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Home » Practice Areas » Mental Health

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

When Someone with a Developmental Disability or a Mental Illness is Accused of a Crime

I have over 25 years of experience defending clients who are facing criminal charges. I also know how to handle cases where the defendant has a mental illness or a developmental disability. Not every attorney knows how to handle these kinds of cases. My track record shows that I do.

One situation that I see frequently is where someone who has bipolar illness (or another mental health issue) is arrested for being under the influence or possession of drugs such as methamphetamine or cocaine. Often, they are simply trying to treat their disease by self-medicating.

When that is the case, my goal is to keep such individuals out of the jail system and get them the treatment they need, including proper medication and counseling.

My approach is as follows:

  1. Obtain a complete social history of the client, including getting all psychiatric records.
  2. Talk to friends and family to complete the client’s social history.
  3. Determine if a psychologist is needed to analyze the information.
  4. Suggest a treatment plan.

By focusing on the client’s mental health needs, I am frequently able to resolve the case by arranging for treatment instead of incarceration.

I get results

For example:

  1. A client with a documented history of being developmentally disabled was charged with multiple felonies and resisting arrest. He had been to prison for other cases that were handled by other attorneys. I was able to prevent the client from being incarcerated again, and instead got him the treatment he needed for his drug problem.
  2. A mentally disabled client was charged with possession of drugs. He was also charged in a second case for passing a counterfeit bill. The client had previously been to state prison and it had been a terrible experience. The client wanted to remain in the County Jail in the mental ward, where he felt safe. I was able to resolve the case so that client did all of his time in the County jail and did not have to go back to state prison.
  3. A client with bipolar illness received some money from social security. He used that money to buy drugs, which he then handed out at a Christmas party that he had been invited to attend. After over-dosing on some of the drugs at the party, he admitted to the police that he had purchased the drugs for his own person use, as well as to give to his friends at the party. The prosecution charged him with possession of drugs for sale. The client had been to state prison several times already. I was able to find a loophole in the law and had the charges dismissed.

Contact Me Today for a Free Consultation

You can contact my office to schedule a free consultation about your case by calling toll free 1 (800) 972-1740 (phones are answered 24/7) or by filling out the form on the right. We have many offices in the Los Angeles area; you can also let us know if you would prefer to meet at your home or place of business. We look forward to hearing from you.