The defendant was initially accused of stabbing her baby's father. During the alleged stabbing, she chased him out of her apartment and into the street with a knife and left her baby daughter alone in the apartment to do so. Defendant was initially charged with felony domestic violence, felony assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor child endangerment. After argument at the preliminary hearing, the judge agreed to dismiss the misdemeanor child endangerment charges. At the trial, we argued self-defense and the jury found Defendant Not Guilty of all charges.
The defendant was accused of domestic violence against his ex-wife. He was caught on Ring video pushing his way into his ex-wife's home and the door ended up hitting her. The DA's office charged the domestic violence based on the door striking the ex-wife. However, at trial we argued that the video didn't capture the entire incident and the door accidentally struck the ex-wife. The jury hung 10 for Not Guilty and 2 for Guilty. After the hung jury, the court dismissed the case.
The defendant was charged with felony domestic violence (Penal Code section 273.5), felony child endangerment (Penal Code section 273a), and felony assault with a deadly weapon (Penal Code section 245). The defendant had two prior convictions for domestic violence and the felony assault with a deadly weapon was a strike. The defendant was accused of beating his girlfriend while driving and hitting her with his cell phone. The girlfriend supposedly crawled into the back seat next to their child to escape the abuse and the defendant allegedly continued to strike the girlfriend in the backseat, while driving the car, thereby endangering their child with his unsafe driving and with striking the girlfriend while she was close to the child. The defendant maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Fred Thiagarajah won an acquittal after a jury trial on all charges.
The defendant was charged with first-degree burglary (Penal Code section 459-460(a)) which is a strike offense and felony grand theft. The defendant was accused of burglarizing her neighbor’s home after she found out that the neighbor had moved out. The prosecutor on the case initially wanted 4 months in jail. Through extensive negotiations with the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Fred Thiagarajah convinced the prosecutor to allow the defendant to plead guilty to misdemeanor trespass with only 80 hours of community service.
The defendant was charged with felony criminal threats (Penal Code section 422), which is a strike offense. Defendant, who was in his 20s, was allegedly involved in a road rage incident where he supposedly followed the other driver to a bank ATM, got out of his car, approached the other driver, and punched the driver’s side window and made threats of violence against the other driver. The other driver was an elderly gentleman who happened to be a retired police officer. Furthermore, two independent witnesses observed the entire incident. Nevertheless, Fred Thiagarajah exposed multiple inconsistencies in the complaining witness’ version of events and the defendant was acquitted after a jury trial. The jury deliberated for less than one hour before coming back with the acquittal. *This case initially started in at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, but the jury trial was conducted at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
Charges — Penal Code 647(f) (drunk in public)
Charges — Penal Code 647(f) (drunk in public)
Charges — Penal Code 647(f) (drunk in public)
Client and is wife were on the side of the road. A passer by called the police because of suspected domestic violence. When the police arrived, they coudln’t prove domestic violence, so they arrested client for being drunk in public and when the client objected to that, they added resisting arrest charges.
Client allegedly forged his ex-wife’s signature on a grant deed to transfer her interest in a property to him. Client and ex-wife were going through bitter child custody dispute at the time of the criminal case.
Result — Case dismissed after jury trial. Judge granted a directed verdict after the People rested.
Five police officers come out of an unmarked van holding patrol sticks and tazers and claim they had a “consensual” encounter with client. Police claim that client voluntarily agrees to a search and they find cocaine on him. At arraignment, DA’s initial offer is 6 months of drug classes and then dismissal in 18 months. After a discussion of the facts, and the nature of the “consensual” encounter, DA agrees to dismiss charges immediately in exchange for client providing a DNA sample.
Result — Case dismissed on first day of court
Charges — Felony domestic violence, felony robbery and felony false imprisonment
Facts — The client punched his girlfriend in the face, stole her cell phone and wouldn’t let her leave his car.
Charges — Misdemeanor domestic violence restraining order violation pursuant to Penal Code section 273.6(a)
Facts — The client was texting and calling his ex-girlfriend after she obtained a domestic violence restraining order against him.
Client and two other vehicle occupants arrested when police found 2 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk. Although other two occupants were found guilty, Client’s case was dismissed. Furthermore, we filed a motion for factual innocence pursuant to Penal Code section 851.8. Judge granted our motion and client’s arrest record was sealed.
Result — Factual innocence granted; arrest record sealed.
