Areas of Practice

Assault Are you accused of assault? You can be charged even if you never touched the alleged victim. An assault charge is a serious legal matter that demands immediate assistance from an attorney that knows how to fight back. Read more about assault...

Assault with a Deadly Weapon Any violent crime that involves a weapon will have heavier penalties. Threatening another person with anything can lead to this charge. When an actual firearm or knife is the alleged weapon, there can be very serious consequences if you are convicted. Read more about assault with a deadly weapon...

Battery When another person claims that you physically attacked them, you may be charged with battery, or assault & battery. There are often circumstances leading up to the incident that must be exposed to the court if you hope to avoid a conviction. Read more about battery...

Battery Serious Bodily Injury If it is believed that you caused serious bodily injury to another person, you could be facing years in state prison if you are convicted. Whether the case has other circumstances, such as self defense, or is a case of mistaken identity, you need to fight back with the help of an aggressive defense lawyer. Read more about battery serious bodily injury...

Child Abuse/ Molestation There are very serious consequences if you are convicted, or even accused, of child abuse or molestation. The assumption is often that you are guilty, and it is important that you have a fair trial, no matter what bias may exist. Read more about child abuse/molestation...

DMV Hearing Any DUI charge will include the suspension of your legal right to drive. This is addressed by the DMV, not the criminal courts. You have 10 days in which to schedule a DMV hearing and challenge the suspension or revocation of your license. Read more about a DMV hearing...

Domestic Violence Are you accused of committing an act of domestic violence? You need to ensure that you are represented by an aggressive defense lawyer that can bring your side of the story to light. A persuasive, well-documented defense case can make all the difference. Read more about domestic violence...

DUI A DUI charge is a serious legal threat in the State of California. A first offense can lead to up to 1 year in jail, expensive fines, community service, license suspension and mandated DUI classes. If you are lucky enough to have probation as part of the sentence, any violation or failure to pay fines or attend classes can bring serious consequences. Read more about DUI...

Drug Offenses The Santa Ana area has many charges related to a variety of controlled substances, whether marijuana, meth, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, LSD or prescription drugs such as Vicoden or OxyContin. The penalties imposed can be extremely severe if you fail to fight back effectively in court. Read more about drug offenses...

Drug Possession It may be considered that California is soft on drug crimes, but this is far from true. How your case plays out in court will determine the penalties that will be imposed upon you. Prior convictions can make the situation even more dangerous. Read more about drug possession...

Drug Possession for Sale The threshold amount of drugs that could be possessed without serious consequences is very small. If you are accused of possessing enough of the substance that it is believed that you planned to engage in illegal drug sales, or it is claimed that you had baggies, scales or other types of items that could indicate intent to sell, you are in serious trouble. Read more about drug possession for sale...

Felony Defense There are several classes of felony offenses, based upon the specifics of the case. A conviction on a felony can destroy your life completely. Getting a job, holding a professional license, gun ownership or even the right to vote can be severely compromised if you are convicted. Read more about felony defense...

Gang Offenses California lawmakers have increased the penalties imposed on offenders if they are believed to have been involved in gang activity. This aspect of the law can impact a criminal case - and there are those who have been convicted of gang crimes who really were not affiliated with a gang, but were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Read more about gang offenses...

Hit & Run It is illegal to leave the scene of an accident without rendering aid and calling emergency services for the injured. If you are accused of this crime, you could be facing a prison term and other penalties. Whether you were not the driver, or there was some other situation that led to the incident, we are here to help you fight back. Read more about hit & run...

Homicide The most serious crime involves the death of another person. There are various types of homicide charges, but all of them bring heavy sentences in a conviction. Capital murder is the most serious, and is still open to having the death penalty imposed in a conviction. Read more about homicide...

Juvenile Cases Young people can make mistakes, be involved with the wrong company, or wrongly accused. We believe that young people that are facing criminal charges deserve a second chance. We fight for every advantage for each young client in court. Read more about juvenile cases...

Misdemeanor Defense A misdemeanor offense is not minor; many of them can have up to 12 months in jail as part of the sentence. If you are facing any misdemeanor charges, it is important to take action and get a criminal lawyer on your side that knows how to fight. Read more about misdemeanor defense...

Probation Violations Probation is considered to be an advantage for the offender. Judges take it very seriously when a convicted individual fails to adhere to the terms of their probation, whether in paying fines, attending mandated treatment classes, or staying out of legal trouble. Read more about probation violations...

Stalking If you are accused of stalking another person, you could be facing some heavy penalties if convicted. Stalking charges can be filed as a misdemeanor or felony, and even a misdemeanor charge can lead to 12 months in jail, and a fine of up to $1,000. Felony stalking has penalties that include up to 5 years in state prison. Read more about stalking...

Theft There are a wide range of theft crimes, from misdemeanor shoplifting through to burglary, carjacking, robbery, felony shoplifting, identity theft, insurance fraud and others. No matter what degree or form of theft charge you are dealing with, we can help. Read more about theft...

Three Strikes Violent crimes are "three strikes" crimes in the State of California. Each conviction on a violent crime adds more time, and the third violent crime can mean 25 years to life in prison. The situation is extremely serious if you are accused of any violent crime, and should be handled be a real professional. Read more about three strikes...

Violent Crimes There are a wide range of violent crimes, from domestic violence, through to assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with severe bodily harm, as well as weapon offenses and homicide crimes such as murder and manslaughter. Read more about violent crimes...

Warrants A warrant with your name on it allows for law enforcement to pick you up, any place and any time. A warrant can be issued if you fail to appear for a scheduled court date, if you have violated probation, or even when you have too many traffic tickets that have not been paid. Read more about warrants...

Weapon Charges State legislators have increased the penalties for all types of weapon offenses over recent years. There has been great effort to get illegal weapons off the streets. Law enforcement task forces are engaged in seeking out those who illegally possess or use weapons of all types. These include firearms, knives, and other types of weapons. Read more about weapon charges...

White Collar Crimes Not all law firms have the skill to defend white collar crimes such as insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, embezzlement, bank fraud and identity theft. Many of these charges are filed based upon computer data. We have access to respected resources that can assist as expert witnesses for the defense. Read more about white collar crimes...

Contact a Santa Ana criminal attorney from the Law Offices of Thomas Tears today.