Saturday, October 27, 2012

Another Victory - James M. Crawford

Recent News

James Crawford in the Orange County Register
18-year-old convict is ordered released
A friend of George Lopez says he committed the robbery for which Lopez,
who has no other record, was imprisoned.

Byline:JOHN McDONALD The Orange County Register   

George Arnulfo Lopez was ordered released from custody Friday by a judge who said he will hold a hearing next month to decide if the Garden Grove man's conviction for robbery was justified.

Lopez, 18, has been serving 13 years at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe for the May 1999 holdup of an Anaheim loan office. But employees present during the robbery say he was not the gunman. Lopez, who has been incarcerated for two years, has no other criminal record.

``It's just a relief,'' said Lopez's wife, Leah, shortly after Judge Daniel Didier announced the decision. ``This is the first good thing that has happened in this case.'' She said she looks forward to her husband returning home and helping her care for their 18-month-old son, Joseph, whom Lopez has seen only in a prison visiting room.

Didier said he was impressed by Lopez's strong family support.
``It's a close call,'' the judge said of his decision to order Lopez temporarily released without having to post bail.

Defense lawyer James Crawford called the decision ``a significant step toward his ultimate release and freedom.'' Didier ruled against Crawford's request that he grant immunity to a friend of Lopez's, now serving a long prison term, who has stated that he, not Lopez, committed the robbery. The friend has said he will only say what his role was if he's given a deal on sentencing. 

Deputy District Attorney Brian Gurwitz opposed the release and said later,
``We disagree with the judge's ruling, but we respect it.''
Brent Romney, a criminal-law professor at Western State University of Law in Fullerton, said it is unusual for an inmate to be released without bail while seeking to have a serious felony conviction overturned. ``The judge must consider how likely a person is to flee, and the better his chance for being exonerated at the hearing, the less likelihood that he will flee.''

Contact McDonald at (714) 834-3784 or jmcdonald@ocregister.com

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Appeal Now

File An Appeal Now

Anyone who is convicted of a state or federal crime in California, whether as a result of a jury trial, a bench trial, or by pleading guilty is entitled to appeal his or her conviction or the criminal sentence received. An appeal is the request by a convicted person for a higher court to review the case in an effort to get the conviction reversed or the sentence reduced.
After the trial court has issued the final judgment, an appeal can be filed. There are very strict deadlines and requirements for filing a criminal appeal in the state and federal appellate systems, so individuals considering an appeal should consult with a criminal law attorney as soon as possible.
To learn more about filing an appeal, click here.
California Appellate Courts
The appellate court in California consists of a panel of three judges who review a written brief (argument) presented by both the defense and prosecution. Generally, the criminal defense attorney attempts to persuade the appellate court that an error or some other factor in the original trial prejudiced the outcome of the case. If the appellate court agrees with the defense, it can overturn a conviction, change the sentence, or order a new trial.
 Appellate law is a complex, specialized area of law. James M. Crawford has many years of experience as an appellate lawyer and has helped numerous individuals obtain a just and satisfactory outcome after a wrongful or unfair conviction.
 Specialized Area of Criminal Law
As an appellate attorney, Mr. Crawford can handle the following aspects of your appeal:
    · Posting an appellate bond
    · Preparing and filing necessary writs and motions
    · Pursuance of further relief on remand
    · Post-verdict motions
Mr. Crawford will review everything that has happened in your criminal case, including the pre-trial phase, your trial, and all post-conviction issues, including motions and evidence.
 His goal is to identify any new factors that may persuade the appellate court that your conviction or sentence is erroneous, such as:
    · Insufficient evidence
    · Unallowable evidence
    · Incorrect rulings on objections
    · Errors made by the judge imposing the sentence after a verdict
    · Jury errors
 Some appeals cite insufficient representation during the original trial.
For a complimentary case evaluation with an experienced appellate attorney,
contact James M. Crawford today.

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Statictics On Wrongful Convictions In California

Do you need to file an appeal?

