Criminal Defense of Burglary Crimes In Los Angeles by a Skilled Attorney

Burglary in California can be either residential or commercial. Residential burglary can be considered worse than commercial burglary because it is seen as the invasion of a person's home. Burglary is a felony that can be charged in conjunction with other crimes such as assault, criminal threats, or violation of a restraining order. A criminal defense attorney must act quickly to negotiate with the prosector or use investigators to gain every piece of relevant evidence and information that is needed early in the proceedings. When a person is arrested the defense lawyer may have a very short window of opportunity to argue to the prosecuting agency that charges need not even be filed. This occasionally happens when the circumstances surrounding the arrest amount to little more than a reasonable misunderstanding between the parties. However, if charges have already been filed, then it is important to analyze the level of aggravation, and obtain a complete personal background and criminal history before moving forward. Mary Masi works closely with families to compile every piece of mitigation evidence available for presentation to the judge or prosecutor in negotiating on her client's behalf. If her client prefers to take the case to trial, then she can still use the mitigation evidence for fighting in court.


Criminal Defense Proceedings

Once charges are filed by the prosecutor the case proceeds to arraignment where the accused may enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. If a not guilty plea is entered, the case will proceed within a few weeks to a preliminary hearing where a judge will rule on whether there is sufficient evidence for the person to be prosecuted further at trial. The United States Consitution guarantees the right to trial by jury within 30 days, however when it is in the best interest of the accused to waive time for trial, a continuance may be granted to allow thorough investigation by the criminal defense attorney. Mary Masi has defended over 50 people at preliminary hearings within the last few years and is considered a highly intelligent lawyer, and when necessary she is relentlessly agressive during cross examination of any witnesses who testify against her clients at preliminary hearings. Please call for a free initial consultation.