police arrest

Ashley Daniel, Esq., is a California criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Ashley Daniel who is dedicated to helping individuals who are accused of committing crimes. Whether you have been charged with a misdemeanor, a DUI, theft crime, drug crime, assault, or a serious felony, our criminal defense lawyers will work on devising a solid defense strategy and strive to help you achieve the best possible outcome. As a former prosecutor, Mr. Daniel knows how district attorneys and law enforcement officials build their cases and the tactics they employ. We utilize this valuable knowledge to help fight the charges against you.

We know that any type of criminal charge – be it a felony or misdemeanor – can come with serious consequences. You may be looking at time in county jail or state prison. You may be facing hefty fines. You may even be in danger of losing your driver’s license, your professional licenses or your job. The stakes in criminal cases are always high and the repercussions may follow you, potentially, for the rest of your life.

A Strong and Proactive Approach

criminal defense attorney

If you are facing a criminal charge in California, or even when you find out that you are under investigation for a specific crime, it is important to retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. We believe there is absolutely no time to waste, whether you are facing an investigation, have just been arrested or are facing formal charges.

We are strongly committed to taking an aggressive and proactive approach to resolve your situation, in some instances even before law enforcement officials file formal charges against you. When we begin to work right away, we can identify witnesses and collect evidence that work in your favor and jumpstart the effort to help you fight off the charges and clear your name.  Our firm is ready to fight for you.  We continue to serve Orange County, Los Angles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Francisco County to name a few.

We understand that even news of an investigation against you, the report of an arrest or charges filed against you can leave a cloud hanging over your reputation, and standing in society. The news media cover arrests and charges, often splashing them on the front page despite the fact that the individual has not been found guilty. The Law Office of Ashley Daniel is extremely sensitive to all these issues and will work diligently so we can defeat the charges against you.

An Independent Investigation

Independent Criminal Investigation

Criminal cases are investigated by law enforcement officials, which may include local city police, county sheriff’s deputies, state police or federal agents. District attorneys also have their own investigators to look into criminal cases, gather evidence and locate witnesses. However, it is very important to remember that many of these individuals are not really engaged in an objective pursuit of the truth. Their goal, typically, is to build a strong case against you.

This is why you need a defense attorney who has the resources and personnel to independently investigate your case and to gather evidence and witness statements that are favorable to you. Our law firm identifies and locates witnesses, re-interviews witnesses when necessary, scouts locations for additional evidence, obtains surveillance tapes that may offer crucial information about the case, performs background checks on key prosecution witnesses and works to obtain other critical evidence that may assist your case.

In criminal cases, the prosecution has the burden of proof. This means that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty. The prosecutor must present witnesses and evidence to prove the charges. When we conduct a thorough and independent investigation, we maximize the chances of exposing the inadequacies in the prosecution’s case.

What to Do If You Are Facing Criminal Charges

criminal charges

If you are facing any type of criminal charge in California, it is absolutely vital that you take certain steps in order to protect your rights and prevent jeopardizing your case:

Exercise your right to remain silent. The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives you the right to not make statements that are incriminating. If you are facing a barrage of questions, the best way to avoid incriminating yourself is to remain silent. If you have been arrested, politely insist that you will not answer any questions without your lawyer present. By doing so, you are exercising your Fifth Amendment rights. Do not speak with law enforcement officials even if they appear cordial act like they want to help you. Anything you say can and often will be used against you.

Avoid talking to others about your case. Remember that the conversations you have with your family and friends may be potentially used against you. Under California law, only your spouse can refuse to testify against you. The best course of action is to not talk to anyone about your case until it is resolved. Do not post any details about your case or discuss it online or on social media. Please remember that social media posts are often used in criminal cases as evidence. This includes any photos or videos you may post as well. Our advice is to suspend all social media activity until your case is resolved.

Make detailed notes. Write down the facts of the case soon after the incident so it is all still fresh in your mind. Write down a thorough account regarding all the events that led up to your arrest as soon as possible. Include details such as date, time, location, who you were with and what you were doing. Provide this information to your lawyer.

Retain an experienced criminal defense lawyer. This is the most important step when it comes to defending yourself and fighting the charges against you. The sooner you retain the services of a defense attorney, the better your chances of being able to solidify your defense strategy. The prosecutor may try to rush a plea deal through. But often, that is not in your best interests. Before you make that critical decision to plead guilty, consult with our experienced California criminal defense attorneys to discuss your options and the best course of action to take.

Experienced California Criminal Defense Attorneys

defense lawyer

The Law Firm of Ashley Daniel handles a wide variety of criminal cases ranging from infractions to low-level misdemeanors all the way to serious felony matters. Some of the many types of cases we can help you with include:

We will fight for your rights every step of the way. Please call our office to schedule your no-cost consultation and case evaluation.  Call (949) 264-2114.