How I help youPractice AreasPersonal InjuryCriminal Defense· PC 1473.7: Clean Your Record· PC 1473.7 & Your Immigration CaseAboutReviewsContactFree consult →
Back to Criminal Defense Attorney in South Pasadena, CA

Criminal Defense Attorney in South Pasadena, CA

Domestic Violence Defense Attorney in South Pasadena, CA

A domestic violence allegation can cost you your home, contact with your children, and your reputation, often before any of it is proven in court. The context the police report leaves out is frequently your strongest defense, and I build the full picture from the first court date.

How Domestic Violence Charges Work in California

An arrest often happens on the spot, based on one person's account, before anyone has heard the other side. In California these cases are usually charged one of two ways:

  • Penal Code 273.5 — corporal injury to a spouse or partner
  • Penal Code 243(e)(1) — domestic battery
  • Filed as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the alleged injury and any prior record

Why These Cases Turn on Credibility

That's why these cases so often come down to credibility and what actually happened. Accounts conflict, emotions run high, and the version written into the police report isn't always the whole truth.

I dig into the full story: who did what, what was said, whether the injuries are consistent with the claim, and whether the accusation holds up under scrutiny.

Consequences Beyond the Courtroom

The consequences reach well beyond the courtroom, and several can hit before the case is ever resolved. A conviction, or even the charge, can bring:

  • A protective or restraining order
  • Disrupted custody and visitation
  • Immigration consequences
  • Loss of your right to own a firearm

Building Your Defense

I move quickly on the protective orders and release conditions that can keep you out of your own home or away from your kids. Not every case belongs in front of a jury: where the evidence is weak or the account doesn't hold together, I press for a reduction or a dismissal before trial. Where a case should be fought, I develop the defenses the facts support and hold the prosecution to its burden:

  • Self-defense
  • Mutual combat
  • False or exaggerated accusations
  • Inconsistencies and missing context in the report

Protecting Your Record From the First Appearance

Above all, I protect your rights and your record from the very first appearance, so a heated moment or a one-sided report doesn't define the rest of your life.

How Luis Valdivia can help with your case

  • Develop self-defense, mutual-combat, and false-accusation defenses where they apply.
  • Expose inconsistencies, motives, and missing context in the accuser's account.
  • Address protective orders, release conditions, and custody fallout early.
  • Protect your immigration status and firearm rights from a conviction's fallout.
  • Push for a reduction or dismissal before trial when the evidence is weak.

Think I can help with your case?

Schedule a free consultation