The Challenge
A Marine Sergeant was arrested after a domestic dispute and charged with felony domestic violence under Penal Code 273.5. The District Attorney filed the case as a felony from the start. That put two things at risk beyond jail time: a felony record, and his military career. Federal law bars anyone convicted of a domestic violence offense from possessing a firearm, and a Marine without weapons access cannot remain in the service. A reduction to a misdemeanor would not have been enough if the misdemeanor was still a domestic violence charge. The case required a different kind of resolution.
Our Strategy
We immediately intervened with the District Attorney’s Office to present a comprehensive defense and highlight the client’s service record. By challenging the severity of the initial allegations, we successfully negotiated a reduction of the charge to a single misdemeanor for interference with a telephone line (Penal Code 591). This strategic resolution dismissed the domestic violence counts and preserved the Sergeant’s career and clean felony record.
The Result
FELONY DISMISSED; MISDEMEANOR SECURED
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.
