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Joseph T. Rhea
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Joseph T. Rhea
Law Office Of Joseph T. Rhea
777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
Suite 200-157
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Phone: (760) 327-3711 | Fax: (760) 406-4287
http://www.socal-law.com
200+ Wins Since 2003 -- Harvard University Graduate
Legal Topic
Criminal Defense
Preferred New Clients
I am here to help anyone accused of a crime. I want my clients to feel comfortable contacting me whenever there is a concern.
Sub-Categories
Criminal Defense
- Aiding, Abetting, Accessory, Conspiracy
- Appeals
- Capital Crimes/Capital Cases
- Environmental Violations
- Felonies
- Grand Jury Proceedings
- False Identification
- Truancy
- Misdemeanors
- Parole
- Probation
- Probation
- Perjury
- Plea Negotiation
- Search & Seizure
- Victims' Rights
- Animal Abuse
- Child Abuse
- Domestic Violence
- Elder Abuse
- DUI
- Felony Auto Accidents
- Traffic - Moving Violations
- Hacking
- Malicious Code
- Unauthorized Access
- Expungement or Expunction
- Drug Cultivation & Manufacturing
- Drug Possession
- Intent to Distribute Drugs
- Intent to Sell Drugs
- Constitutional Rights Defense
- Illegal Possession or Transportation
- Other Weapons & Devices
- Bank Fraud
- Checks & Credit Cards
- Embezzlement
- Extortion
- Forgery
- Identity Theft
- Insider Trading
- Money Laundering
- Racketeering & RICO
- Securities Fraud
- Smuggling
- Tax Evasion & Fraud
- Arson
- Burglary
- Embezzlement
- Larceny
- Shoplifting
- Trespass
- Vandalism
- Abduction
- Child Abuse
- Child Pornography
- Indecent Exposure
- Prostitution, Solicitation, & Pandering
- Rape
- Sexual Assault
- Stalking
- Trafficking in Women
- Assault & Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Extortion
- Kidnapping
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Robbery
Bar Admissions
CA, Dec 2003
Bar Number: 227258
Other Court Admissions
All California State Courts, United States District Court, Central and Northern Districts
Association Memberships
California State Bar
Continuing Education
I have attended well over 100 hours of seminars and training in criminal defense in the last three years, all through the CPDA.
Papers and Publications
Author: Race and the American Identity (Harvard University Press 1997; soft-cover 2001)
Example Cases
First, out of my domestic violence cases, I will always remember one in which a grandfather was accused of attacking his pregnant granddaughter with a barbeque fork. The granddaughter was eight months pregnant during the trial and I had to cross-examine her at great length. Sad to say, but the granddaughter had been using the criminal case to extort money out of grandfather. Her own sister testified to this during the trial! The jury found the defendant not guilty. Right after the verdict, the district attorney in the case collapsed on the ground and began sobbing. It was all so emotional. I was actually very nervous about cross-examining a visibly pregnant woman, but the jury made the right decision.
Second, out of several hundred DUI cases, I will always remember one that ended in a hung jury. Several witnesses saw my client dig his truck into sand near a construction site. A police officer arrived some time later. The officer testified that the defendant was passed out behind the wheel, with his pants pulled down, and a pornographic video playing on the dashboard television. I got a hung-jury out of this because there had been some delay between when the witnesses saw the truck dig into the sand and when the police arrived. I argued that the defendant got stuck and decided to wait for help. While he was waiting, the defendant consumed alcohol, watched porn, and fell asleep. Ironically, the fact that the defendant's pants were pulled down supported my theory that his party began after (rather than before) the car got stuck in the sand.
In the last three years, I have had over two hundred cases result in not guilty verdicts or dismissals.
Education
Degree:
J.D.
School:
University of San Francisco
City:
San Francisco
State:
CA
Year:
2003
Honors:
Dean's Scholar (all three years), Law Review, Federal Extern
Focus and Accomplishments:
My focus was criminal defense. I represented my first criminal defense clients through the U.S.F. clinical law clinic.
Degree:
A.M. & Ph.D.
School:
Harvard University
City:
Cambridge
State:
MA
Year:
1996
Honors:
Scholarship student
Focus and Accomplishments:
Upon graduation, I published my dissertation with Harvard University Press.
Degree:
B.A. in History
School:
University of North Carolina
City:
Chapel Hill
State:
NC
Year:
1989
Honors:
Graduated with Honors
Focus and Accomplishments:
I studied history and won the Class of 1938 Traveling Scholarship.
Number of Attorneys
1
State Licensed In
California
Firm Focus and History
I am the only practicing criminal defense attorney in the state of California who has earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University. My office is in downtown Palm Springs, which I opened in 2005
My practice is devoted almost exclusively to the representation of accused individuals in state and federal court. I also bring federal civil rights lawsuits in cases where an individual has been abused by a police officer or jail guard.
