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Phone: (916) 706-0678
Fax: (916) 706-0542
MAIN OFFICE - SACRAMENTO
Law Office of Joshua Kaizuka
2530 J St #320 Sacramento, CA 95816
BUSINESS HOURS
Mon-Fri 8:00am- 5pm
Getting arrested can be one of the most terrible experiences of your life and having an experienced criminal defense lawyer guide you through the legal process can make a tremendous difference. If you have been arrested or have had contact with law enforcement, you have questions. Arrests and convictions can cause problems at home at work and even disrupt your social life.
In some cases, a professional license may be at risk. As your criminal defense attorney, Kaizuka Law is your biggest supporter and will vigorously defend you in court. Since we believe you need to be in the know, we honestly discuss the best and worst-case scenarios with you, and you will never be left wondering if any progress is being made on your case.
Whether the charges against you involve theft, assault, domestic violence, drugs, or homicide, and whether the arrest is for a misdemeanor or felony, Kaizuka Law can help.
We have the expertise to handle a variety of criminal cases, including assault and battery; burglary; cleaning up criminal records; criminal cases involving mental health issues; domestic violence; DMV administrative hearings; driving under the influence (DUI) charges; drug offenses, including personal possession as well as possession for sales; homicides, including vehicular, attempted, and murder; sex offenses; strike cases – violent and serious offenses; and theft offenses ranging from petty theft to embezzlement.
It is important that you get your questions answered and get a knowledgeable and local criminal defense attorney involved in your defense as soon as possible.
If a family member or a friend has been arrested and is being held in custody at the county jail, bail may have to be posted before they are released. Posting bail means giving security, in the form of cash, or sometimes real property, to a court. The court can require bail to ensure that the arrested person (defendant) attends all court appearances. As your criminal defense attorney, we can ensure your bail is fair based on your past behavior and in most cases can keep you out on bail while your case is progressing through the Sacramento court system.
If the defendant doesn’t show up to all their scheduled court appearances, the court will forfeit the bail and issue a warrant for his or her arrest. Also, if the defendant is arrested again while out on bail there could be additional consequences for new cases while out on bail. If the defendant keeps all their court appearances, after the case the bail will be exonerated.
Typically, a friend or family member may pay a bail bond agency up to a 10% premium in exchange for the bail agent posting the full bail amount. In some situations, the premium can be 8%, for example when a private attorney has been retained or someone is a member of a qualifying union. The fee paid to the bail bond agency is the agency’s fee and is non-refundable. If the defendant does not make their court appearances, you and the bail agency will work together to find them. If the defendant is ultimately not found and does not appear in court, you will be responsible for paying the remaining bail amount to the agency.
When the courts are determining the bail amount, they consider factors such as the seriousness of the crime, public safety, any prior arrests or warrants, and the likelihood of the defendant skipping bail. Although serious misdemeanors and all felonies typically require bail, many counties in the Sacramento region release people who have been arrested for minor misdemeanor offenses without requiring bail. In these instances, a person is released after signing a promise to appear in court at future date.
A person in custody has the opportunity to appear before a judge and seek a decrease in bail or request a release on their recognizance (“OR”). This is what’s known as a Bail Motion. It is helpful to have a practiced criminal defense attorney guide you through the decision to make a Bail Motion. For example, one risk in making a bail motion is that the bail cost could go up.
In some circumstances, it may be a good idea to post bail quickly without setting a bail motion. Once the decision is made to seek a bail motion, a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer can assist with gathering the information a judge will consider at a bail hearing on the motion.
Kaizuka Law has the experience to assist with developing and presenting to the court bail conditions that a person will agree to follow if the court decides to reduce bail. An example of typical bail conditions would be an individual with a drug or alcohol problem agreeing to enter a rehab program.
Based in Sacramento, the Law Office of Joshua Kaizuka represents clients in Sacramento and the surrounding counties. From years of experience, we know the importance of hiring an attorney who regularly practices in the county where a person is facing charges. We are familiar with the local customs of each county where we practice, so we know what can work to develop a defense strategy for you.
If you call our office you will immediately begin speaking to an attorney about your legal situation. Call for a free consultation at 916.706.0678 or fill out the free consultation form.
The Law Office of Joshua Kaizuka provides criminal defense attorney services for criminal case defense in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Solano, Yolo and surrounding counties. Sacramento Criminal Defense Attorney Joshua Kaizuka will aggressively defend your criminal case. Call (916) 706-0678 for a free consultation.
If you have been accused of a crime and cannot afford a criminal defense lawyer, there are a few options available to you.
First, you can contact your local legal aid office. Legal aid offices provide free or low-cost legal services to those who otherwise would not be able to afford an attorney. To find the legal aid office in your area, you can visit www.legalaid.org/find-legal-help.
Another option is to contact your state or local bar association. Many bar associations have programs that can connect you with a lawyer who is willing to take your case on a pro bono basis. Pro bono lawyers represent clients for free or at reduced rates. To find the bar association in your area, you can visit www.americanbar.org/about/publications/gp_solo_magazine/.
You may also be able to find a private lawyer who is willing to take your case on a contingency fee basis. That means that the lawyer will only get paid if he or she wins your case, and the payment will come out of any money recovered from the other side. Contingency fees are typically a percentage of the amount recovered, so it is important to make sure that you understand how much of your recovery the lawyer will keep before hiring him or her.
Finally, you have the right to represent yourself in court, but this is generally not recommended because criminal law is complex and self-representation is very difficult. If you choose to represent yourself, you will be held to the same standards as an attorney and will be expected to follow all the rules of procedure and evidence.