Attorney Jennifer Sarah Zide's Legal Cases

Criminal defense

People v. E.S.: Client with .17 DUI gets High Blood Alcohol Allegation Dropped, Avoids Custody Time for Enhancement

Mar 26, 2013

OUTCOME: DUI special allegation dropped, improved sentencing

We successfully argued to the prosecutor to get the high blood alcohol allegation dropped for our client, which was a big benefit to the client. As a result, he avoided the standard 10 day enhancement ... for high bac and also avoided the longer 9 month alcohol education class. Happily, he only had to do the 3 month class for regular DUI.

Criminal defense

People v. J.C.: Hit and Run Case Dismissed

Mar 14, 2013

OUTCOME: case dismissed

In another Hit and Run case, a client was having a panic attack when, after impact, he drove away from the scene of an accident that occurred while he was driving. Arguing that my client lacked the req ... uired intent based on his compromised mental state at the time, we were able to get this case dismissed

Criminal defense

People v. C.M.: Client Facing Multiple Felonies Gets 1 Year Treatment in lieu of 7 years prison

Feb 11, 2013

OUTCOME: 1 year residential treatment instead of close to 7 years in prison

My client facing multiple charges arising from her drug addiction, including possession, fraud and theft, was facing prison when she received the chance to participate in Drug Court. However, a new cas ... e was filed which then kicked her out of Drug Court. We continued to fight and appealed to another Court to get my client the treatment alternative she deserved to turn her life around. With the new alleged offense, she was facing close to 7 years in prison! Not only did she avoid any time in custody on multiple serious felony charges, she successfully completed treatment. I am so pleased to report is on a completely different road today.

Criminal defense

People v. S.D.: Driving Under the Influence Dismissed in Trial, Client Allowed to Plead to Straight Reckless Driving

Jul 16, 2012

OUTCOME: DUI Dismissed, Client Allowed to Plead to Reckless Driving Only

In Santa Barbara County, while in trial on DUI, I was able to get my client the reduction to a straight "reckless driving" (not a "wet reckless" involving alcohol) that he had wanted all along. We got ... this by arguing a motion, pushing the case forward to trial, and having our forensic toxicology specialist ready to go for the defense. We further pressured the D.A. to agree to sentencing terms that were even more favorable than the standard sentence for reckless driving, so that my client further benefited by saving one year on his term of probation and saving money on his fines.

Criminal defense

People v. T.B.: Client Avoids Conviction for felony drug possession by participating in short-term drug counseling

Jun 12, 2012

OUTCOME: case dismissed

Under the Diversion program, Client who possessed methamphetamine for personal use received the chance to avoid having any conviction on his record by participating in a program called Diversion, where ... he completed 3 1/2 months of out-patient drug counseling and otherwise continued to do well for a two year period. Upon successful completion of that term and counseling, his charges were dismissed. Avoiding a conviction allowed him to move on with his life in a positive direction! Diversion is an opportunity for all first-time, personal use drug offenders.

Criminal defense

People v. A.T.: Juvenile Criminal Threats Case Dismissed

Mar 15, 2011

OUTCOME: case dismissed

My client, a good kid who had done well in school, was falsely accused of criminal threats, which allegedly occurred in the course of trying to protect her sister from being bullied. We successfully ar ... gued to get her case dismissed with one counseling class. As a result, the client avoided a conviction on her record and later was even able to get into the U.S. Naval Academy!

Criminal defense

People v. A.M.: Theft Case Dismissed for Naval Officer

Sep 14, 2010

OUTCOME: case dismissed

In this case, I represented a naval officer whose career would have been ruined by these false accusations made by his soon-to-be ex-wife. By arguing the bad motive of the complaining witness, the weak ... nesses of the case, and my client's stellar record to the prosecution, we were able to get charges dropped.

Criminal defense

People v. Mr. L: Not Guilty in Jury Trial for Client Charged with Felony Domestic Violence

Aug 13, 2002

OUTCOME: Not Guilty at trial

A client charged with felony domestic violence (serious conduct with serious injury) and a reported history was found Not Guilty at jury trial. This case could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ... There were no witnesses. We, as the defense, introduced expert psychiatric testimony that was helpful to the defense. Also there was time gap between the alleged incident and when it was later reported, a time gap during which the complaining witness was observed to be engaging in actions which could have caused injury.

Criminal defense

People v. V.L.: Hung Jury in Favor of the Defense Achieved for Client in Felony Drug Possession and Transportation Trial

Jul 08, 2002

OUTCOME: case dismissed

My client was the driver of the car and the only one in the car. A small amount of meth was found at his feet, literally, on the driver's side floorboard. Our defense was that the drugs were not his an ... d he did not know they were in the car. Through investigation, we brought out that the registered owner of the car (which my client had just borrowed) had a conviction for possession of methamphetamine in that same car, arising from an incident that occurred in the same timeframe within which my client was stopped. Further, under cross-examination, I was able to catch the officer in an inconsistency. He admitted to me that the drugs were not in full view out on the floorboard where he had claimed in his police report, but were instead off to the side and partially hidden by the trunk release button. This was critical because it supported our argument that it was a reasonable possibility that my client did not even see those drugs and that they were not his. After the jury was hung 9-3 in favor of the defense, the case was dismissed by the prosecution

Criminal defense

Hung Jury in Favor of the Defense Achieved for Client in DUI Trial

Feb 04, 2002

OUTCOME: case dismissed

My client, a long-distance truck driver whose career would have been ruined by a conviction, was charged with a .12 DUI with an accident. I was able to get him a hung jury in favor of the defense and h ... is case was subsequently dismissed by the prosecution. In this case, we were able to get evidence through our investigation that was critical in establishing drinking pattern and thus cast doubt on whether my client was at .08% bac at the time of driving. We also were able to successfully argue that the vehicle struck was parked partially in the lane of traffic on a dark street, defeating the prosecutor's argument that only an impaired driver would have struck it. We also brought out how my client's medical issues would have compromised both his performance on field sobriety tests and possibly the validity of the breath sample itself.

Jennifer Sarah Zide's Legal Cases (20)

People v. E.S.: Client with .17 DUI gets High Blood Alcohol Allegation Dropped, Avoids Custody Time for Enhancement

People v. J.C.: Hit and Run Case Dismissed

People v. C.M.: Client Facing Multiple Felonies Gets 1 Year Treatment in lieu of 7 years prison

People v. S.D.: Driving Under the Influence Dismissed in Trial, Client Allowed to Plead to Straight Reckless Driving

People v. T.B.: Client Avoids Conviction for felony drug possession by participating in short-term drug counseling

People v. A.T.: Juvenile Criminal Threats Case Dismissed

People v. A.M.: Theft Case Dismissed for Naval Officer

People v. Mr. L: Not Guilty in Jury Trial for Client Charged with Felony Domestic Violence

People v. V.L.: Hung Jury in Favor of the Defense Achieved for Client in Felony Drug Possession and Transportation Trial

Hung Jury in Favor of the Defense Achieved for Client in DUI Trial