Pasadena Pandemic Orders

The effects and consequences of the COVID19 pandemic have had a significant impact on criminal cases in Pasadena. The City of Pasadena contains a branch of the California Superior Court. All misdemeanors committed in Pasadena are filed and handled by the Pasadena City Attorney’s Office. All Felonies committed in Pasadena are filed by Deputy District Attorneys. The filing of Criminal Cases may take place in the Pasadena or Glendale branch offices of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. Most crimes committed in Pasadena will result in a case being assigned to the Pasadena Courthouse. Felonies and Misdemeanors remain in Pasadena for the first court date and intermediate hearings. Once a Preliminary Hearing is held, a Pasadena felony case may get sent to another branch court for Jury Trial.

For any person charged with a crime, the Justice System can seem nearly impossible to understand. COVID-19 has made it even harder to stay on top of changes to the Pasadena Criminal system. Constitutionally protected timelines are being extended, something that has never happened before. The City of Pasadena is attempting to comply with Los Angeles County, California, and national orders, all while working to fulfill the needs of its own local citizens

The attorneys at Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers have continued to work through the Pandemic, though there have been a lot of changes. When courtrooms are closed, we are writing motions and contacting prosecutors, who are often at home. We have been deemed essential workers, and take all the guidelines very seriously. When emergency matters must be handled despite the Pandemic, we don a mask go to the Pasadena Courthouse.

Each branch office has always had its own set of rules and expectations. This was always true of Pasadena and is true as each courthouse creates its own program for implementing emergency orders. No California or national order can create a rule to handle every situation. Things change daily at the Pasadena Courthouse, as each judge, clerk, and deputy does their best to hold essential hearings while staff and attorneys are largely working from home. With all the changes occurring, some procedures have never been written down, but develop through daily practice. The attorneys at Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers have daily interaction with judges, prosecutors, and clerks. This contact, in addition to studying all new orders, ensures that we are the best resources for anyone facing a criminal case in Pasadena.

March 2020 carried a great deal of uncertainty as the world, the United States, and each individual state struggled with the appropriate response to the emerging coronavirus threat. Governor Gavin Newson was quick to declare a State of Emergency for California, and a few weeks later issued a stay at home order. This order has brought great upheaval to economic and social life.

Soon after the Safe at Home order, California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye addressed California Courts specifically. She addresses the challenges head on, noting the difficult choice between protecting due process in the face of a health hazard. This reality hits hard in a smaller city like Pasadena. Pasadena Courts were permitted to stay open for some essential hearings. Every person entering the Pasadena Courtrooms had to maintain six feet of separation from others and wear a mask at all times. One of the strengths of the Pasadena Courthouse is that it has a very focused and dedicated staff to serve the surrounding population. It has been developed to meet the exact space and purpose requirements that the residents of Pasadena require. All of that must be rethought and reshuffled in the face of the drastic pandemic changes. Though the quarantine has reduced the amount of people attending court for traffic tickets or voluntary litigation, criminal cases must proceed, and not all hearings can be postponed, even when a quarantine is limiting nearly every facet of society.

While Pasadena jury trials were continued ninety days, new arrests continue to occur, clogging already busy calendars. Penal Code 1382 criminal deadlines were also put out ninety days meaning that Covid-19 has significantly increased the time that a Pasadena prosecutor may delay before bringing a case to trial. Usually, Pasadena defendants would have a felony case dismissed in sixty days if a trial could not occur. On misdemeanors, the time limits were only thirty days. While all these changes create the danger of mistakes for the uninformed defendant, well-represented clients may take advantage of these unprecedented times to pursue deals and resolutions that might not be possible in a different scenario.

If you or a loved one has a Pasadena criminal case during this pandemic, it is critical that you speak with a Pasadena Criminal Defense Lawyer as soon as possible. Michael Kraut is a former Deputy District Attorney with over 14 years of prosecutorial experience who previously served as a Senior Trial Attorney at the Pasadena Courthouse. Pasadena Defense Attorney Michael Kraut is highly capable of representing you in these volatile times. Mr. Kraut works each day to not only understand the latest orders, but to talk to policymakers about upcoming schedules and anticipated changes.

For more information about COVID-19 Criminal Procedures in Pasadena, contact Pasadena Criminal Defense Attorney Michael Kraut at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers located at 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1520, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Mr. Kraut can be reached 24/7 at 888-334-6344 or 323-464-6453.