Our Santa Ana criminal defense lawyers have years of experience fighting for the best possible outcome in our clients’ cases. Orange County prosecutors are among the most conservative in California, but we have a long track record of getting felony and misdemeanor charges substantially reduced or dismissed completely.
Our law office is located at:
333 City Blvd West,Suite 1750
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 288-9455
In this article, our Santa Ana criminal defense attorneys discuss:
- 1. Who makes arrests in Santa Ana?
- 2. Where are people booked after being arrested?
- 3. Where is the Santa Ana Courthouse?
- 4. Do I have to go to court if I hire a lawyer?
- 5. What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
- 6. Who prosecutes crimes?
- 7. What are common crimes?
- 8. Do I need an attorney?
1. Who makes arrests in Santa Ana?
Most arrests in Santa Ana are executed by the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD). Its headquarters are at 60 Civic Center Plaza. And the SAPD‘s phone number is (714) 245-8049.
Some arrests are made by officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Its North Operations are located at 550 N. Flower Street. And the OC Sheriff’s Office can be reached at (714) 647-1851.
Finally, police officers with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) make many of the DUI arrests and issue traffic citations on the Interstate 5. The CHP‘s Southern Division is located at 411 N. Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91203, and it can be reached at (818) 240-8200.
2. Where are people booked after being arrested in Santa Ana?
Most people arrested are booked at the Santa Ana Jail (SAJ) adjacent to the SAPD. The Jail is located at 62 Civic Center Plaza. For inmate and bail information, call the SAJ at (714) 245-8100.
Some arrestees are held at the Orange County Central Jail Complex (CJX), which includes the Central Men’s and Central Women’s Jail. It is located at 550 N. Flower St. Search for inmates here. For bail information, call the CJX at (714) 647-4666.
Finally, juveniles are detained at Orange County Juvenile Hall, located at 331 The City Drive South, City of Orange, CA 92868. It can be reached at (714) 935-6660.
Note that most first time defendants charged with non-violent crimes are granted O.R. release without bail. In an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19 between inmates, law enforcement has been trying to minimize pretrial jail time.
3. Where is the Santa Ana Courthouse?
Santa Ana criminal cases are heard in the Central Justice Center, located at 700 Civic Center Drive West, and reachable at (657) 622-8459.
Meanwhile, juvenile cases are heard in the Lamoreaux Justice Center, located at 341 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868 (adjacent to Orange County Juvenile Hall). It can be reached at (657) 622-6878.
4. Do I have to go to court if I hire a lawyer?
In most misdemeanor cases, criminal defendants do not have to appear in court as long as they have a private Santa Ana criminal defense attorney appearing on their behalf. But in domestic violence cases, the court may require that the defendant be present so that a protective order can be served upon him/her.
Defendants facing felony cases in Santa Ana are usually required to appear in court, even if they have private counsel. But depending on the defendant’s case and criminal history, the judge may be willing to waive the defendant’s appearances as long as their attorney shows up.
5. What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
Santa Ana criminal defendants who cannot afford their own lawyer are provided a court-appointed attorney from the Orange County Public Defender. However, everyone is strongly advised to hire a private Santa Ana criminal defense attorney for their criminal defense case if at all possible. Deputy public defenders lack the time and resources to zealously advocate for each client and to work up the strongest defense possible.
The Orange County Public Defender is located at 801 Civic Center Drive West, Suite 400. The phone number is (657) 251-6090, and the email address is [email protected].
The Orange County prosecutors are among the most conservative in California.
6. Who prosecutes crimes?
Santa Ana’s prosecuting authority is the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The office is located at 300 N. Flower Street, and can be reached at (714) 834-3600.
Prosecutors in Santa Ana are extremely conservative despite the population being socially progressive. The OC District Attorney advances the “tough on crime” mentality that is in direct opposition to Los Angeles County D.A. George Gascon, who ran on a platform of eliminating cash bail. When Los Angeles residents get arrested in Santa Ana, they are unprepared for how harsh the OC prosecutors are.
7. What are common crimes?
Typical offenses handled in the Santa Ana criminal justice system involve:
- DUI cases,
- speeding tickets,
- shoplifting,
- burglary,
- domestic violence,
- drug crimes, and
- white collar crimes
8. Do I need an attorney?
Having a private Santa Ana criminal defense attorney is probably more vital in Orange County than anywhere else in California. Prosecutors here drive a very hard bargain and do not offer favorable plea deals easily. Defendants need an experienced criminal defense attorney to vigorously investigate, litigate, and negotiate their cases in pursuit of a criminal charge reduction or dismissal.
Call our law firm for legal advice. Our Orange County criminal defense attorneys offer free consultations on your legal issues.
Our criminal and DUI lawyers have law offices throughout northern, central, and southern California, including Riverside, Newport Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, Tustin, and more.
Our criminal defense law firm handles all types of criminal matters including sex crimes, criminal record expungements, hit and run, probation violations, DMV hearings, DUI charges (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs), drug charges, and violent crimes. Our Santa Ana criminal defense attorneys also handle personal injury and employment law.