The new District Attorney of Los Angeles County, George Gascon, has made a major announcement to his Deputy District attorney prosecutors.

In Special Directive 20-14, he said that if somebody is charged with a felony, then it will be presumed that that person should get probation instead of prison in every felony case unless there are unusual circumstances or the person is ineligible for probation.

That's a huge change in Los Angeles.  Now, that gives defense attorneys a weapon against some of these prosecutors who want to send their clients to prison.

We can now say, "Wait a minute. Your office policy says that you are to give the person probation."

Probation vs Jail Time in Los Angeles County

Just because somebody is given probation doesn't necessarily mean they stay out of custody. However, if they're put on probation for a felony in Los Angeles, the most time they can be given is a year in the county jail. Right now, because of the overcrowding in the county jail and the Coronavirus, you're serving a small percentage of that year.

So, people who might usually be facing prison for a felony charge in Los Angeles County now have the opportunity to get probation. The head District Attorney in Los Angeles has written a new policy and directed his prosecutors not to seek prison in many of these cases. This gives us a very solid fighting chance in these criminal cases.

Criminal Defense in Los Angeles

So, if you or a loved one is charged with a felony in Los Angeles County, you need an attorney to ensure that you have a chance to stay out of prison.

Also, to make sure that even if you do get probation, the terms and conditions of that probation are fair.  If you're looking to stay out of jail, obviously, you're going to want an attorney to argue that for you.

If you're looking to avoid other penalties associated with a felony or get your case reduced to a misdemeanor, now or at some other point, you definitely want an attorney to champion those rights.

So, this new policy regarding the presumption of probation in every criminal case is huge for criminal defendants in Los Angeles County.

If you need help with a felony in LA County, pick up the phone.  Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding.  I've been doing this for 27 years as a criminal defense attorney.

I stand at the ready to help you, protect your rights, and assert all defenses on your behalf. Hedding Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm located in Los Angeles County at 16000 Ventura Blvd #1208 Encino, CA 91436—call (213) 542-0979 for a free case evaluation.