Santa Monica Criminal Defense Attorney

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Charged with a Crime in Santa Monica? Get a Criminal Attorney on Your Case Today

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Santa Monica do not speak to law enforcement without an attorney present and do not wait. Santa Monica has its own police department and its own city prosecutor handling misdemeanor offenses and cases move quickly through the system. Whether you are facing a misdemeanor or a serious felony the decisions made in the first hours after your arrest will shape everything that follows. At The Law Offices of Arash Hashemi our Santa Monica criminal attorney has spent over 20 years defending clients facing felony and misdemeanor charges throughout Los Angeles including every community served by the courts that handle Santa Monica cases. Call (310) 448-1529 or contact our office today to schedule a free confidential consultation.

Where Santa Monica Criminal Cases Are Prosecuted

Misdemeanor offenses in Santa Monica are prosecuted by the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office at the Santa Monica Courthouse located at 1725 Main Street. Felony cases are handled by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and are typically transferred to the Airport Courthouse at 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd in Los Angeles after preliminary hearing. DUI cases from Santa Monica are also filed at the Airport Courthouse. A criminal attorney in Santa Monica who is familiar with both courthouses and the prosecutors in both offices brings a significant advantage to your defense from the very first appearance.

Criminal Cases We Defend in Santa Monica

Our firm defends clients against the full range of felony and misdemeanor charges arising from arrests in Santa Monica. Common charges include:

  • DUI and drug DUI under Vehicle Code 23152
  • Drug possession, sales, and trafficking
  • Domestic violence and criminal threats
  • Assault and battery
  • Theft crimes including shoplifting, grand theft, and robbery
  • Sex crimes and registration offenses
  • Weapons charges
  • Vandalism and property damage
  • Restraining order violations
  • Violent crimes including attempted murder and murder
  • Probation violations and bench warrants
  • Expungement and record clearing

Misdemeanor Charges in Santa Monica

Santa Monica misdemeanor arrests happen fast and the consequences of a conviction are more serious than most people realize before they are facing one. A misdemeanor creates a permanent criminal record that shows up on background checks and can affect your job, your housing, and your professional licenses for years. Santa Monica misdemeanor arrests frequently involve DUI, drug possession, petty theft, domestic battery, assault, and disorderly conduct.

Many clients facing misdemeanor charges in Santa Monica are professionals, students, and first-time offenders for whom a conviction would have lasting consequences they cannot afford. Our firm pursues dismissal, charge reduction, and diversion in every eligible case with keeping the conviction off your record entirely as the primary goal.

Felony Charges in Santa Monica

A felony conviction carries more than one year in state prison and leaves a permanent record that follows you into every employment application, housing decision, and professional licensing proceeding for the rest of your life. Many felony charges in California are wobbler offenses that can be filed as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances and prior record. That decision is made by the prosecutor and it can often be influenced before charges are formally filed.

Attorney Hashemi contacts the prosecuting agency early in appropriate cases, presents the facts that support misdemeanor rather than felony treatment, and fights to prevent felony charges from being filed where the law and the evidence support a lesser charge. When felony charges have already been filed our firm challenges the prosecution’s evidence at every stage of the proceedings and builds the strongest defense the facts allow.

How Our Santa Monica Criminal Attorney Defends Your Case

Every criminal defense begins with a thorough review of how the arrest was made and how the evidence against you was obtained. Law enforcement must follow constitutional procedures at every step and when they do not our firm files motions to suppress the evidence they collected. Removing key evidence from a criminal prosecution often changes the outcome of the case entirely.

When the prosecution’s case rests on witness testimony our firm investigates every witness’s background, prior statements, and motivations. Inconsistencies in witness accounts, prior criminal history, and relationships with the alleged victim are all factors that affect credibility and our firm challenges that credibility directly.

For clients facing charges that cannot be defeated entirely our firm pursues the best available resolution through charge reductions, diversion programs, and negotiated outcomes that protect your record and minimize the impact on your life. Our criminal defense attorney evaluates every option in every case and advises clients honestly on the realistic outcomes before any decision is made.

Attorney Hashemi is admitted to practice before all California State Courts and the United States District Court for the Central District of California giving Santa Monica clients complete coverage whether their case is prosecuted at the state or federal level. Our office is located in the Westside Towers in West Los Angeles minutes from Santa Monica via the I-10 freeway and accessible by the Metro E Line.

Contact a Santa Monica Criminal Attorney Today

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Santa Monica contact our office immediately for a free confidential consultation. Attorney Hashemi will listen to your side of the story, analyze the facts of your case, and tell you exactly where you stand and what your options are from day one. We serve clients facing criminal charges across Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Marina del Rey, Culver City, Venice, and all surrounding Westside communities. 

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