Harbor Justice Center Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been charged with a crime in Newport Beach, you will need experienced legal representation. We can provide the defense you need, as we have successfully handled hundreds of criminal cases and know how to develop effective legal strategies to defend against even the most serious crimes.

Harbor Justice Center, 4601 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Phone: (657) 622-5400

Our experience provides us with unique insight into how the prosecution operates, enabling us to anticipate their moves and develop effective counterarguments.

We will utilize our knowledge, skills, and resources to work on your behalf and seek a favorable outcome for you.

Our criminal defense law firm has a proven track record of successfully defending clients in Newport Beach against a range of misdemeanor and felony charges.

We have a history of obtaining the best outcomes in past cases, including dismissals, not-guilty verdicts, and favorable plea bargains.

Best Possible Case Outcome

You can trust in our ability to fight for your rights and seek the best possible outcome for your case, knowing that we have a successful track record to back our claims.

We have obtained the best outcomes in past cases, including dismissals, not-guilty verdicts, and favorable plea bargains. You can trust in our ability to fight for your rights and seek the best possible outcome for your case.

Criminal cases in Newport Beach are handled at the Harbor Justice Center, 4601 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660. This Newport Beach courthouse is the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the OC Sheriff's Office.

Cities Served

The Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach serves the south Orange County cities of Aliso Viejo, Balboa Island, Capistrano Beach, Corona del Mar, Dana Point, Irvine, John Wayne Airport, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Lido Isle, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana Heights and Trabuco Canyon.

Harbor Justice Center is an Orange County Superior Court, the first level of state court in California, with jurisdiction over all criminal and civil matters. The California Penal Code, Vehicle Code, and Health and Safety Codes have a long list of criminal offenses.

Violations of any of these statutes can result in criminal charges and severe penalties. Regardless of the crime you have been accused of, you must retain a Newport Beach defense lawyer with experience in handling similar issues.

What is the Court Process?

The court process can be complex and intimidating, especially if you're unfamiliar with it. It typically involves several stages, ranging from arraignment to trial. Understanding each step can help you navigate the process more effectively.

Our extensive experience with the court process enables us to guide you through every step of your case, from arraignment to trial. You can rest assured that we will be with you every step of the way, providing you with the necessary understanding and support to navigate the process effectively.

The arraignment is the first time you will appear in the Harbor Justice Center, which is called Newport Beach Court, after your arrest.

At this stage, your defense lawyer will represent you and ensure your rights are protected.

At your arraignment, the judge will inform you of the charges against you and your legal rights. Next, you will enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest, which means you do not want to contest the charge.

However, it has the same effect as a guilty plea, except the conviction generally cannot be used against the defendant in a civil lawsuit.

What Happens After You Enter a Plea?

Most people will enter a not-guilty plea at the arraignment, and the judge will set a later court date. Suppose you are in custody at the time of arraignment. In that case, after you enter a plea, the judge will either:

Release you on your “own recognizance,” meaning you pay no bail on the promise to appear at your court dates or
Set bail and send you back to jail until the bail is posted, or
Deny bail and send you back to jail.

What Are the Pretrial Motions?

After the arraignment in misdemeanor cases, the prosecution and your defense lawyer will exchange discovery information. During this pretrial period, both sides can file pretrial motions, and you (the defendant) can discuss how to resolve the case without going to trial.

After an arraignment in felony cases, the judge will hold a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support the allegation that you committed the crime, thereby requiring you to appear for trial.

If the judge decides there is enough evidence, the prosecutor will file the "information.” After a preliminary hearing, felony cases are transferred to the Central Justice Center, located in the Santa Ana courthouse, for a jury trial.

Types of Cases We Defend

Our Newport Beach criminal attorneys can help guide you through police investigations, bail hearings, negotiations with prosecutors, and court trials. We handle all types of misdemeanor, felony, and federal crimes, including the following:

Expert in Pre-filing Intervention

Our criminal defense law firm specializes in a proactive process known as “prefiling intervention.” This process involves early advocacy with law enforcement and prosecuting agencies to try to reduce charges or even have them dropped completely before the first court date.

We have a proven track record of success in this area, and we are committed to exploring all possible avenues to secure the best outcome for our clients.

Successful prefiling intervention can significantly impact the outcome of your case, potentially leading to reduced charges, a more favorable plea bargain, or even a complete dismissal of the charges.

To achieve a successful prefiling intervention, we partner with our clients to assemble the facts that led to the arrest, the surrounding circumstances, and, critically, the significant mitigating factors that contextualize the alleged conduct.

In some cases, we locate witnesses, videos, and other exculpatory evidence with the assistance of a private investigator to build the defense case. There may be legally significant issues of proof that must be highlighted to show that a case cannot be successfully prosecuted against our client beyond a reasonable doubt.

Successful Case Results

No Formal Charges Filed in Medical Fraud Case: After search warrants were executed in a medical fraud case, the medical provider was investigated for allegedly offering "unlawful kickbacks.” Our office gathered evidence to counter these allegations and communicated with various investigators over a period of four years. Ultimately, the case was not prosecuted, and the client's seized items were returned to them.
No Charges Filed in Felony Auto Theft Case: A construction company owner was arrested for felony auto theft after extending a U-Haul rental past its due date. However, the City and District Attorney's Offices agreed with the defense that no crime occurred and chose not to file formal charges.
Sex Crime Charges Dismissed: Accusation of a sex offense against a grandfather. Family law proceedings resulted in a report and investigation into sex abuse. Our office provided defense evidence that raised a reasonable doubt about the truthfulness of the claims. The case was dismissed.
No Formal Charges Filed in Sex Crime Case: Our office represented three clients in Orange County and Long Beach Courts for arrests related to attempting to meet a minor for lewd purposes. In each case, we submitted evidence to the authorities, casting doubt on the criminal intent and questioning the reliability of the online vigilante who orchestrated the arrests. No formal charges were filed.
Criminal Conviction Avoided: A college student was issued a criminal citation for using a fake ID to enter a bar. Following our law firm's intervention, the prosecutor agreed to hold an administrative hearing, enabling our client to avoid criminal charges and maintain a clean record without undergoing formal court proceedings.

Why You Need a Defense Lawyer

Often, a police report may be incomplete. A witness may have been missed, or crime scene investigators may not have recovered relevant physical evidence.

Our goal is to present all material facts to the court regarding a period of the government's actions to help the offense be dropped.

A person should not be judged based on a small period in their life, but rather on their entire background, character, and witness statements.

In many cases, there will be both issues of proof and significant mitigating factors.

Once we assemble the necessary information with the help of our clients, we are ready to present a formal written position to law enforcement and the prosecuting agencies.

Mitigation in a Criminal Case

In a typical prefiling intervention, we present several legal positions to the government as we develop the facts of the case. The arguments raise reasonable doubt, showing that the charges will not be proven to a jury and that the case should not be formally filed in court.

In other cases, the facts are not in question, but there are critical contextual details that mitigate, meaning to make less serious, our client's alleged conduct.

We defend clients facing state and federal criminal charges in the Harbor Justice Center and throughout Orange County & Los Angeles. We are committed to providing a strong defense for our clients, often handling the pre-filing defense for police investigations to prevent or reduce charges.

Contact Eisner Gorin LLP for a confidential consultation and a clear plan to protect your freedom and future.

By appointment, the law firm may meet the client at 100 Spectrum Center Drive, Suite 900, Irvine, CA 92618 for case preparation, strategy, and review.

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