Misdemeanor Crimes

Sacramento Misdemeanor Defense Lawyer

Dedicated Protecting Your Rights & Future in Sacramento

"Can you go to jail for a misdemeanor in California?" While misdemeanors are considered less serious than felonies, they still carry heavy consequences that can ruin a person’s life. A misdemeanor conviction can make it harder to find a job, rent a place to live, and obtain loans. These penalties should not be taken lightly. If you were charged with a misdemeanor crime, get help from an experienced Sacramento criminal defense lawyer to protect your record. With Over a decade of experience and numerous favorable results for our clients, Donato Legal Group is here to help if you have been accused of a misdemeanor. Call today to schedule your free consultation.

Understanding Jail Time for Misdemeanors in California

Most people think of misdemeanors as petty theft or public indecency. However, some misdemeanors have the potential to become felonies if combined with other offenses. In other cases, these crimes can carry severe criminal sentences including up to a year in jail and thousands of dollars in fines. With Donato Legal Group on your side, you can take comfort knowing your cases is being handled by someone who understands the law and how to make effective use of it.

Contact Donato Legal Group today at (916) 318-5997 or online to schedule a meeting with our misdemeanor defense attorney in Sacramento.

Types of Misdemeanors in California

Serious misdemeanors can include:

In any of these cases, the criminal sentence can leave your life in disarray. Let our Sacramento criminal defense lawyer help you plan for the challenges ahead and avoid having your life destroyed over a mistake.

Can a Misdemeanor Go Away Eventually in California?

Misdemeanors do not go away through the passage of time. The only way to get a misdemeanor to "go away" is to have them expunged. Some confusion comes under California Civil Code § 1786.18 that restricts the reporting of certain adverse information. You must take affirmative action to expunge the case or it will appear for decades. Once relief has been granted, you can honestly answer "no" to a question regarding criminal convictions in many circumstances. If your misdemeanor case involved a grant of Probation, including informal probation, all fines, fees and community service or classes required by the court must be completed.

Do Misdemeanors Impact You Across State Lines?

Misdemeanors are usually prosecuted at the county level, so if an employer is running a state background check on you and your state's records don't include the county you were convicted in. It's likely your misdemeanor won't show up. There is a chance your misdemeanor won't show up on a background check; there's always the possibility that it will. Generally speaking, employers are less concerned with misdemeanors than felonies. Whether or not an employer will hire someone with a misdemeanor on their record is entirely up to the employer. For example, if you have a DUI conviction that occurred seven years ago, it's more likely your employer will be sympathetic. If you have a DUI misdemeanor that's more recent, on the other hand, your criminal record might be a more significant issue.

Can First-Time Misdemeanors Be Dismissed in California?

Yes, it is possible for a first-time misdemeanor offense to be dismissed in California, depending on the circumstances of the case and the actions taken by the defendant and their attorney.

  • Diversion: One common way for a misdemeanor to be dismissed in California is through a process known as diversion, where the defendant agrees to complete certain requirements, such as community service or counseling, in exchange for the charges being dismissed. This option is typically available for less serious misdemeanor offenses, such as minor drug offenses or low-level property crimes.
  • Plea Bargain: Another way for a misdemeanor to be dismissed is through a successful plea bargain negotiated between the defendant's attorney and the prosecutor. In some cases, the prosecutor may be willing to reduce the charges to an infraction or offer a deferred entry of judgment program, which can result in the charges being dismissed if the defendant meets certain requirements, such as attending classes or completing community service.

It's important to note that not all misdemeanor charges are eligible for dismissal, and the specific circumstances of each case can impact the likelihood of a dismissal. It's best to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney in California to understand the options available in your particular case.

Contact Our Sacramento Misdemeanor Defense Team Today

Donato Legal Group offers nearly a decade of experience in understanding the strategies used by prosecutors. As a seasoned criminal defense attorney, Attorney Alan Donato has a clear understanding of how to help clients tell their side of the story through common sense. Even serious misdemeanors must undergo a fair trial before a sentence can be carried out. Let our team help you work toward a favorable outcome. Make sure to check out our reviews as well as our case results and see what everyone is saying!

Call Donato Legal Group today at (916) 318-5997 or contact us online for a FREE consultation!

Recent Case Results

We Prepare Every Case as if it's Going to Trial

Our top priority is to devise customized legal strategies that are tailored to the unique legal needs of our clients, no matter how simple or complicated their situations, might be.

  • Penalty Reduced Felony DUI

    Client had previously been to prison for multiple DUI’s and was arrested again for DUI. We got client into treatment and persuaded the court (over the prosecutor’s objection) to sentence him to rehab instead of prison. Mr. Gerber is now a successful (and sober) project manager in the Bay Area.

  • Case Dismissed Drug Charge

    Our client's drug case was dismissed after Mr. Donato proved to a judge that the officer's only basis for conducting a probation search in this case was for harassment purposes in violation of his client's 4th Amendment Rights.

