If you were arrested, cited, booked or contacted by police anywhere in the Inland Empire, the case has already started moving. Police reports are being written, booking decisions may be underway and a prosecutor may be reviewing the file. What happens in the next few days can shape the entire case.
My Rights Law Criminal Defense and DUI Lawyers defends people facing criminal accusations across the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Our defense team handles DUI, domestic violence, drug charges, theft, weapons cases, violent crimes, warrants, probation violations and pre-file investigations across Riverside and San Bernardino County courts. Whether the case started with a traffic stop, a search, a 911 call or an investigation that has been building for months, the first conversation with a lawyer is free and confidential. Every choice you make now, what you say, what you sign, what you post, can matter later. Call before you make your next move.
Call 888-702-8882 for a free, confidential consultation. We are available 24/7. Se habla español.
The Inland Empire spans two county court systems. Criminal cases arising in the region are prosecuted and heard in the Superior Court of California for the county where the case is filed, with courthouses located throughout the region. Our Southern California criminal courthouse directory lists the courts, addresses and contact numbers our clients use most often.
DUI cases in the region typically start with a traffic stop or checkpoint, field sobriety tests and a breath or blood test. The DMV suspension clock starts fast, and the defense can turn on stop legality, test accuracy, rising blood alcohol and medical explanations. See our California DUI defense overview.
Domestic violence arrests often happen on one person’s statement, with police making an arrest at the scene under arrest-mandatory policies. Protective orders, firearm consequences and family court fallout can move quickly and the alleged victim does not control whether the case is prosecuted.
Possession, possession for sale, transportation and manufacturing cases are driven by searches, traffic stops, warrant searches and confidential-informant operations. Whether the search was lawful, whether the substance was tested properly and whether diversion is available are central questions.
From shoplifting and petty theft to grand theft, burglary and robbery, these cases turn on value, intent, identity and witness reliability. Retail-theft prosecutions have intensified across the region, and early negotiation often matters.
Self-defense, witness credibility and injury evidence decide many assault cases. Strike allegations and gang enhancements can multiply exposure, so the defense investigation has to start early.
California weapon laws carry some of the region’s harshest enhancements, including allegations tied to other charged offenses. Search and seizure issues and ownership evidence are frequently decisive.
A new arrest, missed court date, failed test or uncompleted program can trigger a violation allegation with less proof required than at trial. A lawyer can often negotiate reinstatement or alternatives to custody.
Most criminal cases in the region follow the same California sequence, whatever courthouse the case is assigned to:
At arraignment the charges are read, rights are explained and a plea can be entered. Penal Code section 825 generally requires an arraignment within 48 hours of arrest, weekends and holidays excluded. Timelines after that depend on the charges, the court’s calendar and the defense strategy.
Get help now for your Inland Empire criminal case.
Early review is not a formality. The first questions we ask in any Inland Empire case include:
Sometimes. Between arrest and the filing decision, there is a window where a defense lawyer can present evidence, context and legal argument directly to the prosecuting office. Pre-file intervention does not guarantee any outcome, but it is the only stage where charges can sometimes be shaped or avoided entirely and it disappears once the case is filed.
Se habla español. Families across the Inland Empire receive case updates, court explanations and consultation in Spanish, so nothing about a defense is lost in translation.
Our defense teams in these Inland Empire cities handle the same practice area locally:
You can decline to answer and ask for a lawyer. “Just clearing things up” conversations are routinely recorded and quoted in reports. A polite refusal is not evidence of guilt, and it cannot be used against you the way an inconsistent statement can.
Immediately. Bail arguments, DMV deadlines in DUI cases and pre-file advocacy all run on short clocks. The most consequential decisions in a case are often made in its first week, sometimes before the first court date.
An arrest can still appear in some background systems even after a case is rejected or dismissed. A lawyer can advise whether record-sealing or expungement remedies apply to your situation once the case resolves.
The consultation reviews what happened, what you were charged with or investigated for, the court process ahead, deadlines that apply to your case and realistic defense directions. It is confidential and does not create an attorney-client relationship by itself.
Yes. The defense team handles the full range of California criminal accusations in Inland Empire courts, from misdemeanors like DUI and petty theft to felonies including drug sales, robbery and violent-strike allegations.
The decision to prosecute belongs to the prosecuting agency, not the reporting party. Still, a complainant’s recantation or reluctance can affect how a case develops and a lawyer knows how to present that context lawfully and effectively.
Assume the case is already moving: reports are being written, evidence is being collected and deadlines are running. The sooner a defense lawyer is involved, the more options may still exist.
Call 888-702-8882 now for a free, confidential consultation with our defense team. We are available 24/7. Se habla español.
This page provides general information about California law and is not legal advice for a particular case. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
This page was written by the My Rights Law Editorial Team and reviewed for legal accuracy by Bobby Shamuilian.
Attorney Shamuilian is the founder and managing partner of My Rights Law and is widely recognized as a legal authority, frequently appearing as a legal analyst and TV pundit on national news outlets.
He has earned a perfect “10.0 – Top Attorney” rating on AVVO and a “10.0” rating on Justia, and has been named among the “Top 40 Under 40” and the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by The National Trial Lawyers.
With his proven expertise and dedication, Mr. Shamuilian is committed to protecting your rights and achieving the best possible outcome for your case.
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