Client became extremely intoxicated at a party at a hotel and refused to leave premises after being asked to do so by hotel staff. Cilent physically resisted police when they arrived. Result — Reduced to infraction for disturbing the peace
Facts — Client shoplifted $430 woth of items from Kohl’s. Client was not a US citizen and faced immigration consequences.
Result — Case dismissed. No immigration consequences.
Facts — Client shoplifted $500 worth of clothing from Macy’s. Client was not a US citizen and a guilty plea would have resulted in immigration consequences.
Facts — Client shoplifted $425 worth of items from Macy’s.
Facts — Client admitted to sexual penetration involving a minor while they were asleep
Charges — 1) Hit & Run,
2) DUI
Charge — Hit and Run
Charges — Client arrested for Felony Possession of Marijuana for Sale.
Result — Convinced DA not to file charges for drugs; Defendant given house arrest for 2nd DUI
Charges — 1) Possession Controlled Substance, 2) Possession Controlled Substance without Prescription, 3) Petty Theft
Charges — 1) Possession Marijuana, 2) Petty Theft
Charges - Defendant was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 243(e)(1)
Facts - Defendant had broken up with his fiancee and then ghosted her. She came over to his house to confront him and attacked him. He called 911 but when the police arrived, they saw bruises on her body. Defendant claims she hit herself to set him up. His fiancee's daughter claimed that Defendant struck his fiancee as well, but the Defendant says the daughter wasn't present.
Final Result - After speaking with the DA's office, no charges filed.
Felony Reduced to Misdemeanor & No Jail Through Negotiations
People v. C.D. (2020) Los Angeles County
Charges - Defendant was charged with felony domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 273.5(a)
Facts - Defendant pushed his girlfriend after she accused him of cheating. She hit her head as she fell and was taken to the hospital, where she received 12 stitches. The defendant admitted that he pushed her and admitted it was wrong.
Final Result - We were able to negotiate a misdemeanor resolution with no jail
Case Dismissed Right BeforeTrial
People v. V.S. (2019) Riverside County
Charges - Defendant was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 243(e)(1).
Facts - Defendant and her husband had been married for over 30 years. On the day of her arrest, they got into a verbal fight and she called the police because she thought he was going to kill himself. When the police arrived, the husband told the police that the defendant pushed him in the back and he showed a bruise on his back as proof. The police arrested the defendant for domestic violence.
Initial Negotiations - Despite the fact that the defendant was in her 50s with no criminal record, that this was the only incident of violence between her and her husband in 30 years and that her husband no longer wanted to press charges, the DA's office refused to reduce or dismiss the charges. We then set the case for jury trial.
Final Result - After we showed up for trial, all charges were dismissed.
Case Dismissed Right Before Trial
People v. E.T. (2019) Los Angeles County
Charges - Defendant was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 273.5(a).
Facts - Defendant and his wife had an argument. She called the police and claimed he slapped her and kicked her multiple times, and also claimed that he has abused her approximately 20 times in the past. The defendant asked to speak with his lawyer and was arrested for domestic violence.
Initial Negotiations - The prosecutor initially wanted 60 days jail, despite the fact that the defendant had no criminal record. The prosecution also refused to reduce or dismiss the charges. We then set the case for jury trial.
Final Result - After we showed up for trial, the DA's office ultimately agreed to dismiss the case.
Case Dismissed Right Before Trial
People v. B.J. (2019) Riverside County
Charges - Defendant was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 243(e)(1).
Facts - Defendant and his wife were going through a divorce but still living together. One morning, they got into a fight after she found him going through her things. She started hitting him and he grabbed her neck, only letting go after they fell to the floor. After the fight, she went to work while he stayed home with the kids. At work, she called the police and told them he choked her. When the police arrived at his house, he admitted to choking her but claimed it was in self-defense. The police saw no injuries on him and arrested him for domestic violence.
Initial Negotiations - Defendant was in law enforcement himself and a conviction would result in the loss of his job. Despite having no criminal record, the DA refused to reduce or dismiss the charges. We then set this case for jury trial.
Final Result - After we showed up for trial, the DA's office ultimately agreed to dismiss the case.
Case Dismissed Through Negotiations
People v. R.A. (2019) Los Angeles County
Charges - Defendant was charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 243(e)(1).
Facts - Defendant got into an argument with his wife, whom he has been married to for over 50 years. During the argument, he supposedly slapped her and kicked her in the legs. His adult daughter saw them fighting and tried to intervene, and he pushed his daughter away multiple times. While he was pushing his daughter away, his wife tried to intervene and he supposedly slapped her again. The police were called and both the wife and daughter made statements against him.
