Law Office of Michael L. Guisti Case Results

Michelle Hadley Exonerated After Being Falsely Accused

Michael Guisti Comments on Charges
Being Dropped in Michelle Hadley Craigslist Case

Multiple Criminal Charges Over the Span of 5 Years

"Don't commit any more crimes. I might not be able to save you again. Even I'm not that good."

J.Y. is my crown jewel. I always tell people after I help them, "Don't commit any more crimes. I might not be able to save you again. Even I'm not that good."

• Part I: In June 2011, J.Y. (then age 19) and his three friends wanted some marijuana without paying for it. California legalizes medical marijuana. J.Y. and his friends called a marijuana dispensary. They requested that a driver deliver $1,500 of marijuana. The driver arrived with an armed guard. The guard stepped out of the car to protect the driver. J.Y. had a knife and his friend had an unloaded gun. J.Y. tried to rob the driver with the knife. The friend pulled the unloaded gun and was shot dead by the security guard. J.Y. was culpable for the murder of his accomplice.

When I arrived at the arraignment, I was given a criminal complaint charging J.Y. with attempted robbery. No murder charge. J.Y. had not even been brought into the courtroom when I informed the judge that J.Y. would be pleading guilty. It took the judge 30 minutes to realize what was happening. He gave the District Attorney two hours to amend the complaint, and the DA couldn't reach anyone connected to the investigation. I insisted that J.Y.'s plea be taken in open court. The plea was concluded at 4:55 p.m. Sentencing was held later. At sentencing, the judge sentenced J.Y. to three years in prison and reprimanded the DA for not filing murder charges.

• Part IIA: J.Y. was released from prison in 2012. He went to sing karaoke in Los Angeles' Koreatown neighborhood. He was charged with threatening to kill two security guards with a gun. He was looking at 32 years in prison. His family bailed him out and we went to preliminary hearing. I persuaded the judge to dismiss the gun enhancements and his prison exposure dropped to 22 years.
• Part III: While J.Y. was on bail and awaiting trial in Los Angeles, he went back home to Orange County. He committed two more misdemeanors and then was arrested for selling drugs. He was looking at seven years in prison, aside from the case in Los Angeles. I got him a 16 month prison term. He was released in 2015 and sent back to Los Angeles for his terrorist threat trial.
• Part IIB - The Conclusion: In March of 2016, after three and a half years, I got the DA to dismiss the terrorist threat case on the first day of trial. J.Y. is now with his family.

Young Woman Charged With Murder

Charge reduced and she serves 6 months in county

V.B. was a 19 year old street gang associate who was charged, in a large multiple defendant case, with the murder of an innocent 14 year old boy. The murder was plotted on her cell phone. She testified against three defendants, including the shooter. They all received 25 years in prison. She received 6 months in jail as an accessory after the fact. She is now working for the State of California and is married with two children. She converted to Christianity and has been very active in her community.

Eleven years later, the homicide prosecutor had me defend his son on drug charges. See below.

Son of DA Serving Time on a Felony

Third chance at drug rehab

I.T. is the son of the DA who prosecuted V.B. in the case mentioned above. I.T. was serving time on a felony after being kicked out of rehab court twice. I took the case over in 2013, and he was released and placed back in rehab court. I am the only attorney that anyone has ever heard of getting someone a third chance at rehab court.

Attorney Michael Guisti Represents 9 Plaintiffs in a Civil Rights Case Against the City of Garden Grove

City of Garden Grove settled out of court with all defendants

At 2:00 a.m. on April 27, 2008, my phone woke me up. I was being called by a young man who said he was in a house in Garden Grove, where police were outside beating up his friends trying to pull people out of the house. I was able to contact the field commander and tell him that he was violating the constitutional rights of the people at that house. I told the commander that I was coming out personally. I drove to the scene within 30 minutes and the police had the street blocked off. I arrived and shook the hand of the field commander. Then, the command post was quickly packed up and shut down.

It turns out that the police crashed the Quinceanera party of a 15 year old girl under the guise that they were chasing a suspect through the backyard. The girl's father and a lot of the party goers were reformed gang members. The police had targeted this ex-gang for harassment and intimidation. When the police entered the party, they started to detain people and were caught on video beating people. The girl's father and one other person were charged with resisting arrest. I represented both of them pro bono and the criminal charges were dismissed. I subsequently represented nine plaintiffs in a civil rights case against the City of Garden Grove.

My office is in Garden Grove and I have also been the subject of harassment and intimidation by the Garden Grove police department. My wife was falsely accused of hit and run and her car was impounded from our home in Anaheim, three hours after I appeared in court on this case. After I went ballistic with the head of internal affairs of the Garden Grove Police Department, the case against my wife was dropped.

In December of 2011, the City of Garden Grove settled out of court with all defendants.

Young Man Charged With Murder in Gang Case

Case dismissed by D.A. J.M.

J.M. was charged with murder. He was accused of shooting a rival gang member behind the ear at point blank range. I was hired for trial on July 23, 2005. I hired an investigator who also handled the investigation in the killing of rapper Notorious B.I.G. After extensive investigation, J.M.'s case was dismissed almost exactly 18 months later on January 23, 2006.

