San Bernardino Criminal Defense Attorney | Gramling Law Group

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San Bernardino Criminal Defense Attorney

If you or a family member has been arrested or cited in San Bernardino, Gramling Law Group can help. Daniel Gramling is a former public defender who now defends DUI, domestic violence, drug, theft, assault, and felony cases for San Bernardino residents at the San Bernardino Justice Center. Fees are flat and quoted up front, communication is directly with the attorney, and every case is prepared as if it will be tried, because that is what produces the best offers.

Whether you live in the Verdemont and University District neighborhoods, Del Rosa, the Arrowhead area, and downtown, or in Highland, Colton, Rialto, and Loma Linda, the process is the same: a consultation, a flat-fee quote for the stage of the case you are facing, and one attorney who handles the matter from arraignment through resolution. Most of that work happens remotely, with in-person meetings available when a case calls for them.

Where San Bernardino Criminal Cases Are Heard

Criminal cases arising in the city of San Bernardino are heard at the San Bernardino Justice Center downtown, the county's main criminal courthouse. Felony arraignments, preliminary hearings, and trials for cases from San Bernardino, Highland, Colton, and Rialto run through that building, which is about a twenty-minute drive from the firm's Riverside office.

Arrests in San Bernardino are made by the San Bernardino Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, and the California Highway Patrol on the 10, 215, and 210. Each agency writes reports a little differently, and each has its own practices for body camera footage, breath and blood testing, and booking, so the first thing the firm does in any San Bernardino case is obtain the complete report, the dispatch log, and every recording that exists.

The date and location of your first appearance are printed on the citation, the bail receipt, or the release paperwork you received when you left custody. That date is not flexible, and failing to appear generates a warrant. Confirm the courthouse on the court's website and call the firm as early as possible so that an attorney can appear with you or, in many misdemeanor cases, for you.

Criminal Charges We Defend for San Bernardino Clients

DUI. A DUI arrest in San Bernardino produces two cases at once: the criminal charge under Vehicle Code section 23152 and a DMV administrative action that suspends your license unless a hearing is requested within ten days. The firm requests that hearing immediately, obtains the arrest report and the testing records, and evaluates whether the stop was lawful, whether the field sobriety tests were administered correctly, and whether the breath or blood evidence can be challenged. A first offense without injury is a misdemeanor; a DUI causing injury under Vehicle Code section 23153 can be charged as a felony.

Domestic violence charges. After a domestic violence arrest in San Bernardino, the prosecutor typically files Penal Code section 273.5 if there is a visible injury and Penal Code section 243, subdivision (e)(1), if there is not. Either charge brings a criminal protective order under Penal Code section 136.2, a firearm prohibition, and, on conviction, a batterer's intervention program and a presumption against custody under Family Code section 3044. The firm defends these cases with an eye on both the criminal exposure and the family law fallout.

Drug charges. Simple possession of most controlled substances is a misdemeanor under Health and Safety Code section 11350 and Health and Safety Code section 11377, but possession for sale under Health and Safety Code section 11351 and Health and Safety Code section 11378 is a felony, and the difference often comes down to packaging, quantity, and text messages. The firm challenges the search that produced the evidence and pursues diversion and treatment-based resolutions where they are available.

Theft and shoplifting. The firm handles petty theft under Penal Code section 484, shoplifting under Penal Code section 459.5, grand theft under Penal Code section 487, and burglary under Penal Code section 459 for San Bernardino clients. Many of these cases involve a store's loss prevention employees rather than police officers as the primary witnesses, and the value and intent elements are contestable. Diversion and civil compromise are available in many misdemeanor theft cases.

Assault and battery. The firm defends simple assault under Penal Code section 240, battery under Penal Code section 242, assault with a deadly weapon under Penal Code section 245, and criminal threats under Penal Code section 422. Many of these cases come down to who started it and whether the force used was reasonable, questions that are decided by the evidence the defense gathers in the first weeks after the arrest.