In California, more than 200 people have been wrongfully convicted of murder, rape, or other serious offenses since 1989; Across the country, 123 people have been exonerated and released from death row since 1973.; The average time spent in prison by persons who were sentenced to death and later found to be wrongfully convicted is nine years.; There are approximately 650 current death row inmates in California.; Since 1981, six people have been freed from death row as a result of proven wrongful convictions.; A 2004 study of over 30 cases of wrongful conviction in California indicates that African Americans have been wrongfully convicted at a much higher rate than people of other races and that the majority of wrongful convictions occur in just a few counties.
source: https://www.aclunc.org/issues/criminal_justice/death_penalty/fact_sheet_on_wrongful_convictions_in_ca.shtml

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Helpful Law Links


Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Juvenile Law

Juvenile Law

Juvenile law governs delinquency and other related matters. State statutes define which persons are under the original jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Most states define the upper age of juvenile court jurisdiction in delinquency matters as 17.

When juveniles are referred to the juvenile courts, the court determines whether an adjudicatory hearing is warranted or to transfer jurisdiction to an adult criminal court.

When a juvenile judge sets the case for "adjudication," a trial is set.  In lieu of twelve jurors, juvenile court trials are done by a judge or commissioner. Therefore it is very important that you have a lawyer that is familiar with juvenile court proceedings. Only an experienced juvenile attorney will be able to object to any unfair tactics by the court and prosecutor or the presentation of inadmissible evidence.

Once a juvenile is under juvenile court disposition, the court may retain jurisdiction until the juvenile legally becomes an adult . In some jurisdictions, juvenile offenders may be classified as youthful offenders which can lead to extended sentences.  This is where the defense attorney’s experience and legal expertise will be most beneficial.

Mr. Crawford handles Orange County Juvenile cases.  If you need an Orange County Juvenile Lawyer call or contact us by email today.

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Friday, October 19, 2012

File an Appeal Right Now

 
Anyone who is convicted of a state or federal crime in California, whether as a result of a jury trial, a bench trial, or by pleading guilty is entitled to appeal his or her conviction or the criminal sentence received. An appeal is the request by a convicted person for a higher court to review the case in an effort to get the conviction reversed or the sentence reduced.
After the trial court has issued the final judgment, an appeal can be filed. There are very strict deadlines and requirements for filing a criminal appeal in the state and federal appellate systems, so individuals considering an appeal should consult with a criminal law attorney as soon as possible.
To learn more about filing an appeal, click here.
California Appellate Courts
The appellate court in California consists of a panel of three judges who review a written brief (argument) presented by both the defense and prosecution. Generally, the criminal defense attorney attempts to persuade the appellate court that an error or some other factor in the original trial prejudiced the outcome of the case. If the appellate court agrees with the defense, it can overturn a conviction, change the sentence, or order a new trial.
Appellate law is a complex, specialized area of law. James M. Crawford has many years of experience as an appellate lawyer and has helped numerous individuals obtain a just and satisfactory outcome after a wrongful or unfair conviction

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

James M. Crawford - OC Criminal Defense Attorney

James M. Crawford is one of Southern California's most sought after criminal defense attorneys with over 14 years of experience in criminal and appellate law. With more than 300 appeals and 50 jury trials under his belt, he is supremely qualified to handle a wide range of criminal defense cases from felony and misdemeanor crimes to state and federal appeals.
Throughout his career as a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Crawford has been guided by a strong belief in justice and commitment to defending the legal rights of the accused. To arrange a no-cost consultation with Mr. Crawford,please click here.

High Profile Cases
Mr. Crawford's extensive experience and legal skill helped him obtain a reduced sentence for a non-violent offender who had been sentenced to 315 years to life in prison, the longest sentence ever meted out in the state of California for a non-violent crime. As a result of his research and investigation, Mr. Crawford was able to shave 300 years off the original sentence to bring it down to 10 years 8 months.

In 2002, Mr. Crawford took on a case in Santa Ana involving a man who had been wrongly convicted for a robbery he didn't commit and consequently sentenced to 13 years in prison. With Mr. Crawford's help, the man was exonerated and freed from prison after serving more than two years.

Education/Honors
James Michael Crawford graduated from the University of Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Ecology. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor at Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, CA, where he was in the top 20th percentile of his class. While studying law, Mr. Crawford received the American Jurisprudence Awards for Civil Procedure II and Corporations and was also an active member of Delta Theta Phi law fraternity. In 2006 Mr. Crawford graduated from Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer's College.

