Post Conviction Attorney Los Angeles
October 12, 2025
Introduction In California criminal defense practice, motions under Penal Code § 1473.7 have become an important tool for noncitizen defendants seeking to undo a plea entered without meaningful understanding of immigration consequences. But a common misconception is that winning a § 1473.7 motion automatically forces the court to dismiss the underlying complaint or information. The 2023 appellate decision in People v. Vaca (89 Cal. App. 5th 1113) rejects that notion. As a criminal defense attorney based in Los Angeles, I emphasize aggressive post-conviction relief strategies — yet I also caution clients about statutory and judicial limits. Below’s a deeper dive into Vaca and why this decision matters to anyone pursuing § 1473.7 relief in California. The decision teaches us that […]
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September 28, 2025
As a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, one of the most critical parts of protecting a non-citizen client is ensuring that a plea is “immigration-safe.” Many immigrants in California have found themselves in removal (deportation) proceedings years after taking a plea deal they did not fully understand. Fortunately, under California Penal Code §1473.7, you may have a legal right to vacate your conviction if your prior attorney failed to properly advise or negotiate an immigration-safe plea. Legal Background: Padilla v. Kentucky and People v. Bautista The U.S. Supreme Court in Padilla v. Kentucky (2010) held that a defense attorney provides ineffective assistance of counsel when they fail to advise a non-citizen client about the immigration consequences of a guilty plea. […]
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July 27, 2025
If you’re facing immigration consequences from a past conviction, you may be eligible to reverse that conviction under California Penal Code sections 1473.7 or 1016.5. As a trusted Criminal Defense Attorney Los Angeles and experienced Post Conviction Attorney Los Angeles, I’ve helped countless clients clean their criminal records and protect their immigration status by filing motions to vacate convictions based on legal errors and lack of understanding. Understanding PC 1473.7 and PC 1016.5: Relief for Immigrants In California, a conviction may be vacated under Penal Code § 1473.7 when a noncitizen defendant did not “meaningfully understand” or “knowingly accept” the immigration consequences of a plea. This law applies even if Los Angeles defendant was warned about immigration consequences under PC […]
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