Riverside Criminal Defense Lawyer

Riverside Criminal Attorney

It can be terrifying to be accused of a serious crime. Felonies are often punished harshly, and you may have an understandable fear of imprisonment or needing to register as a sex offender. An experienced Riverside criminal defense attorney can look at all of the facts surrounding your situation and develop a strategy for building a thorough defense under the circumstances. At The Law Office of Gregory H.Comings, we handle cases involving drug crimes, sex crimes, domestic violence, violent crimes, white collar crimes, and felony DUI. Many of the cases that we take seem complicated or daunting to our clients at the outset, but we take the time to listen to their side of the story and make sure that it is told.

Domestic Violence Defense

In California, domestic violence occurs when someone perpetrates certain criminal acts on a victim with whom they have a familial or intimate relationship: a spouse, an ex-spouse, a cohabitant, a former cohabitant in a home, a parent with whom a child is shared, or a partner in a dating relationship. If a prosecutor charges you with a domestic violence crime, they can choose which criminal charges to pursue based on how severe the actions were and how serious the harm to the victim was. If the perpetrator used willful and unlawful force or violence against someone else in one of these relationships, the prosecutor may charge domestic violence battery under Penal Code section 243(e)(1). This law does not require a visible injury.

There are often defenses available, such as self-defense or defense of others, based on the specific crime being alleged. In some cases, a prosecutor does not have enough evidence to establish a case beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, perhaps there is insufficient evidence that the use of force in a section 243(e)(1) case was willful. A criminal lawyer in Riverside or San Bernardino County can help you determine how to attack the prosecution’s case.

Sex Crime Defense

As with other crimes, the prosecution must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt when you are charged with a sex crime. What must be proven depends on the particular sex crime at issue. Certain crimes require a judge to impose mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. These crimes include sexual battery, rape, aiding and abetting a rape, pimping or pandering a minor, child procurement, aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, contributing to the delinquency of a minor with lewd or lascivious conduct, lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, showing minors obscene materials, arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, continuous sexual abuse of a minor, child pornography, child molestation, and more.

Although there is a significant stigma attached to having a sex crime on one's record, there are potential defenses available. In some cases, a San Bernardino or Riverside criminal attorney will investigate and find that the prosecution's evidence is weak on one or more elements. In other cases, there may be a defense such as consent, when the victim is old enough and mentally capable of providing valid consent. In further cases, there may be a violation of constitutional rights before or during an arrest that can result in a successful motion to suppress evidence.

Violent Crime Defense

Under section 667.5(c), violent felonies include crimes such as murder, voluntary manslaughter, mayhem, rape, kidnapping, robbery, arson, carjacking, assault intending to perpetrate a particular felony, burglary of the first degree, and attempted murder. By law, these particular crimes are sentenced harshly. The enhancement for a violent felony depends on which felony is being charged. With the violent felonies listed above and some others, the court will add on and impose consecutively a three-year term for each prior separate prison term served by the defendant. There are certain nuances to this law, and there may be procedural or substantive defenses available, so it is very important to consult a San Bernardino or Riverside criminal defense lawyer about your particular situation.

White Collar Crime Defense

White collar crimes are usually illegal, nonviolent acts that involve a violation of trust, concealment, or deceit. These crimes are usually perpetrated for financial gain. As with violent crimes, however, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt each element of the charge. When proving embezzlement, for instance, the prosecution will need to show that the defendant was entrusted with someone else's property and either took or misused the property.

There may be defenses available depending on the crime being charged and the factual circumstances. For example, there may be a violation of constitutional rights, such as the right to avoid self-incrimination or the right to be free from illegal searches and seizures. In other cases, the prosecution may not be able to show a crucial element beyond a reasonable doubt.

Felony DUI Defense

There are three situations in which you can be charged with a felony DUI in California. First, if you have three or more prior DUI or wet reckless convictions during a 10-year lookback period, you can be charged with felony DUI. If you have at least one prior felony DUI conviction, you can be charged with felony DUI even if there are no aggravating factors, and you would be charged with misdemeanor DUI if it were a first offense. If your drunk or drugged driving caused somebody else’s injuries or death, you can be charged with felony DUI.