Previous Employment Summary
Before opening my own practice in 2005, I was a misdemeanor and felony lawyer for the Public Defender's Office of Riverside County (Indio branch). Before that, I was a public defender in Monterey County (misdemeanor and felony trials). In a previous life, before law school, I was a tenure-track professor of sociology at Arizona State University. I quit teaching because I wanted to be a criminal defense attorney.
Activities and Awards
I am constantly consulting and helping other former and present public defenders. Criminal defense lawyers form a kind of community of mutual assistance.
What is your opinion regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?
I have always really liked the NOLO books and used them before I became a lawyer. I think any criminal defendant would do well to read the NOLO book on the criminal justice system. The principles of criminal defense are not hard to understand (jury trial, right to present evidence, and so on). However, the actual practice of criminal defense is essentially impossible to learn from a book. For example, in every criminal case it is very helpful to know the reputation of the District Attorney who is prosecuting the case, and to to have had some prior experience dealing with him or her. Some DAs are honest and seek justice, but others are not very honest and not very interested in justice. Unfortunately, only the experienced local defense lawyers really know which DAs are on the level and how to handle that problem. Similarly, only the local lawyers who have gone to trial really know which judges are fair. Many judges bend over backward to help the prosecution at trial and are unreasonable (or even crazy) at sentencing. Because there is so much about the process that is invisible to the defendant, anyone accused of a serious crime needs a good lawyer, preferably a local lawyer (home field advantage is very real in the law).
Are you willing to review documents prepared by clients?
Always. I quit being a public defender because I did not have time to work with clients individually. I love private practice because I actually get to know all of the details of each case I work on. This makes me more effective and I know it is a better experience for the clients.
Are you willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?
People often call me to talk about potential criminal charges. They call to ask whether or not a particular action was legal, or what they can do to avoid being charged for something they have already done. Often I get questions about police misconduct (particularly illegal searches) or harassment. I am always happy to talk about these issues for free.
However, if you are actually charged with a felony, you need a good lawyer. Period. Forget the money; this is your life we are talking about. Many misdemeanors also have life-altering consequences. A theft conviction will make it impossible to get a normal job. For many immigrants, a contempt or domestic violence conviction can lead to exclusion from the United States. So, if you want to represent yourself on a misdemeanor, make sure that it is something basic, and that really will not have a huge impact on your life if you lose -- dry reckless driving, for example.
Most infractions you can fight yourself, and self-education is important there. I am always happy to give free advice on how to beat a ticket, for example.
Why did you decide to be a lawyer?
I was formerly a professor of sociology, and I spent a lot of my time thinking about patterns of injustice in society. I quit being a professor because I wanted to be more actively involved in the fight against those injustices.
Until they get caught up in it, often for ridiculously minor offenses, most Americans have no idea how out of control our criminal justice system really is. The Fourth Amendment is shrinking while our prisons are growing. Because of its enormous size, the criminal justice system is now like a large shark -- it lives to consume the individual. As the system becomes larger and more impersonal, there is increasingly little discussion of fairness or decency.
Every day, my goal is help my clients navigate this system without being consumed by it.
What work experience and education helps you be a better lawyer?
As I mentioned above, I was a professor of sociology. In the law, I learned a lot by externing in United States District Court in San Francisco, and by clerking in an excellent private firm in San Francisco, Wineberg & Wilder.
Why did you decide on your primary area of practice?
I thought it would be a good fight, and it is. I am very proud of my work.
What do you like best about your career?
There is nothing like more than the thrill of hearing those magic words, "not guilty." There is such finality to it.
Tell us about your law firm:
I am a sole practitioner, but I am married to another criminal defense lawyer who is a public defender and a great trial lawyer. I am always learning from my wife and friends. Again, criminal defense lawyers engage in a lot of mutual support.
What are your strengths and style?
I respond very well to extreme stress. Jury trial does not scare me. Because I am not afraid to go to trial, I find it easy to negotiate aggressively for my clients. Most cases do not go to trial, but my willingness to go to trial results in better negotiated settlements for my clients.
I am calm, friendly, and assertive when necessary.
Personal Interests:
I enjoy bike racing, hiking and live music.
Office Manager/Assistant
None
Fax
(760) 406-4287
Office Hours
9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Emergency After Hours
Yes
Foreign Languages
None
Fixed-Price Services and Fees
Fees vary based on the likely difficulty of the case. A petty theft, for example, always costs less than a complex embezzlement.
Hourly Rates
I offer clients an hourly rate option, but almost everyone seems to prefer to know up front what the cost of entire case will be.
Free Initial Consultation?
Initial consultations are always free.
Typical Retainer
Again, this varies from case to case, from a few hundred dollars to many thousands.
Nolo's Licensing Check
Attorneys have passed a licensing check. Nolo has confirmed that every member attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with the applicable bar associations upon joining the directory.
Directory lawyers are required to notify Nolo immediately if they become the subject of any disciplinary action by any bar association.
