“Many clients and their families have questions about sentences for felonies as a result of the changes made by the Criminal Justice Realignment Act of 2011 (“CJRA”). This new law applies to any person sentenced on or after October 1, 2011. The basic purpose of the CJRA is to allow more sentences for felony convictions (when probation is denied) to be served at the county jail level as opposed to state prison. All procedural rules up to the point of sentencing remain unchanged. The CJRA is implemented through Penal Code section 1170(h), which sets forth the new sentencing laws for various felony convictions. The following link is a valuable resource that answers many common questions that defendants have about the CJRA.
http://www.courts.ca.gov/partners/documents/cjr_faq.pdf
A criminal defense attorney who is knowledgeable about the CJRA is a must if you have been charged with a felony. If you or a loved one is facing felony charges in Orange County, Los Angeles or the Inland Empire, Chambers Law Firm can discuss your specific case with you and provide you with guidance on how the CJRA might affect your sentencing. Please contact Dan today.”