Warrants and probation violations. A missed court date in San Bernardino produces a bench warrant, and a violation of probation terms can bring a probation revocation hearing with the original sentence on the table. The firm clears warrants by calendaring the case and appearing with the client, and it defends probation violation allegations, which are decided under a lower standard of proof than a trial. Early termination of probation under Penal Code section 1203.3 is available for clients who have complied with their terms.

Expungement and diversion. The firm pursues misdemeanor diversion under Penal Code section 1001.95 and mental health diversion under Penal Code section 1001.36 for eligible San Bernardino clients, which end a case without a conviction. For people with old convictions, it files petitions under Penal Code section 1203.4 on form CR-180 and motions under Penal Code section 17, subdivision (b), to reduce felonies to misdemeanors, which restore rights and remove the conviction from most background checks.

What to Do After an Arrest in San Bernardino

Stop talking. The urge to explain yourself to the arresting officer, the booking deputy, or the detective who calls the next day is strong, and it is almost always a mistake. Under Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 you can end questioning by asking for an attorney, and you should. Everything else can wait until you have counsel.

If the arrest was for DUI, request the DMV hearing within ten days. The DMV suspension runs separately from the court case, and the ten-day window is not extended because you did not know about it. The firm makes that request the same day it is retained.

Retain counsel before the arraignment rather than after. The first appearance sets bail or release conditions, produces any protective order, and starts the clock on the preliminary hearing and trial rights, and decisions made there are hard to undo. In most misdemeanor cases the attorney can appear on your behalf under Penal Code section 977.

Why San Bernardino Clients Choose Gramling Law Group

A former public defender sees more criminal cases in a year than most private attorneys see in a decade, and that is the background Daniel Gramling brings to San Bernardino cases. He understands how the district attorney's office in San Bernardino County charges and negotiates, how the San Bernardino Justice Center schedules hearings, and how to prepare a case so that the prosecutor sees the weaknesses before the offer is made.

Fees are flat and quoted up front for each stage of the case, so a San Bernardino client knows the cost of the arraignment and pretrial stage, the motion stage, and the trial stage before committing to any of them. Limited scope representation is available for a single hearing or a single motion. Clients communicate directly with the attorney, not with a case manager, and the firm serves the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the rest of Southern California except San Diego County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where will my San Bernardino criminal case be heard?

Most San Bernardino cases go to the San Bernardino Justice Center. Your citation or release paperwork lists the courthouse and the arraignment date, and you should confirm both on the court's website, since the assignment depends on the charge and the agency that made the arrest.

Do I have to go to court for a misdemeanor in San Bernardino?

In most misdemeanor cases, an attorney can appear on your behalf under Penal Code section 977 without you being present, including at the arraignment. Domestic violence cases and some others require the defendant's personal appearance, and felony cases require you to be present at most hearings. The firm tells you before each date whether you need to attend.

How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in San Bernardino?

The firm charges flat fees, quoted after a consultation and before any agreement is signed. The amount depends on the charge, whether it is a misdemeanor or felony, and the stage of the case, and there are no hourly surprises. Limited scope representation for one hearing, a DMV hearing, a warrant, or an expungement is available at a lower flat fee.

Can a DUI or domestic violence charge in San Bernardino be dismissed?

Sometimes. Dismissals come from suppressed evidence, missing witnesses, testing errors, insufficient proof, and diversion programs such as Penal Code section 1001.95, which is available in many misdemeanor cases. No attorney can promise a dismissal, but the firm evaluates every San Bernardino case for those possibilities before advising a client whether to accept an offer.

If you have been arrested or charged in San Bernardino, call Gramling Law Group at (909) 654-4575 or contact us through this website for a consultation and a flat-fee quote. The firm defends criminal cases across the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Southern California, with limited scope options for people who need help with one hearing or one motion.

This page is educational and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship until a written agreement is signed. It addresses California law only.

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Learn more about our criminal defense services serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, and Southern California.

Ready to talk? Request a flat-fee quote or call (909) 654-4575 to reach the attorney directly. Facing a family law matter too? See our San Bernardino divorce and family law attorney page, our DUI defense page, and our domestic violence restraining order page.