The Challenge
A longtime bookkeeper for a public high school was arrested and accused of stealing approximately $330,000. Prosecutors filed seven felony charges, including embezzlement by a public officer, grand theft, forgery, and money laundering. Due to the significant financial loss alleged in the case, our client faced many years in prison if convicted.
Our Strategy
Over the course of nearly two years of negotiations with the prosecutor’s office, we worked to resolve the case in a manner that avoided a lengthy prison sentence. By presenting mitigating factors, including our client’s background, lack of prior criminal history, and willingness to accept responsibility, we successfully negotiated a resolution that substantially reduced the potential consequences.
Media Coverage
The Result
PROBATION AND ONE YEAR IN CUSTODY, AVOIDING A LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE
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.
