If the defendant is not a U.S. citizen, how will the immigration status be affected by an arrest?

Criminal convictions may cause direct and grave consequences to someone’s immigration status, often leading to deportation proceedings. The INS guidelines are often very complex and our criminal defense attorneys frequently confer with immigration law specialists to properly advise clients. Before going to court, we review with clients their immigration status. Often our Los Angeles attorneys, in settlement discussions with the prosecutors, seek charges that are not considered by the INS as moral turpitude offenses which are subject to deportation, and work to convert any possible custody time to community service work. Alternatively, our defense team proceeds to trial to cause all charges to be dismissed.