City Attorney Hearing
A City Attorney Hearing is an administrative hearing that is conducted as an alternative to a misdemeanor criminal prosecution in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles City Attorney prosecutes misdemeanor crimes committed in Los Angeles, California. In cases where a filing deputy has determined that misdemeanor guidelines have not been met or where there is not enough evidence for a criminal conviction, the City Attorney Hearing Program is used as an alternative to criminal prosecution. A hearing officer (not an attorney) conducts this type of administrative hearing and there is no judge or jury present at the hearing. The misdemeanors generally referred for City Attorney Hearings are usually low level, non-violent offenses.
It is always in the best interests of the defendant (the accused) to have an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney present to assist you at the hearing. Anything you say at the hearing could be subsequently used against you in a criminal case. The administrative hearing could last anywhere from fifteen minutes to several hours. Witnesses for the defendant and or the alleged victim may testify at the hearing. Evidence presented by either side is considered by the hearing officer. At the end of the hearing, the hearing officer will determine whether to recommend to the City Attorney to proceed with criminal prosecution, dismiss the matter, or the hearing officer could leave the case open for one year before completely closing out the criminal case.
A misdemeanor conviction is a serious matter. You could receive a jail sentence of up to one year and end up with a criminal record. An experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney familiar with these types of hearings can keep your case from being filed by preparing you for the hearing, determining your defenses, gathering documents and evidence to strengthen your defenses, and preparing you and your witnesses to testify at the hearing. The ideal goal of an experienced criminal defense attorney is the complete dismissal of your case.