Young Man Knocks the Eye Out His Victim With a Metal Pipe

Charges reduced to assault with a deadly weapon

T.D. was a Vietnamese immigrant enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was drinking under age at a hostess bar in Little Saigon in California. He was drunk past the point of blackout. He was accused of getting into a fight and knocking out the eye of another man with a piece of steel pipe. T.D. was charged with attempted murder, which carries life in prison, and aggravated mayhem, which also carries life in prison. He was looking at double sentences. I was hired for trial. After extensive investigation and motion work, T.D. pled guilty to simple mayhem and was sentenced to 5 years prison. Since I took the case after he had been incarcerated over a year, he only had to serve 2 more years after his plea. After his release from prison, he opened a nail shop in Louisiana. He is currently married with three children. He called me a few months ago to thank me.

Police Misconduct Resulting in Death

Case settled 2 years later

The decedent, B.N., who is also my former client, was smoking methamphetamine in his car. Two Santa Ana Police officers stopped, drew their guns, and killed him within a 45 second window. The case was widely reported in the media. I was criticized for commencing litigation immediately. The same investigator that worked for me on the J.M. murder case also helped me on this case. We investigated it as a murder. My investigator and I went to the scene of the killing exactly one week later. It was midnight, and we found people who witnessed my client being shot to death. Several Santa Ana Police officers called me anonymously to give me information about the shooting. After depositions revealed that the officers literally jumped the gun and acted without justification, the case settled two years later, for low seven figures.

Juvenile Charged With Murder in Gang Case

Reduced to assault with deadly weapon

Juvenile charged with murder in gang case.

Young Man Charged and Arrested for Sexual Battery

Case dropped A.C.

Young man charged and arrested for sexual battery.

Young Man Charged With Selling Drugs To Undercover Officer

Served less than 30 days in jail R.W.

Young man charged with selling 1000 tabs of ecstasy to undercover officer.

Man Charged With Assault With a Deadly Weapon

Case dropped

Man charged with assault with a deadly weapon for hitting someone in the face with a heavy metal dust pan.

Woman Arrested and Charged With Assault

Case dismissed N.L.

Woman arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon using scissors on a co-worker.

Man Charged With Obstruction of Justice

Case dismissed M.N.

Man charged with obstruction of justice for switching places with the allegedly intoxicated driver after an accident.

Young Man Charged With Attempted Murder

Released on probation T.T.

Young man charged with attempted murder in gang drive by shooting. Charges reduced to assault with a deadly weapon.

Man Charged With Three Felony Counts of Vehicular Assault

Serves 80 days on work furlough M.L.

Man charged with three felony counts of vehicular assault with a deadly weapon.

Three Strikers Charged With Prostitution

Serves weekends only H.T.

Three strikers charged with prostitution.

Young Man Charged With Attempted Murder

Released two months prior to first eligibility

Young man charged with attempted murder represented by attorney Michael Guisti in parole hearing.

Young Man Facing Life in Prison

Serves only 5 years W.C.

Young man facing life in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary carjacking and kidnapping.

Agents of the Treasury Department Prevented From Obtaining Confidential Business Records

No criminal charges going forward

Attorney Michael L. Guisti prevented agents of the Treasury Department from obtaining confidential business records of his client.

Attorney Michael L. Guisti Confronted Law Enforcement at Client’s Business

No charges and the officers never got to search

Attorney Michael L. Guisti personally confronted law enforcement at his client's business when the officers tried to intimidate Mr. Guisti's client to consent to a warrant less search.

Woman Tricked Into Signing Her Home Over to “Boyfriend”

The title returned to her by the court

Attorney Michael L. Guisti represented a woman who is tricked into signing her home over to "boyfriend".

Doctor Tricked Into Entering Into Partnership on His Medical Building

Attorney Michael L. Guisti won eviction lawsuit

Attorney Michael L. Guisti represented a doctor who was tricked into entering into partnership on his medical building.

Man Had Ongoing Disputes With Neighbors and Defeated Attempts To Get a Restraining Order

Prevailed in two hearings and negotiated dismissal

Attorney Michael L. Guisti represented an Orange County man who had ongoing disputes with neighbors and defeated three attempts to get a restraining order against the Orange County man.

Woman Who Loaned Money to a Boyfriend

Attorney Michael L. Guisti won at hearing

Attorney Michael L. Guisti represented a woman who loaned money to a boyfriend. When she tried to collect the money, the boyfriend sought a restraining order with many false accusations.

Couple Tricked in Life Insurance Scheme

Conflict waiver turned into multi-million dollar insurance fraud

I currently represent both E.P. and M.P. with a conflict waiver. They were tricked into a life insurance scheme which has turned into multi-million dollar insurance fraud. They have cooperated with the prosecution and I expect dismissal of all charges, for both of them, at the end of this month. I have been involved in this case since July 1, 2014.

Merchant Lost His Lottery Sale Privileges

Won appeal and lottery privileges reinstated

After a merchant lost his lottery sale privileges.

Woman Sued in a Business Transaction

Dismissed outright after took the case over

A suit against a woman, who was sued in a business transaction.

Man Convicted of Felony Gets Reversal

Attorney Michael L. Guisti won a reversal

A man convicted of felony receiving property and petty theft.

Judge Tried To Terminate Lifetime Spousal Support Ordered

Attorney Michael L. Guisti won a reversal

When a judge tried to terminate lifetime spousal support ordered by an out of state court.