The Challenge
A military spouse was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence. In California, any domestic violence conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 36 months of probation under Penal Code 1203.097. A person on probation cannot leave the state without court permission, and cannot relocate abroad. Her husband had orders overseas. A conviction would have meant a permanent record and years of separation from her family.
Our Strategy
We built the case around the consequences the conviction would have for a military family. We presented a detailed mitigation package to the prosecution and negotiated a dismissal of the domestic violence charge. The client instead resolved the case with an infraction for disturbing the peace under Penal Code 415. An infraction is not a crime. It carries no probation and no criminal conviction. The family relocated overseas together on schedule.
The Result
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DISMISSED; NO PROBATION
Your Case Belongs at the Southwest Justice Center.
Your Defense Belongs Here.
If you were arrested in Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Winchester, or French Valley, your future will likely be decided at the Southwest Justice Center (SWJC) on Auld Road. In these courtrooms, local knowledge is the ultimate advantage. Since 1999, Nic Cocis has been a weekly fixture in the SWJC, appearing before the same judges and negotiating with the same Riverside County prosecutors for over 25 years. We don’t just know the law — we know the specific nuances, procedural quirks, and judicial tendencies of the Southwest District. Whether you are facing a felony or a misdemeanor, you need a firm that treats the Southwest Justice Center as its home turf.