Professional Associations and Memberships
Mr. Crawford is an active member of numerous professional organizations including:
If you have been accused of a criminal offense or have been convicted of a crime and would like to file an appeal, contact James M. Crawford today to start planning a course of action.

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Monday, October 15, 2012

Criminal Law

Criminal Law

James M. Crawford focuses his practice solely on criminal law, helping clients with their state and federal problems at all stages of the criminal law process, including:
  • Accompanying and advising clients in police or prosecutor interrogations and interviews;
  • Furthering the investigation of a client's arrest or case to reveal new and/or beneficial information;
  • Negotiating with the prosecuting attorney to obtain a reduction or dismissal of charges;
  • Representing clients in a plea bargain, probable cause hearing, other preliminary court hearings, and at trial;
  • Arguing for the most favorable penalty or sentence;
  • Filing appeals and other motions necessary to protecting a client’s rights
Criminal Charges Individuals who are facing criminal charges should always seek the advice of a lawyer who has extensive experience handling a range of criminal law cases and who is dedicated to defending the rights of the accused. This is crucial to obtaining the best possible outcome, particularly in cases where the penalties associated with a conviction are more severe. Criminal charges encompass both misdemeanor and felony offenses, including:
Sex offenses such as rape, child molestation, sex with a minor,
Driving under the influence, or DUI Murder, homicide, manslaughter, and related crimes Theft crimes White Collar Crimes such as fraud, extortion, and embezzlement Drug-related crimes, including possession, trafficking, and manufacturing.
Depending on the nature of the charges, a person convicted of a crime may face serious consequences including heavy fines, imprisonment, parole, and mandatory rehabilitation/counseling, among other things.
Contact A Criminal Law Attorney
James Crawford is one of Southern Californias most renowned criminal law attorneys. He provides aggressive and experienced representation in all areas of criminal law, including juvenile, federal, and appellate cases.
If you have been charged with a crime, you can turn to James Crawford for the criminal law help you need. Contact Mr. Crawford today to discuss your legal options and start planning your defense.

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Friday, October 12, 2012


James M. Crawford focuses his practice solely on criminal law, helping clients with their state and federal problems at all stages of the criminal law process, including:
  • Accompanying and advising clients in police or prosecutor interrogations and interviews;
  • Furthering the investigation of a client's arrest or case to reveal new and/or beneficial information;
  • Negotiating with the prosecuting attorney to obtain a reduction or dismissal of charges;
  • Representing clients in a plea bargain, probable cause hearing, other preliminary court hearings, and at trial;
  • Arguing for the most favorable penalty or sentence;
  • Filing appeals and other motions necessary to protecting a client’s rights


Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

 Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

James M. Crawford - OC DUI Lawyer



James M. Crawford, Attorney
If you have been arrested for DUI, you will have to deal with both the criminal justice system and the DMV.
Even for a first offense, the penalties can be serious-including license suspension, fines of almost $2,000, mandatory attendance at State or DMV Approved alcohol programs, and potential jail time. In addition, a DUI conviction stays on your DMV record for at least 10 years, and may result in higher insurance premiums.
You must contact a lawyer immediately so that the attorney can request an Admin Per Se hearing with the DMV within ten days of your arrest so that your driving privilege is not suspended.
Unlike the criminal process at Court, the DMV is a civil matter, run by the Office of Driver Safety.
The DMV hearing officer acts as both judge and prosecutor in this procedure. They are only interested in three issues:
- Did the arresting officer have reasonable cause to believe that you were driving under the influence;?
- Was the arrest lawful, and; 
- Was your blood alcohol .08 % or higher at the time of driving? 
A DMV hearing is won or lost based on technical issues.   Since procedures are different between the Court and the DMV, it is possible to be found guilty in the criminal case, but still win the DMV hearing. On the other hand, if you were actually acquitted in court of the DUI charge, and had previously lost your DMV hearing, you would then have the right to force the DMV to return your license and set aside their suspension.
Mr. Crawford has the knowledge and experience to secure a favorable outcome for driving under the influence charges and DMV matters, such as a dismissal altogether or a reduction to a lessor charge. reduce the time in custody or eliminate it altogether.  
James Crawford has tried numerous DUI cases as a defense attorney and has a winning record.   Mr. Crawford is a graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial lawyer's College and has extensive knowledge of the psychology behind the art of jury selection.  If you have been arrested for a DUI, you can turn to James Crawford for the DUI law help you need. 
Contact Mr. Crawford today to discuss your legal options and start planning your defense.


