Welcome to San Diego Criminal Attorney of North County serving the Vista Superior Court. Attorney Ross brings over 27 years of experience serving the those accused of DUI and criminal offenses. At San Diego Criminal Attorney we believe that hiring an experienced and local attorney are two of the most critical factors when searching for the right criminal defense attorney to represent you in your case. Mr. Ross attended The University of San Diego School of law and has lived in the San Diego community for over 35 years. At San Diego Criminal Attorney we believe in handling only DUI and Criminal cases and we exclusively handle ONLY that area of law. We also believe in handling each one of our cases personally and we don’t “sell off” your case to an “associate attorney” with far less experience and credentials. We believe in a boutique approach when addressing each client that comes into our office. First, we allow each person to come in for a free initial consultation, moreover, San Diego Criminal Attorney does not put a time limit on our consultations and allows each client the time they deserve to ask questions and evaluate our feedback. Second, we evaluate your case in determining if we can help. Lastly, we offer very competitive flat fees and payment plans upon approval. Dedication to our clients, exclusive DUI and Criminal defense, nearly 3 decades in the San Diego community, convenient locations, fair and competitive flat fees, personalized attention, this is what our clients expect and receive at San Diego Criminal Attorney.
OVERVIEW OF THE NORTH COUNTY SAN DIEGO CRIMINAL COURTS
The North County San Diego Criminal Courts are located at 325 S. Melrose Dr. Vista, CA 92081. The court complex processes both misdemeanor and felony cases. Most of the criminal court rooms are located in the older part of the court house which is accessible through the north entrance.
The first court appearance in both misdemeanor and felony cases is called the arraignment. The time and place of your arraignment is found either on the bail receipt if you bailed out or on a letter you received in the mail notifying you that charges have been filed.
Misdemeanor arraignments are usually held at 8:30 a.m. in department 14. Felony arraignments are usually held at 1:30 p.m. in department 14. While the bail receipt or notify letter will state the hearing is at 7:30 or 12:30, the courtrooms do not open until 8:30 for the morning calendar and 1:30 for the afternoon. However, it is important to arrive in sufficient time to find parking and make your way to the court through security. If you are late, a warrant could issue for your arrest.
The purpose of the arraignment is to inform you of the charges against you, to allow you to enter a plea of not guilty and to set future dates for further proceedings. In felony cases you will almost always need to be personally present for all court hearings. In misdemeanor cases, with a few exceptions, your attorney may appear on your behalf not only for the arraignment but also for subsequent appearances as well.
In misdemeanor and felony cases the next court appearance is called a readiness conference. This is the first opportunity your lawyer has to sit down with the judge and the prosecutor and negotiate a plea to resolve the case. This is sometimes called a “plea bargain”. Most cases are resolved in this way. It may take more than one readiness conference to reach a resolution. Misdemeanor readiness conferences are heard at 8:30 in department 1. Felony readiness conferences are heard at 8:30 in department 6.
In misdemeanor cases, if the case cannot not be settled at the readiness conference, it will be confirmed for trial. In most felony cases the next court date is for a preliminary examination. The preliminary examination is not a trial. However, the prosecution will put on the essential elements of its case in an attempt to convince the judge that they have enough evidence to proceed to trial. In 99% of the cases, the court will confirm the case for trial. Usually there is another felony readiness conference prior to the trial date. Both trials and preliminary hearings are sent out from department 5 to other courtrooms to actually hear the matter at 8:30 a.m.
If your matter is resolved by way of a plea you will normally be sentenced by the judge who takes the plea. In misdemeanor cases this will usually be the judge in department 1 and you will be sentenced immediately, usually during the morning calendar. In most felony cases, sentencing will be set out for 30 days or more to allow the probation department to create a report with sentencing recommendations. Most often this will take place in department 6 in the afternoon.
It is important to be represented by an attorney who is thoroughly familiar with both the procedure and the personalities in the North County Court. The attorneys at San Diego Criminal Attorney have almost three decades of experience specific to North County and are committed to providing the highest level of service to their clients.
SAN DIEGO CRIMINAL ATTORNEY
At San Diego Criminal Attorney, attorney Vincent Ross has been an active citizen in the community for over 30 years. Whenever anybody asks the question “which attorney should I choose” probably the most common and most important response is a local attorney with experience. At Ross Law Center, attorney Vincent Ross prides himself in establishing long time relationships within the Vista Court house. These relationships help each one of his clients to better understand the tendencies and prosecution behaviors of the different judges, District Attorneys, and prosecutors. We take pride and confidence in the courtroom everyday as we defend our clients cases aggressively. One of the most important factors that we feel sets The Ross Law Center apart is that we are working and practicing our craft nearly everyday within the Vista courthouse. We feel this gives out clients the best defense and helps us in presenting our clients case in court. From the begging stages of an arrest all the way through the disposition of your case Ross Law Center is only a phone call away to answer out clients questions and to keep them up to date on the status of their case. Each client receives the attorneys and legal administrators personal cell phone and email for corresponding with the attorney. Our mission statement is very simple, “it’s not how long the case takes to complete it’s the result that is the most important. To take the time and treat each client like our only client.” We know that the most important case within our office is your case , which is why we feel so strongly about our dedication to customer service. Local attorney, local office, nearly 3 decades of experience, reasonable flat fees, free initial consultations, and personal service.
CALL OUR SAN DIEGO CRIMINAL ATTORNEY THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE.
SAN DIEGO CRIMINAL ATTORNEY
380 South Melrose Drive #363
Vista, CA 92081
760-484-1525
