Misdemeanor Defense in Los Angeles | The Law Office of Zak Fisher

What is a misdemeanor in California?

Under California Penal Code section 17, a misdemeanor is a criminal offense punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine up to $1,000 (or more for specific offenses), or both. Misdemeanors carry a criminal record but do not result in state prison time. Most California misdemeanors are heard at the courthouse covering the geographic area where the alleged offense occurred.

Misdemeanor offenses the firm handles

The Law Office of Zak Fisher represents people charged with the following misdemeanor offenses throughout Los Angeles County. For deep procedural detail on each offense, including penalties, defenses, diversion eligibility, and FAQs, visit the dedicated practice pages on losangelesmisdemeanorlawyer.com.

• DUI (Vehicle Code 23152) — including the parallel DMV Administrative Per Se (APS) hearing
• Petty theft and shoplifting (Penal Code 484, 488, 490.2, 459.5)
• Simple battery and domestic battery (Penal Code 242, 243(e)(1))
• Drug possession (Health and Safety Code 11350, 11377)
• Criminal threats (Penal Code 422)
• Public intoxication (Penal Code 647(f))
• Disturbing the peace (Penal Code 415)
• Trespass (Penal Code 602)
• Vandalism and graffiti (Penal Code 594)
• Resisting, delaying, or obstructing (Penal Code 148)
• Reckless driving (Vehicle Code 23103)
• Driving on a suspended license (Vehicle Code 14601)
• Solicitation and prostitution (Penal Code 647(b))
• First Amendment-related charges

What to expect in a misdemeanor case

1. Citation or arrest by the responding law enforcement agency.
2. Filing decision by the prosecutor’s office (LA County DA, LA City Attorney, or local city prosecutor).
3. Arraignment — the first formal court appearance. The defendant enters a plea, usually not guilty.
4. Pretrial conference — defense and prosecution discuss discovery, motions, plea offers, and possible diversion.
5. Pretrial motions — motions to suppress evidence (PC 1538.5), Pitchess motions for officer records, and others.
6. Trial — bench or jury, if the case does not resolve at pretrial.

For most misdemeanors, California Penal Code section 977(a) allows counsel to appear on behalf of the defendant without the defendant being personally present. Most clients do not need to miss work for routine status conferences.

Diversion options

Many California misdemeanors qualify for pretrial diversion programs that, on successful completion, result in dismissal of the case:

• Penal Code 1001.95 — judicial misdemeanor diversion for most non-DV, non-DUI misdemeanors
• Penal Code 1001.36 — mental health diversion where a qualifying disorder played a significant role
• Penal Code 1001.80 — military diversion for current and former service members

About the firm

Zakary R. Fisher (Cal Bar #332712, J.D. UCLA School of Law 2020) is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney based in West Hollywood. He is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, Executive Committee member (California chapter). The Law Office of Zak Fisher is a solo practice, Zak personally handles every case, no associates or appearance counsel.

Pricing

Every engagement is quoted as a flat fee in writing before any retainer is paid. The fee is set by case type and stage (pre-filing, post-filing through pretrial, trial). There are no hourly bills and no surprise invoices. Specific ranges are discussed during the free 20-minute consultation.