Fullerton Public Urination, Civil Compromise, Dismissed

Our client, age 22, went out to downtown Fullerton with two of his old friends from high school.  Our client had recently graduated from Cal State Fullerton and was about to start his first full-time job.

 

The trio went bar-hopping to several bars, including The Blue Door and The Republic before staying to play billiards at The Syndicate.

 

At 2:00 a.m., they left The Syndicate and walked around looking for their car.  None of them could remember where they parked, which they thought was funny.

After they figured out where they had parked, our client decided to urinate in an alley off of South Euclid, behind The Blue Door bar.  Our client had just finished when a police officer in a car pulled into the alley and illuminated our client with his headlights as he was zipping up his fly.

The officer asked our client if he had been urinating and he admitted that he indeed had.  The officer then got out of his car and asked for our client’s driver’s license, which our client provided.  The officer then filled out a ticket and had our client sign a promise to appear in the Fullerton Superior Court in a few weeks.  Our client signed the ticket and the officer drove away.

Once the client woke up in the morning, he showed his father the ticket.  His father then called Greg Hill & Associates, asking questions about how such misdemeanor offenses are resolved.  The father was quite worried that a conviction for a misdemeanor would cause his son’s employer to rescind his job offer.

Greg and the father spoke at length about how such citations are handled in the Fullerton Courthouse and how Greg had resolved many in the past.  The son then retained Greg Hill & Associates.  Greg then asked the son to provided Greg with his resume, a photocopy of his college diploma and proof of employment (a paycheck, with the amount blackened out).

Greg then appeared in the Fullerton Superior Court on behalf of the son, who stayed at work.  Greg first spoke with the Fullerton City Attorney and described a bit about the client.  The Fullerton City Attorney listened respectfully and then suggested a civil compromise to resolve the case.

Greg quickly agreed, as this would mean the case could be dismissed by the judge.  Greg then went upstairs to the Fullerton Victim Witness Restitution Office and made a $300 “donation” to the Fullerton Victim Restitution Emergency Fund.  Greg then brought the receipt back down to the courtroom and showed the Fullerton City Attorney.

The judge then called the case for an arraignment.  Before Greg could enter any plea, the Fullerton City Attorney advised the judge that a civil compromise had been reached under Penal Code §§ 1377 and 1378.  The judge acknowledged this position and in response, the Fullerton City Attorney requested that the judge dismiss the action in the interest of justice under Penal Code § 1385, which the judge did.

Greg then returned to the office and shared the news with the client, as well as his father.  The father was most happy, but his son was, too.  The father’s anxiety evaporated, he said, knowing this case would not complicate his son’s job.

For more information about public urination, a civil compromise and why hiring a private attorney can help, please click on the following articles:

1. What Punishment Do I Face for Public Urination?
2. What Is a Motion for Civil Compromise?
3. Why Hire a Private Attorney?  Why Shouldn’t One Use the Public Defender?