The Challenge
An active-duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence under Penal Code § 273.5. For a service member, the stakes went beyond the criminal sentence: any domestic violence conviction — felony or misdemeanor — carries a prohibition on possessing firearms, and a Marine who cannot carry a weapon cannot serve. A conviction would have ended his career.
Our Strategy
Riverside County prosecutors rarely dismiss domestic violence cases outright, so the defense had to be built early and presented before the case hardened. We focused on the credibility of the complaining witness, conducted an independent investigation, and secured evidence of a documented history of similar accusations that had not withstood scrutiny. We presented that evidence to the prosecution before the case progressed further, establishing that the allegations lacked the foundation needed for trial. The prosecutor dismissed the case in its entirety.
The Result
CASE DISMISSED
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.