DUI

DUI charge can lead to the loss of a driver's license, jail time, fines, community service or many other consequences. Understanding the laws and penalties associated with drunk driving can help you to avoid a violation or to proceed properly if a violation has already been issued.

What Is Intoxication?

To understand the charges, it is helpful to understand what exactly the law means by "intoxication"Intoxication is most commonly defined in two ways. The first is by the state’s legal limit—usually .08 or higher. Intoxication is also defined as the loss of a person’s normal mental or physical faculties because of the introduction of any substance into their system.

What Designates Operation of a Motor Vehicle?

Charges for driving while intoxicated can be brought even when the person charged wasn't actually driving a moving vehicle. In fact, any operation of a vehicle while a person is intoxicated is prohibited by the laws of every state.      
Operation of a vehicle is so broadly defined that it includes almost any activity related to control of the vehicle. Activities which courts have considered sufficient for charges to be brought include turning the ignition on, pressing the brake pedal when the engine is on, and letting the vehicle idle in park.

Blood and Breath Tests

If the officer believes that the driver is intoxicated, he may want to confirm the results with an official breath test or blood test. These are admissible in court. Some states allow defendants to refuse to submit to a breath or blood test, but automatically suspend their license when they do.
Some courts even allow the refusal to be admitted at trial as evidence that the defendant was hiding his guilt by the refusal. Other states have no-refusal provisions for repeat offenses. 

Defenses to DUI Charges

Before deciding to take a case to trial, a defendant should ask an attorney to evaluate the reliability of all the evidence. Defenses may involve challenging the validity of any field sobriety, breath, or blood test result and any other evidence collected by officers at the scene of the stop.
Sometimes, a claim by the defendant that the results of a test were inaccurate may be supported by the evidence the officer collected at the scene. Other times, the officer may have video recorded the defendant stumbling or failing the field sobriety test, or recorded the slurred voice of the defendant during the stop, which may actually be enough for a conviction whether or not the blood or other test results are called into question.
A defendant should also understand all of the sentencing options associated with a conviction and possible enhancements which may make the sentence more severe.

If You Have Been Charged With A DUI....

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

 Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690

Monday, October 8, 2012

James M. Crawford - Appeals Attorney

 
In law, an appeal is a process for requesting a formal change to an official decision. The decision maker to whom the appeal is made may be a court, a board, a tribunal or even a single official. Generally, only the party aggrieved below has standing to appeal.
The result of an appeal can be:
  • Affirmed: Where the reviewing court basically agrees with the result of the lower courts ruling(s).
  • Reversed: Where the reviewing court basically disagrees with the result of the lower courts ruling(s), and overturns their decision.
  • Remanded: Where the reviewing court sends the case back to the lower court.
There can be multiple outcomes, so that the reviewing court can affirm some rulings, reverse others and remand the case all at the same time. Remand is not required where there is nothing left to do in the case. "Generally speaking, an appellate court's judgment provides 'the final directive of the appeals courts as to the matter appealed, setting out with specificity the court's determination that the action appealed from should be affirmed, reversed, remanded or modified'".
Some reviewing courts who have discretionary review may send a case back without comment other than review improvidently granted. In other words, after looking at the case, they chose not to say anything. The result for the case of review improvidently granted is effectively the same as affirmed, but without that extra higher court stamp of approval.

If you have a case for an appeal, James M. Crawford can help.

Call James M Crawford at (714) 538-0305 now.

Search the links below to see if your friend, family member, or loved one is currently incarcerated:
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Los Angeles County
Riverside County
528 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92867
Office: 714-538-0305 Fax: 714-538-0306
164 East 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92410
Office: 909-388-2690