Last Updated on May 15, 2025
While attorney Mr. Liss handles all types of criminal charges, he sees some types of cases far more than others. These are some of the offenses he takes the most frequently in the process of defending clients in his Vista practice, which are also some of the most common crimes as detailed by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Table of Contents
Drug charges
When people imagine criminal offenses, they typically imagine violent offenses like assault, armed robbery, and murder. But drug crimes are the most common crime in California. They account for 25% of all misdemeanor offenses and 11% of all felony arrests. These numbers are still dramatically lower than they once were since California made simple possession of nearly all drugs a misdemeanor in 2014, allowing for many of these offenses to qualify for drug diversion programs, and then legalized marijuana use in 2016.
Assault
In California, assault is the attempt to use force against another person, while battery involves using force against someone. Naturally, assault occurs much more commonly than battery. While simple assault is always a misdemeanor, aggravated assault accounts for 37% of all felony offenses and 75% of all felony violent crimes. Misdemeanor assault and battery charges account for 10% of all misdemeanor arrests. If you have been accused of assault, do not speak with police without your attorney, as he may be able to ensure that you face a misdemeanor charge rather than a felony-level offense.
DUI
17% of arrests in California are traffic-related, most of which are for drunk driving. Many people are charged with DUIs because they did not realize they drank enough to put them above the limit. Similarly, most people are unaware that operating a bike or boat while intoxicated is also against the law.
Public Nuisance Ordinances
These are offenses that have to do with annoying the public. Examples include being drunk in public, unlawful assembly, selling illegal items to minors, trespassing, urinating in public, and disturbing the peace. Most of these offenses are misdemeanors, and some may even be simple infractions, punishable by no more than a fine. If you are charged with aggravated trespass, you could face felony charges though.
Property Crimes
Theft is a broad umbrella when it comes to crimes involving the property of others, though most theft offenses are charged as either petty or grand theft. The difference between these two is simply the monetary value of the stolen merchandise. In cases involving less than $950 of property, the crime is charged as petty theft, while more than that is grand theft. Grand theft auto charges will be filed if the stolen property was a motor vehicle.
Burglary is a common property crime involving entering someone else’s property to steal or commit a felony crime -regardless of whether or not the theft or felony actually occurred. While burglary is often confused with robbery, the latter is a theft involving the use of force or fear. The case will be filed as carjacking if a robber takes a vehicle.
19% of felony offenses in California are property crimes. Of this group, the vast majority of these offenses are grand theft (37%), burglary (31%), and vehicle theft (25%). Robberies account for 14% of the state’s violent crime felonies.
Weapons charges
California’s weapons laws are incredibly complex. Sometimes, police do not even understand the full intricacies of these rules. While many of these offenses are misdemeanors when they involve the possession of an illegal weapon, using these items is typically a felony. 7.1% of all felony arrests are related to weapons charges.
Sex Crimes
While rape accounts for less than 3% of felonies statewide, that doesn’t mean sex crimes are a rarity in California. With offenses ranging from misdemeanor prostitution charges to felony child molestation, attorneys in San Diego see a fair share of sex offenses, most of which require convicts to be added to the sex offender registry.
Domestic Violence
Most of the time, when police are called to handle a domestic violence call, they will make an arrest. Prosecutors file charges in many of these cases, regardless of whether the victim wants to press charges or not. Most prosecuting agencies even have special divisions that handle these offenses. Everything from punching and kicking to interfering with a domestic partner’s call to the police can be considered a domestic violence crime. Threats and vandalism can also warrant prosecution.
As a result of these policies, domestic violence charges are some of the most frequent crimes handled by defense attorneys in California. The District Attorney has been allowing informal diversion on some misdemeanor domestic violence cases, which results in either no conviction or the charge being dismissed after mandatory counseling. A good defense lawyer can play a critical role in helping you qualify for one of these programs whenever possible.
If you have been accused of these crimes or any others, Peter M. Liss can help. Please contact his offices at (760) 643-4050 or (858) 486-3024 to schedule a free initial consultation.
