San Fernando Valley Arson Defense Lawyer


As you might guess, arson cases are dealt with quite harshly by the San Fernando and Van Nuys, CA prosecutors and judges. However, in my twenty five years of handling these cases, I have noticed that there are different levels of seriousness when it comes to arson cases in the San Fernando Valley court system.

There are those case where lives are lost and the person who set the showed a callous disregard for human life, there are those cases where someone is just trying to burn their own property and things get out of hand and of course there is everything in between.

In my experience, when the prosecutors are trying to figure out how to deal with an arson case they are going to look at a number of important factors related to the case before they decide what there position will be.

When it comes to an arson case or any serious cases for that matter, I want to make sure I get to them with mitigation information before they make any decisions that can not be taken back. This way I can have a say in what happens to my client, instead of simply being the bearer of bad news. Hard work and preparation must go into every case in order to achieve the best result possible.


There are many different legal nuances when it comes to arson cases that must be explored by your criminal defense attorney before any decisions are made on your case. If the prosecutors have a strong cases against you and they are insisting that you plead guilty to an arson related offense, then the next move is to try and convince them that your conduct was an aberration that will never happen again.

If this can be accomplished, then there is a chance that they will agree that down the line you can take back your arson plea and substitute a different less serious crime in its place. In California, arson is charged as a felony and separated into two categories, intentional arson and reckless arson, governed by California Penal Code Section 451 and 452.

Intentional arson is to willfully and maliciously burn a building or property. Basically, the suspect had the intent to burn the property. Reckless arson is to recklessly set a fire. For example, tossing a burning cigarette into a dry bush or firing up the grill near a tree and causing the burning of a property can be considered reckless arson.

An arson conviction, regardless of which category, results in a strike on your criminal record. It is considered a very serious offense and arson is investigated by special law enforcement units who use advanced and sophisticated chemical analyses to determine the origin of the fire and the cause of the fire.

The investigations can take up to a year and that is why early intervention by our San Fernando Valley criminal attorneys are crucial. If you or someone you know is facing arson charges, contact us immediately and let us help you.

Consult with a San Fernando Valley Criminal lawyer

In order to convict you, the prosecution has the burden of proving that you either had the intent to set fire to a property or acted in a reckless manner that caused a fire. As your advocate, we rebut every piece of evidence presented against you by asserting any applicable defense, by showing any ambiguities or inaccuracies, or by showing that there is insufficient evidence. Either way, we do everything we can to get you the best possible results. your best interest is our top priority.