It's that time of year again! Buccaneer Weekend will descend on Catalina Island October 1-4, 2015. The annual festival marks the unofficial end of tourist season and the official beginning of spiny lobster season.
The holiday is traditionally celebrated with lots of alcohol and very few clothes. The influx of weekend revelers brings a boon to local businesses, including criminal defense attorneys (such as myself).
This year's party will include 4 days of live bands, DJs, dancing, an adult costume contest, an adult treasure hunt and boatloads of beer. With so many great ways to get yourself into trouble, you'd be smart to save this number now: (714) 505-2468.
If you are cited for any misdemeanor on or near Catalina Island, you will be given a court date and ordered to appear back on the island in a couple months for your arraignment. You cannot simply appear in Long Beach at your convenience, despite whatever bad legal advice you might hear.
In most cases, I can make your court appearances for you. I can save you the time, hassle and expense of traveling all the way back to Catalina for a series of hearings. As your attorney, I will appear in court on your behalf for your arraignment (your first court appearance). At the arraignment, the court will provide me with a copy of the police report and other discovery that the DA plans to use against you. I will enter a plea of "not guilty" and I will schedule another court appearance 4-6 weeks later. This gives me plenty of time to review the evidence, conduct any investigation that needs to be done, discuss the facts of the case with you, and decide on a plan of action.
When I return to court for the next scheduled appearance, the DA and I will begin the process of trying to reach a mutually-agreeable deal to resolve your matter. Depending on the unique facts of your case, a "mutually-agreeable deal" can mean a lot of things. I will make as many appearances as it takes to ensure that your case is handled properly. Our priority is always to help you reach the most favorable outcome possible -- and to save you some time and money in the process.
The Catalina courthouse is completely unlike most local courts. It consists of a single room with one judge and a small staff. It is highly advantageous to use a lawyer who understands the strange system that they have in place and who knows "how things are done" on the island. We have an excellent relationship with the prosecutors who are responsible for handling all criminal matters on the island. This helps us make great deals on behalf of our clients.
If you or a loved one is cited at Buccaneer Days on Catalina Island this year, call us for a free consultation. The number is above, but here it is one more time: (714) 505-2468. Ask for John.
Thanks for reading.
Catalina Island Lawyer
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