  • Case Dismissed Assault with a Deadly Weapon

    Dismissed Client was charged with brandishing a firearm when he had a confrontation with his daughter’s boyfriend in his own home. We effectively fought to get this case dismissed on the eve of trial.

  • Dismissed Felony child abuse

    Private Retained Counsel in Sacramento County; client was charged with felony child abuse and the DA offered prison time for plea bargan, Mr. Donato obtained the opinion of a child abuse expert and was able to get the DA to dismiss the case in the interest of justice.

  • Case Dismissed Battery Charged

    With a client facing charges for spousal battery, a serious offense that would have cost him his job, Mr. Donato effectively negotiated with the DA, resulting in a full dismissal in return for 12 anger management classes.

  • Case Dismissed Domestic Violence

    Client was arrested for domestic violence after boyfriend called the police and lied about a fight he in fact started. We showed the prosecution our client’s medical records documenting her significant injuries in contrast to her boyfriend’s minor injuries and the prosecution dismissed against our client to pursue charges against her boyfriend.

  • Penalty Reduced Domestic Violence with Great Bodily Injury

    People v. Carter Reduced (Probation) Client was a professional athlete and broke his girlfriend’s elbow during a domestic incident. Original offer was five years in prison. Our investigation showed the conflicts and changes in the victim’s story, and we effectively negotiated the case down to house arrest and probation.

  • Case Dismissed Vehicle Theft and Evading Law Enforcement

    With our client charged with felony vehicle theft and evading law enforcement, Mr. Donato sought out the necessary investigation to show that his client was actually not the driver of the vehicle. The DA dismissed all charges.

  • Case Dismissed Battery Charge

    This battery case was ultimately dismissed after our office conducted investigation and found independent witnesses who stated that the victim lied to police and actually started the fight.  The DA agreed to dismiss the case and Ms. August was able to maintain her clean record.

  • Full Acquittal DUI

    Our office took this case to jury trial and received a full acquittal on all charges including DUI and refusing to take a chemical test.  This would have been Mr. Sanchez's second DUI and would have resulted in a year long license revocation.

  • Suspension Waived DMV Administrative Per Se Hearing

    At this DMV Administrative Per Se hearing, Mr. Donato argued that the Campus Police Officers did not have lawful authority to conduct a traffic stop away from campus. The Hearing Officer agreed and set aside our client's Campus license suspension.

  • Case Dismissed Possessing Marijuana for Sale

    Mr. Donato covinced the District Attorney that his client was protected under the Medical Marijuana Laws as a legal caregiver, and all felony charges regarding possessing marijuana for sale were dismissed.

  • Not Guilty Possession of Methamphetamine for Sale

    With a client facing charges for possession of methamphetamine for sale in addition to firearm enhancements, even the judge questioned Mr. Donato as to why he was taking the case to trial. In the end, however, the jury had very few questions to ask, as it took them less than an hour to return their not guilty verdicts for Mr. Donato's client.

  • Case Dismissed Possessing Marijuana for Sale

    Even before trial, our office had this case dismissed by presenting evidence that our client, who faced felony charges of possessing marijuana for sale, qualified as a legal caregiver and was protected from prosecution under the California medical marijuana laws.

  • Case Dismissed DUI

    Our cient's DUI was dismissed after we obtained the officer's in car camera video which revealed the officer had fabricated major portions of the report.  Thanks in part to Mr. Donato's discoveries, the officer in this case was arrested and eventually plead guilty to numerous counts of perjury and obstruction of justice.  The officer was ultimately sentenced to prison.

  • Case Dismissed Possession of Marijuana for Sale

    Our client was facing felony charges of cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.  After successfully having the case dismissed, Mr. Donato also negotiated with the District Attorney to return the $20,000 in cash that was seized from our client.

  • Not Guilty Possession of a Concealed Firearm

    Charged with possession of a concealed firearm inside of a car, our client was facing special criminal enhancements. Not only did the gun have an illegal high-capacity magazine, our client allegedly possessed the gun in association with a gang.  Mr. Donato fought this case at trial and hung the jury 9-3 for not guilty. But the District Attorney elected to re-try the case. Mr. Donato responded by taking the case to trial again, this time returning with a full not guilty verdict.

  • Acquittal Attempted Murder

    Client was facing life in prison for attempted murder after a shooting on a bus where the jury found the client acted in self-defense.

  • Not Guilty Illegal Discharge of a Firearm

    Client was charged with multiple felony assaults and unlawful discharge of a firearm with gang enhancements and looking at life in prison. Mr. Donato was able to get a full acquittal.

  • Case Dismissed Assault with a Deadly Weapon

    After an intense road rage incident, our client was charged with assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly ramming another car with her own. After diligent investigation and negotiations with the Prosecutors in this case, Mr. Donato persuaded the government to dismiss the case in its entirety.