Areas of Practice

With 36 years of criminal defense experience, Ron Cordova, Attorney at Law, provides a comprehensive variety of services to individuals in Orange County, California and throughout the nation. Ron has the experience and resources to successfully represent clients accused of any type of criminal allegation, including but not limited to:

Federal Offenses

Criminal charges can be filed in either state or federal courts. While modern state offenses are codified in statute, they grew out of the centuries-old common law and are therefore very broad in scope. Federal offenses, however, must be based on a specific federal statute. Federal offenses are therefore more narrowly drawn and precise in their scope. Many federal offenses, such as narcotics trafficking or manufacturing, and white collar crimes such as bank and tax fraud and money laundering, could be charged as state offenses as well. In general, penalties for drug offenses tend to be more severe in the federal courts than the state courts, while white collar crimes are punished more severely in state courts.

State Misdemeanors & Felonies

Whether a crime is a misdemeanor or a felony depends upon how it is classified by the state. In general, a felony is an offense which is potentially punishable by a year or more in prison, while a misdemeanor is punishable by less jail time and/or fines. Some crimes can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies, generally depending upon factors such as the severity of the offense, whether it is a first or repeat offense, whether a weapon was involved, the status of the victim, and other considerations.

Child Abduction

Kidnapping involves taking a person against his or her will, and confining that person to a space under the control of the kidnapper. Child abduction can include situations where a non-custodial parent takes the child without legal authority, often leaving the state or even the country. Child abduction and kidnapping are examples of crimes that may be state or federal offenses, depending upon the circumstances.

Criminal Threats

Criminal threats cases are generally difficult cases for the prosecution to prove. Among the different elements that constitute a criminal threats charge, the prosecution must establish that the recipient of the alleged threat was in reasonable sustained fear for his or her safety. The prosecution must also prove that the defendant intended for the statement to be understood as a threat. Moreover, the threat must not be remote in time and must appear to the threatened person that it could actually be carried out in the immediate future.

Domestic Violence

A temporary restraining order (TRO) is available for someone who has been the subject of verbal or physical abuse by someone in a close relationship, such as a spouse or other relative, or a boyfriend/girlfriend. The TRO can order the alleged abuser to keep a certain distance from the subject of the order, including moving out of the house. A civil harassment restraining order is available against a neighbor, roommate or co-worker for stalking or other forms of abuse. The person against whom the order is sought will have the right to challenge the order in court before it can be extended beyond an initial, temporary period.

Domestic violence restraining orders are sometimes sought in the midst of divorce proceedings as a tool to gain advantage in a divorce. For instance, the court in most cases will not grant custody of a child to a parent with a history of domestic violence.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

DUI cases can be complex, involving scientific theories on blood alcohol content, field sobriety tests, and a host of other issues. The potential penalties for drunk driving offenses can be significant, leading to jail time, high fines, probation, and immigration consequences if you are not a U.S. citizen.

Environmental Crimes

State and federal laws contain many regulations dealing with safeguarding the environment, such as keeping air, land, and water free of hazardous waste and toxic chemicals. Much of this regulatory framework involves civil penalties, but criminal charges may be sought where violation of laws and regulations is thought to be willful or particularly reckless.

Extradition

Extradition generally involves transferring the defendant from one state to another state, where there are pending charges against the defendant. A principal issue that arises in extradition cases is the issue of identity--whether the defendant is in fact the person the other state is looking for. The rise in identity theft, and accompanying rise in crimes committed by identity thieves, makes this scenario more and more likely to occur.

Federal Habeas Corpus

Federal habeas corpus matters are extremely complex, and typically the most qualified and experienced criminal attorneys handle these types of matters. In general, federal habeas corpus is a procedure that allows defendants to ask the federal court to review the legality of their incarceration, in most circumstances after the defendant has filed a direct appeal of his or her conviction.

Homicides & Murders

Homicide is the unlawful killing of a human being. There are many different offenses which fall under the umbrella of homicide, from involuntary manslaughter to first degree murder. Intent is the main element which differentiates homicide offenses, although there are many other factors involved. A person can be charged with one offense, such as murder, but then convicted of a lesser included offense, such as manslaughter. The potential penalties for the various offenses vary drastically from one to the other.

Juvenile Offenses

Juvenile offenses include similar offenses as adult criminal offenses, such as theft, vandalism, and assault. However, the laws, system, and purpose of the juvenile justice system are separate and distinguishable from the adult system. Whereas the goal of the adult criminal justice system is to promote public safety, the goal of the juvenile system is to treat and rehabilitate juvenile offenders.

Narcotics Offenses

Narcotics offenses can be charged in either federal or state court, depending on a variety of factors, such as the seriousness of the case and the amount of drugs that are found. Common drug crimes include distributing, possession with the intent to sell, transporting, manufacturing, and trafficking drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and a variety of other controlled substances.

Probation Violations & Warrants

A person convicted of a crime may be placed on probation after serving part of the sentence imposed, or in lieu of serving any incarceration time at all. Probation comes with many conditions attached, and any probation violations will most likely result in a term of incarceration. A probation violation may lead to an arrest warrant being issued and a subsequent hearing in court or before an administrative agency.

Search and arrest warrants must be issued only in accordance with certain constitutional requirements. The sufficiency of warrants can be challenged at various stages in a criminal proceeding, and often play a major role in a case. Evidence or even whole cases can be thrown out on the basis of a warrant that was wrongfully obtained or improperly executed.

Rape & Other Sex Offenses

Rape is the forcing of sex upon another without that person's consent. However, many sex offenses, such as statutory rape, solicitation, prostitution, and possession of child pornography, do not require a non-consenting victim. Conviction of any sex offense can be devastating and life altering. Possible consequences include lengthy jail or prison terms, fines, and registering as a sex offender.

Theft & Property Offenses

The common law recognized a wide variety of property offenses, such as burglary, robbery, larceny, embezzlement, and false pretenses. Most states have obliterated the distinctions among various offenses with modern statutes that outline a broad category of offenses under the heading of theft. Theft offenses may be felonies or misdemeanors, often depending upon whether they involved violence directed against the victim, and the amount of property involved. Penalties for conviction of theft offenses range from the requirement to make restitution to serving lengthy prison sentences. Theft offenses involving bank fraud, securities and negotiable instruments may be prosecutable by federal as well as state authorities.

Weapons Charges

Weapons charges typically involve sale or possession of a firearm that has not been properly registered, or carrying a concealed weapon in violation of state laws. Both federal and state laws are at play, resulting in a complex web of laws and potential charges for alleged violations.

For an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney, contact Ron Cordova, Attorney at Law for a consultation today.