Criminal Threats Defense Attorney in Temecula

A criminal threat is when an individual specifically threatens to kill or inflict great bodily injury either verbally, in writing, or digitally, and the victim experiences substantial fear for their safety or for the safety of their immediate family. Being convicted of this criminal offense can result in harsh penalties.

If you were arrested and charged with making criminal threats in Riverside County, it is imperative to get experienced legal representation from a qualified lawyer. At the Law Office of Nicolai Cocis, our Temecula criminal defense lawyer is ready to review your case and determine all of your legal options to either get your charges reduced, or your case dismissed altogether.

Penalties for Criminal Threats

Criminal threats can be charged whether or not you are cable of carrying out the threat, and even if you don't intend to execute the threat. Penal Code 422 PC is considered a wobbler, meaning that prosecutors may file it as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the severity of the crime.

If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, you face a maximum count jail sentence of one year. On the other hand, if you are convicted of a felony, you face up to four years in a state prison.

• Examples of a criminal threat include:
• holding a gun and threatening to shoot someone
• telling a former boss and coworkers to "watch their backs"
• threatening your ex-girlfriend to burn down her apartment

There are a number of defenses to this rather commonplace charge that usually arise out of fleeting outbursts of emotion. We can argue that the threat was not specific enough, the recipient of the threat was not actually fearful or had any reasonable cause to feel fearful, or that the threat was not actually communicated by any other means that body language and therefore does not fit the defined charge.

Call to Discuss Your Legal Options Today

Criminal threats can be tricky to prosecute since there is often minimal evidence in these types of cases. Since 1999, our Temecula criminal defense lawyer has successfully defended hundreds of clients. We are confident that we can obtain the results you desire.

We have in-depth knowledge of the laws, local prosecutors and judges who work out of the Southwest Riverside Justice Center. We use this to our advantage for fighting all types of criminal charges, especially for the most serious of cases.

Our office is located in Murrieta, California and we have helped individuals who faced criminal charges arising from the surrounding cities of Temecula, Hemet, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Perris, Corona and Riverside.

Contact us and request a free case evaluation.