Negotiations - Defendant was an elderly individual in his 70s with no criminal record. Upon the advice of Fred Thiagarajah, he and his wife attended couples counseling prior to their first court date. Through negotiations with the court and prosecution, Mr. Thiagarajah was able to negotiate a deal where all charges would be dismissed as long as Defendant continued to take counseling for one year.
Final Result - Case Dismissed.
No Charges Filed
People v. V.D. (2019) Los Angeles County
Charges - Defendant was arrested for domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 273.5
Facts - Defendant and his girlfriend were fighting. She calls the police and claims that he choked her. Police arrive but don't see any evidence of abuse and leave. She calls the police again a few days later and again claims he was choking her. This time the police show up and arrest him.
Final Result - After speaking with the prosecutor's office, no charges were filed.
Community Service Instead of Jail
People v. R.H. (2019) Orange County
Charges - Defendant was charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence against his girlfriend in violation of Penal Code section 243(e)(1).
Facts - D had hired another attorney to represent and already agreed to plead guilty to domestic violence but didn't like the fact that he was doing jail time. He hired our office to see if we can renegotiate his case at the last minute. Fred Thiagarajah substituted into the case on the last day and knew the prosecutor that was handling the case. The prosecutor agreed to modify the ten days jail to 120 hours of community service.
Charges Not Filed
People v. J.A. (2019) Riverside County
Charges - Defendant was arrested for felony domestic violence.
Facts - Defendant and his girlfriend got into a fight. She called the police and claimed he broke down their bedroom door and the fall caused her to fracture her elbow. He left the residence after her call but when he found out the police were looking for him, he turned himself in. Defendant told us he did push the door hard but he never intended for her to fall.
Final Result - After contacting the DA's office, no charges were filed.
Arrest Records Sealed
People v. D.S. (2018) Los Angeles County
Charges - Defendant was arrested for domestic violence against his wife.
Facts - Defendant and his wife got into a fight where she punched him in the head but he pushed her. She called the police and told them he started the fight, so he was the one arrested.
First Result - The prosecution agreed not to file charges in this case.
Second Result - We filed a motion to seal arrest records. The prosecution opposed our request but after going back to court a second time to fight the case, the judge granted our motion to seal our client's arrest records.
Charges — Penal Code 647(f) (drunk in public)
Charges — Misdemeanor Domestic Violence.
Facts — The client prosecuted for domestic violence after the wife called 911 and claimed the client hit her. Client admitted to the police that he pushed his wife. After criminal charges filed, the wife then filed for divorce and sought 100% custody of all the kids.
Initial Offer — DA would not drop or reduce the charges even though the Client had no criminal record and a DV conviction would jeopardize custody of his kids.
Final Result — Client was found Not Guilty after Jury Trial!
Charges — Felony domestic violence, felony assault with a deadly weapon (strike) and felony deadly threats (strike)
Facts — Client’s boyfriend wanted to break up with her. Client scratched his face, tore off his glasses and broke them. Client threw one knife at him and then grabbed another 8″ kitchen knife and threatened to stab him. She said “one or both of them was going to die tonight”.
Negotiations — DA’s office initially wouldn’t reduce the charges. We then fought the case through preliminary hearing and eventually set it for trial. Only by fighting back could we negotiate a good deal for our client. Right before trial started, the DA finally gave us a good deal.
Final Result — Misdemeanor false imprisonment with $1000 fines. No probation, no anger management classes and no jail!
Issue — Client was not a legal resident. Although we managed to secure diversion as an option first, diversion wouldn’t work for the client because of immigration issues. Got the charge changed to trespass which was non-deportable and safe for the DREAM act.
Facts — Client shoplifted $150 worth of clothing from Kohl’s. Client was a permanent resident and in nursing school, so faced immigration and professional licensing consequences with a misdemeanor conviction for theft.
Facts — Client was accused of allegedly touching his daughter’s 10 year old friend on her private parts over her clothes. When interviewed by police, client claimed his memory was foggy because he had been drinking that day. We spoke with the DA’s office for about a month and they finally agreed not to file charges.
Facts — Client slapped her ex-husband’s current girlfriend with her shoe, after current girlfriend started talking trash to the client. Ex-husband was present and told police client slapped his current girlfriend. Client admitted to the conduct. The current girlfriend came to every court appearance and demanded that client be put in jail and objected to any reduction in the charges.
Facts — Cilent arrested for his 2nd DUI and refused to take chemical test. Police obtained a warrant and forced a blood draw. Client’s blood alcohol level was .19. DA wanted 90 days jail. We convinced judge to give client house arrest, over DA’s objection.
