Important information for Whittier Criminal Cases.

Arrest

Whittier Police and Pico Rivera Sherrif are the two main arresting agencies for Whittier Criminal Court.

An arrest is usually the first step in a criminal case.

There are three law enforcement agencies that may make arrests in the Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs or La Habra.

The Whittier Police Department, located on 7315 Painter Avenue, is the main agency that patrols the city of Whittier and Santa Fe Springs.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has jurisdiction over crimes that occur in the Pico Rivera area.   They are located on 6631 Passons Boulevard in Pico Rivera, California.

The California Highway Patrol has jurisdiction over crimes that take place on the highways and freeways that pass through the cities of Whittier and Pico Rivera.  Their local office is located at 10051 Orr and Day Road in Santa Fe Springs, California.

Once these three agencies make an arrest, they either have the arrestee sign a citation promising to appear or they detain the person in custody until the first court date in the Whittier Courthouse.

Whittier Criminal Court.  Law Offices of Arzili & Associates is located across the street from the courthouse.

WHITTIER CRIMINAL COURT

Whittier Criminal Court. Law Offices of Arzili & Associates is located across the street from the courthouse.

Once you have a date in court, you will have to appear at the Whittier Criminal Court at 7339 Painter Avenue in Whittier, California.   This 3-floor courthouse handles all the criminal cases for the Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs and La Habra area.

The Whittier Criminal Courthouse is located on the corner of Mar Vista and Painter Avenue.  It is located next to the Whittier Police Station.   Our Office is located diagonally across the street from the courthouse at 7336 Painter Avenue.

The Whittier Criminal Courts have 6 departments that handle all cases from traffic infractions to felony offenses.

Department 1 is located on the first floor and is assigned to Commissioner DiFrank.  A veteran of the L.A. Superior Courts, Commissioner DiFrank handles felony cases as well as all drug programs, such as Proposition 36 and Drug Court.

Department 2 is located on the second floor and is assigned to Commissioner Mansfield.  Commissioner Mansfield has been assigned to Whittier Court for over a decade and handles all felonies and misdemeanors.

Department 3 is assigned to Judge Daniel Ramirez.  Judge Ramirez handles all criminal matters in his second floor courtroom.  He is known for efficient and no-nonsense approach to justice.  He is presently the Supervising Judge for the Whittier Courts.

Department 4 is presently being manned by a team of retired judges.  The previous judge was transferred to Norwalk Court and Retired Judges such as Larry Knupp, Morris Jones, and Robert Drees have done an outstanding job of handling all criminal matters in whittier.

Department 5 is assigned to Judge Mark Nelson.  Judge Nelson is a veteran of Pomona and West Covina Criminal Courts.  He has presided over many murder trials and serious felonies in his long tenure as an L.A. Superior Court Judge.

Department 6 is located on the first floor and is the courtroom that handles all traffic offenses and small claims.   It is presently manned by commissioner Moreno who is versatile enough to handle all diverse cases that appear before him.  Attorney Anthony Arzili is privileged enough to fill in for Commissioner Moreno as a Judge Pro Tem on occasion.

WHITTIER FELONY CASES

Felony cases start off in Whittier Court, but quite often they will end in either Downey Superior Court or Norwalk Criminal Court.

The reason for this is two-fold.  The main reason that felony cases are resolved in Downey rather than Whittier is the Early Disposition Court in Downey.   This program is set up by the L.A. District Attorney’s Office and it is designed to offer better resolutions at the plea bargain stage than if the case drags on through the courts.

Whittier Criminal Defense Attorneys Anthony Arzili and Associates have appeared hundreds of times at the Early Disposition Court in Downey.   They know the keys to having your Whittier Felony transferred to Downey for the best resolution.

If you are not interested in a plea bargain resolution, then you are contesting the charges against you.  If you contest felony charges, your trial will be held in the Norwalk Superior Court.  Conversely, all misdemeanor trials in the Whittier area stay in the Whittier Courthouse.

If you are being accused of a crime in Whittier, trust your freedom to the best attorneys in town.  Call us for a free case evaluation at 562-907-4448.

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