The Torrance criminal defense attorneys at Spodek Law Group have years of experience in getting felony, misdemeanor, and infraction charges reduced or dismissed throughout the South Bay and all over Los Angeles County.
Areas surrounding Torrance that we serve include Inglewood, El Segundo, Redondo Beach, Carson, Lawndale, Lomita, Gardena, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Rolling Hills, and Rancho Palos Verdes.
Highly Skilled and Seasoned Criminal Defense
Our Torrance DUI lawyers and criminal defense attorneys fight all types of California charges. Among the most common criminal cases we take are:
- Bail hearings
- Expungement of Criminal records
- Lewd conduct cases
- Probation-violation natters
- Sex offense
- Shoplifting and other theft charges
- Traffic violations
- DUI defense cases, including the DMV hearing
- Hit and run case (VC 20002)
- Domestic violence matters
- Drug crimes, such as drug possession charges (HS 11350)
- Violent crimes, such as assault and battery charges (PC 242)
- White collar
Information About the Torrance Police, Jail and Court
The Torrance Police Department handles all law enforcement functions in the city of Torrance. People who get arrested in Torrance are customarily booked at the Torrance Police Department Jail, located at 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90505, (310) 618-5631
Look for inmate information online here.
Criminal cases in Torrance are heard at the Los Angeles Superior Court Torrance Courthouse, which is housed at
825 Maple Avenue
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 787-3700
Look for court dates and case information here.
The Torrance Criminal Court Process
Individuals who are arrested in Torrance are usually given the option to bail out. Some persons may be released on their own recognizance (OR release) without having to post bond at all.
The first court date of any criminal case is the arraignment. This is where the charges against the defendant are formally read and they enter their plea of guilty or not guilty. Defendants may be able to skip this appearance if they hire a private attorney to appear on their behalf. A defendant who is incapable of hiring their own attorney will have a public defender appointed to represent them. Defendants who don’t show up to their arraignment or miss other required court appearances will have a bench warrant issued for their arrest.
Bench Warrants
When a bench warrant has been ordered, the defendant can be arrested anywhere at anytime. In order to have the bench warrant recalled, the defense would have to file a motion to quash the warrant with the court and then appear before the judge. Courts often rule to recall bench warrants unless the defendant has a history of skipping court appearances.
After the defendant gets formally charged, the District Attorney’s Office usually makes an offer to the defense attorney in the form of a plea agreement. Prosecutors generally prefer to avoid trial, so they often offer to reduce or dismiss charges. If the defense attorney and prosecutors can arrive at an agreement, then the judge will usually approve the plea negotiation terms and hand down the sentence accordingly.
In the majority of felony cases, defendants are entitled to a preliminary hearing. The prelim, as it is often called, is akin to a mini-trial. The purpose of this proceeding is so that the judge may determine whether the prosecution has enough probable cause to press charges. If the defendant wins, the judge then dismisses the charge. Otherwise, the defense and prosecution can carry on with plea bargain negotiations or take the case to trial.
A defendant can be convicted of the crime they were charged with in one of two ways:
- By entering a guilty plea, also known as a no contest plea, or
- By being found guilty at trial.
In either scenario, the judge will hold a sentencing hearing following the conviction. At times this hearing occurs right after the conviction In more serious felony cases, the sentinsing hearing may occur several weeks after the conviction was handed down.
Almost every crime in the penal code carries a possible jail sentence and fines. In the event that the defendant is eligible for probation, the jail time could be suspended as long as the defendant clomplies with all the other sentencing terms. Customary terms include paying a fine and victim restitution, community service, abstaining from using alcohol and drugs, going to classes and/or counseling, and avoiding future arrests.
Call the law firm of Spodek Law Group for top notch legal advice. Our criminal defense and DUI lawyers offer free consultations.
The Torrance criminal defense lawyers on our team boast former prosecutors and law enforcement officials who use their criminal justice system experience to build the most effective defenses available for the clients they serve. Spodek Law Group serves clients throughout northern, central, and southern California, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Compton, Pasadena, , Long Beach, Van Nuys, San Francisco, and more. Our practice areas also include personal injury as well as criminal law.
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