Facts — Client pulled over for exhibition of speed and tinted windows. Officer conducted a DUI investigation. Client refused to submit to a blood test, but the officers forced a blood draw which resulted in a .16% blood alcohol level — double the legal limit. After almost one year of negotations, we finally convinced the DA’s office to dismiss all charges.
Charges — 1) Hit and Run, 2) Child Endangerment, 3) DUI
Facts – Client was under 21 and walking home from a fraternity party. Police stopped and arrested Client for being drunk in public. Fred Thiagarajah agreed to handle the case pro bono.
Defendant had three cases all pending at the same time. Each case was driving on a suspended license with two priors and the mandatory minimum jail time on each case was 30 days jail and the DA on each case was requiring fines of $500 plus penalty assessments (which comes to almost $2500 fines in each case). One case was pending in Alhambra, one case was pending in downtown LA, and one case was pending in West Covina. Law Offices of Fred Thiagarajah represented defendant on all three cases.
Result – Alhambra case was reduced to a Vehicle Code section 12500 (driving without a valid license). Through creative plea-bargaining, our office eliminated the fines on the other two cases and Defendant did concurrent jail time on everything.
Defendant was charged with felony assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury (Penal Code section 245) with an enhancement for personally infliciting great bodily injury (Penal Code section 12022.7(a)) and felony battery with great bodily injury (Penal Code section 243(d)). Both of these crimes are strikes. Defendant and his brother were co-defendants and accused of assaulting their third brother during an argument about the inheritance money that was left to them by their mother’s death. Defendant was accused of striking the victim multiple times in the face with a flashlight or beer bottle and when the police found the victim, his left eye was swollen shut, he had a large lump on the right side of his head and his nose was bleeding. Through vigorous cross-examination of the victim at the preliminary hearing that exposed the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, Fred Thiagarajah convinced the judge to dismiss all charges against his client.
Defendant was initially charged with felony criminal threats (Penal Code section 422), misdemeanor brandishing a firearm (Penal Code section 417) and misdemeanor battery (Penal Code section 242). Felony criminal threats is a strike offense. Furthermore, the District Attorney added an enhancement on the felony criminal threats for personal use of a firearm (Penal Code section 12022.5(a)). Defendant was accused of getting into a physical fight with his sister about her boyfriend. Defendand then allegedly retrieved a gun from his room and brandished the gun in front of her while threatening to kill her boyfriend. Although defendant admitted his conduct to the police, he hired Fred Thiagarajah because he didn’t want a strike on his record and he didn’t want to go to prison. Through extensive negotiations with the court, Fred Thiagarajah convinced the court to reduce the felony criminal threat charge to a misdemeanor and to dismiss the enhancement for personal use of a firearm. Fred Thiagarajah secured a sentence of six months jail and convinced the court to allow the defendant to serve that time in a private jail. Fred Thiagarajah delivered exactly what the client needed — no strike and no prison time.
Facts — Client attacked a bouncer who wouldn’t let him inside a nightclub. Client was a registered nurse and faced professional licensing consequences in addition to criminal charges.
Facts — Client arrested for hitting his employee in the face and knocking his glasses off. Client claimed he was just joking around.
Facts — Client had three pending cases. First case was a 2nd time DUI and driving on a suspended license. Second case was hit and run and possession of controlled substance. Third case was driving on a suspended license.
Facts — Minimum jail time on 3rd DUI is 120 days
Facts — We were arealdy representing client for his 2nd DUI, when he gets arrested for possession of heroin. However, we negotiate a dismissal of his felony drug possession case at the very first court appearance.
Charges — Vandalism
Charges — 1) Felony vandalism (Penal Code section 594), 2) Felony 1st-degree Burglary (Penal Code section 459)
Felony domestic violence in violation of Penal Code section 273.5, felony assault with a deadly weapon in violation of Penal Code section 245(a)(1), great bodily injury enhancement in violation of Penal Code section 12022.7 Facts — Client accused of bashing his wife’s head in with a rock. Wife had multiple lacerations to her head, suffered a concussion and required stitches. The client wanted to take his case to trial and hired our office after the preliminary hearing. Final Result — After setting the case for trial and declaring ready, the DA’s office backed down and all charges were dismissed!
Charge — Vandalism
Charges — Hit & Run Causing Injury
Charges — Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, Misdemeanor Resisting Arrest, Misdemeanor Evading Police, Misdemeanor Possession of a Controlled Substance
Charges — Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance; Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
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