School Crime Defense · Chula Vista
School Crime Defense Attorney in Chula Vista
An on-campus incident can threaten your child's record and their education at once. Get defense that protects both.
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- 151 reviews
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You are not alone
We've walked people through this since 1983.
Schools move fast on discipline, and a single incident can mean suspension, expulsion, and criminal charges together. Your child's academic future is on the line.
What's at stake
The next moves matter.
The wrong outcome can mean expulsion, a criminal record, and a college application that has to explain both. We work to keep options open.
How we defend it
How we defend a school-related case
- We defend the criminal side and protect the school record.
- We work with administrators to minimize academic fallout.
- We push for discreet resolutions that keep options open.
How it works
Three steps to get your footing back.
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01
Request your free strategy consultation.
Tell us what happened. No obligation, no judgment.
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02
We build your defense.
We dig into the facts, the law, and every possible defense.
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03
We protect your record and your future.
We fight to reduce or drop the charges — and keep your life on track.
What Chula Vista clients say.
Verified public Google reviews.
Two cases at once: school discipline and juvenile court
An on-campus incident usually starts two separate processes running on two different clocks. The school moves first under the Education Code, which lets a district suspend a student and recommend expulsion for conduct listed in Education Code 48900. For a short list of the most serious offenses under Education Code 48915, an expulsion recommendation is mandatory. Separately, the district attorney may file a petition in juvenile court.
The two tracks don’t wait for each other, and what your child says in one can surface in the other. A student facing expulsion does have real due-process rights: written notice of the charges, a hearing before the district’s governing board, the right to be represented, and the right to present evidence and question witnesses. Those rights only help if someone actually uses them, on a timeline measured in days rather than months.
- Education Code 48900: the conduct a district can suspend or recommend expulsion for.
- Education Code 48915: the serious offenses where an expulsion recommendation is mandatory.
- Expulsion hearing: notice, a board hearing, representation, and the chance to present evidence.
- Juvenile court: a separate petition with separate consequences, often on its own timeline.
- Statements: what a student tells an administrator or a school officer can reach police.
What to do in the first 48 hours
Schools investigate quickly, and the first written statement usually shapes both cases.
- Don’t let your child give a written or recorded statement before you talk to us.
- Ask the school in writing which Education Code section they’re citing.
- Request the discipline file, the incident report, and any video before it’s overwritten.
- Calendar every deadline in the district’s notice. Expulsion timelines are short.
- Call us so the school hearing and the court case are handled together, not separately.
School and juvenile defense in the South Bay
We represent South Bay students in district discipline and expulsion proceedings and in the juvenile division of San Diego County Superior Court. Handling both sides together matters: a concession made at a school hearing can follow a student straight into court, and a plea in court can hand the district its case. We’ve worked with Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita families since 1983, in English and Spanish, and we know how quickly these hearings come up.
FAQ
Questions clients ask.
Can school discipline and criminal charges happen at once?
Yes, and they need to be handled together. We manage both.
Can we protect my child's ability to stay in school?
Often, yes. We work to limit the academic damage.
Does my child have to talk to the principal?
Administrators can ask, and what a student says can end up with police. Before your child gives any written or recorded statement, talk to us.
How fast does an expulsion hearing happen?
Quickly. Districts work on short statutory timelines, so the window to gather records, line up witnesses, and prepare is measured in days. That is the main reason to call early.
Can an expulsion be kept off my child's record?
Sometimes. Outcomes short of expulsion, including a suspended expulsion or a negotiated placement, are often available, and they read very differently on a transcript.
Call or text 24/7.
Free strategy consultation. Bilingual. Since 1983.
Talk to a defense attorney today.
Free strategy consultation. Call or text 24/7. Weekend appointments available.
- · Direct attorney access
- · Bilingual — Se habla español
- · Reasonable fees
Tell us what happened
No obligation. We reply fast, day or night.