529 or contact us online. We promptly return phone calls and emails. Our office is conveniently located in the Westside Towers in Los Angeles, within minutes of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Westwood, and steps away from the Expo/Bundy Station. We have flexible hours and weekend appointments, and we will visit you in jail to discuss your case.