Sutter County, located in the northern corridor of the California state capital region, is a mixture of suburban and rural communities. Yuba City, one of two incorporated cities in Sutter County, is the county seat and the location of the Sutter County Superior Courthouse. The Sutter County Superior Courthouse is located on Civic Center Drive in a new state of the art court complex. Yuba City is within a three-hour drive from Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area and is a site of significant business and agricultural activity. If you find yourself fighting a criminal charge in this area, your case will be heard at the Sutter County Superior Court. The Yuba City criminal defense lawyers at Carrion Law Offices are experienced in the Sutter County court system and are familiar with the resources available to defendants. They are ready to advocate vigorously on your behalf.
Every person charged with a crime, whether it involves theft, drug possession, domestic violence, or another situation, is guaranteed basic legal rights that protect them throughout the criminal justice process. These basic rights include the right to remain silent; you cannot be compelled to speak when questioned by police, and you cannot be compelled to testify at trial. You have the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses at your trial. You also have the right to a trial by jury in most cases and the right to a speedy trial. You have the right to be represented by an attorney. Finally, you have the right not to be tried twice for the same offense by the same court. (A defendant may be tried on the same charge by a state court and a federal court or may face a criminal charge and a civil claim that are based on the same course of conduct.) If a defendant has been acquitted, the defendant cannot be re-tried for the same crime in the same court that acquitted them.
It is important for a defendant to know whether the crime being charged is a misdemeanor or a felony. Misdemeanors are generally punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail. The court procedure for a misdemeanor is arrest, arraignment, pretrial, and trial. At any point during or after arraignment, a defendant has the option to plead to the original charge or to an agreed-upon alternative charge. Our criminal defense attorneys can help Yuba City residents negotiate with prosecutors in pursuit of a favorable plea when this is appropriate.
Felonies are more serious crimes that carry harsher penalties. Depending on the charges and the facts of a particular case, penalties for a felony offense can range from fines and a few years of imprisonment to decades or even life behind bars. Unfortunately, many drug crimes that may seem relatively minor are still charged as felonies under harsh state laws. With skilled Yuba City criminal defense attorneys who take each case seriously, Carrion Law Offices can provide the strong legal defense necessary when you are faced with a felony charge.
At a felony arraignment, the defendant pleads guilty or not guilty. If the defendant pleads guilty, the case will proceed directly to sentencing. If the defendant pleads not guilty at the arraignment, the case will be set for a preliminary hearing, at which the prosecutor must demonstrate that the defendant committed a felony and should be brought to trial. If there is sufficient evidence, the case will proceed to the superior court, where the defendant will be arraigned once more and formally charged. From there, the defendant can go to trial or plead to the original charge or an agreed-upon alternative charge.
Felony convictions can affect your future rights, such as the right to vote, the right to carry a gun, or the right to remain in the country if you are not a U.S. citizen. A conviction of any crime can also severely harm your ability to obtain gainful employment or advanced education because of the impact on your reputation. Any type of charge thus should never be taken lightly.
Each court system is different. If you are charged with an offense in Yuba City, you can count on Carrion Law Offices to provide the local knowledge, substantial resources, and vigorous advocacy that you need. Call (530) 458-2950 or contact us online for a consultation if you have been charged with theft, assault, drug possession, or another crime.