The Challenge
An off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy was charged after an altercation at the Colorado River. The charges were felony assault with a deadly weapon (Penal Code 245) and felony false imprisonment (Penal Code 236). For a peace officer, any felony conviction is the end. It means a lifetime firearms ban, permanent loss of peace officer certification, and immediate termination. A career built over many years came down to whether the felony counts survived.
Our Strategy
Following a thorough investigation into the facts of the incident, we presented evidence to the prosecution that undermined the felony allegations. We successfully convinced the prosecutor to dismiss all felony counts. The client entered a plea to misdemeanor offenses, allowing him to resolve the case while preserving his job and law enforcement career.
The Result
ALL FELONY COUNTS 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.