Felony DUI charges are extremely serious and can result in a minimum sentence of 16 months in prison, among other penalties. The sentence is likely to be more than the minimum if you caused an injury to someone else. However, there may be defenses available, including constitutional or procedural defenses, so it is important to consult an experienced attorney.

Drug Crime Defense

Drug crimes are punished harshly, especially if significant amounts of drugs are involved. Often, if you possess more of a controlled substance than an ordinary person would personally ingest, it may be assumed that you were possessing narcotics for sale. The packaging of the controlled substance can be used to establish possession for sale; for example, baggies and balloon packaging are often associated with drug trafficking. Even if you are caught with a lot of packaging material, but the drugs were not yet packaged, you could be charged with possessing for sale.

The prosecutor always bears the burden of showing your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a high standard. In some cases, a criminal attorney in Riverside or San Bernardino County can defeat a charge by simply raising a reasonable doubt. In other cases, it is possible to challenge the way that the police obtained the evidence. When the police recover drugs through an illegal search and seizure, we can seek to get evidence of the drugs suppressed, which may demolish the prosecution's case. There are also affirmative defenses that may be available, such as entrapment.

Discuss Your Case with a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Riverside or San Bernardino County

If you are charged with a crime in Riverside or San Bernardino County, you should call experienced criminal lawyer Gregory H. Comings. He represents defendants in areas such as Riverside, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Temecula, Moreno Valley, Indio, Fontana, Highland, Redlands, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, San Bernardino, and Victorville. Call us at (951) 686-3457 or use our online form to set up an appointment to discuss your needs.

MEET ATTORNEY GREGORY H. COMINGS
As a trial attorney who has gone to trial on over 100 felony cases from Murder on down for the past 19 years, I have developed a great rapport with the Deputy District Attorneys and Judges in the Riverside and San Bernardino Courts. If you want an honest evaluation of your case and what can realistically be done, I am the attorney for you. I won't tell you what you want to hear, I will tell you truthfully what is realistic and we will walk the road together.
CASE RESULTS

Charged with PC 245(a)(1) which is assault with a weapon as well as great bodily injury PC 12022.7(a), Out on bail allegation PC 12022.1 and numerous prior strikes and another separate case involving drugs. Client is a three striker which means if convicted he will get life in prison. After doing investigation and giving the district attorney some mitigating information worked out a deal where the client would get 2 years in prison which he had credits already meaning he was released from county jail.

Charged with 2 counts of PC 269(a)(5) and 2 counts of PC 288(b)(1). Facing life in prison as well as lifetime registration. After the preliminary hearing and numerous negotiations with the district attorney assigned to the case, worked out a deal for a misdemeanor PC 415(2) disturbing the peace. No registration, or prison sentence. As well as no felony conviction.

Charged with PC 69 as a Felony which is resisting or deterring executive officer. Facing prison and a felony conviction. After doing investigation and meeting with the district attorney assigned to the case worked out a deal for a misdemeanor PC 415(2) disturbing the peace. No jail or felony conviction.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
"Amazing attorney. Kind, compassionate man. Look no further...this is your guy!" D.F.
★★★★★
"Gregory Comings IS THE MOST AMAZING CRIMINAL ATTORNEY IN ALL OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY OR ANY COUNTY! Never have I met anyone that was so passionate and so involved with not only their clients but with their clients family as well!... S.A.
★★★★★
"Being in the business, I have access to hundreds of criminal defense attorneys. When a family member ran into legal problems, I sent them to Mr. Comings. Mr. Comings provided a passionate and aggressive defense... K.L.
Contact Us
  1. 1Se Habla Español
  2. 2Available 24/7
  3. 3Over a Decade of Experience
Fill out the contact form or call us at (951) 686-3457 to schedule your consultation.