How to Navigate the San Francisco Criminal Court
With the city rife with open-air drug markets and brazen retail theft, many residents worry about safety. Fortunately, you can avoid these concerns by working with an experienced criminal attorney.
Having an expert by your side can help you navigate the process of accessing records. They can also help you get your case on the priority list.
Felony cases
Felony cases are the most serious type of criminal cases handled by San Francisco Criminal Court. These cases can involve any crime that carries the possibility of jail time or probation. Having an experienced legal representative by your side throughout the process can ease your stress and make it easier to navigate these complex proceedings.
Whether you are facing charges or considering a possible future prosecution, it is important to have a knowledgeable Bay Area criminal attorney on your side. Valery Nechay Law can help you obtain the necessary information and resources to strengthen your defense. She understands the system inside and out, allowing her to guide clients through every step of their case. Contact her office today to schedule a no-cost, attorney-client privileged consultation.
Misdemeanor cases
The San Francisco Criminal Court has jurisdiction over infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies committed in the City and County of San Francisco. It conducts trials, motions, arraignments, preliminary hearings, probation hearings, and mental health proceedings. It is one of the busiest courts in California. Its main location is the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street, and it also hears cases in the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister Street and the Neighborhood Justice Center at 575 Polk Street.
Having an experienced attorney can help you navigate the process of a criminal case in San Francisco. It can reduce your stress and give you peace of mind. You can find a local criminal lawyer in San Francisco by searching online. Criminal law attorneys can assist you with the entire process, including filing applications for expungement.
Expungement
The court handles expungement cases for individuals who wish to clear their records. This includes felony and misdemeanor convictions. However, eligibility depends on several factors. For example, it’s harder to get a DUI expunged if you’ve had multiple offenses or committed a serious crime.
A person’s criminal record can be used by private employers, state licensing agencies and insurance companies to determine his or her background. Having a criminal record can limit job opportunities, hinder advancement and cause other problems. It is important to have a lawyer on your side when dealing with San Francisco criminal court.
Our attorneys can assess your case and help you apply for expungement. This means that you can legally answer no when a private employer asks if you have any convictions on your record.
Bail bonds
A bail bond is a written promise to the court that the defendant will appear for future hearings. It can be secured by cash or property and may be posted by the defendant, a relative, or a bail bondsman. Once the case is resolved, the security (cash or property) will be returned, minus any fees.
When someone is arrested they are taken to the county jail for “booking.” At this point, someone will collect their fingerprints and photograph, and determine whether they should be released on their own recognizance or required to post bail before their arraignment.
Public records
Each county superior court has an index of criminal cases filed against people. The index is on a computer terminal at the clerk’s office and lists the person’s name, case number and penal code section of the crime charged. A person must present his or her case number to a clerk to get a copy of the actual case file.
The public has a right to know the results of criminal cases. However, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin only released data on the cases he had charged and did not report any information on cases that were dismissed, diverted or reduced.
San Francisco Superior Court has jurisdiction over felonies and misdemeanors and conducts trials, hearings, arraignments, probation proceedings and mental health cases. The court’s main location is the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street.