Where you were arrested matters less than where your case will be heard. Every criminal case in the California desert — from Palm Springs to the Arizona line — is assigned to one of a handful of courthouses, and each one runs differently. Attorney Joseph T. Rhea has spent his entire legal career in these courtrooms: first as a deputy public defender, and for more than a decade in private practice. He is the only criminal defense trial attorney in California with a doctorate from Harvard University, and Palm Springs Life Magazine has named him a Top Lawyer every year since 2010.
Below is where your case will most likely be heard, based on where you were arrested — and how Attorney Rhea can help in each court.
If you were arrested in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, or Thousand Palms, your criminal case will almost certainly be heard at the Larson Justice Center at 46-200 Oasis Street in Indio. That includes arrests at the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals.
Attorney Rhea began his career as a deputy public defender in Indio and has defended thousands of cases in this courthouse — DUI, domestic violence, drug charges, and theft are the most common. He knows the judges, the district attorneys, and the calendar.
More about defense in the Indio courts · Arrested at Coachella · Arrested at Stagecoach
Arrests in Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Morongo Valley, Landers, and in and around Joshua Tree National Park are heard at the Joshua Tree District courthouse at 6527 White Feather Road — San Bernardino County's Morongo Basin court. Attorney Rhea has practiced in the Joshua Tree courts for over fifteen years, representing Marines and military contractors from the Twentynine Palms base as well as locals and National Park visitors. In most misdemeanor cases he can appear for you, so you don't have to make the drive — or, for military defendants, so a civilian case doesn't derail a deployment.
More about defense in Twentynine Palms & the Joshua Tree court
Cases from Banning, Beaumont, Cabazon, and the I-10 corridor through the Pass — including arrests near the casino — are heard at the Banning Justice Center, 311 E. Ramsey Street. It's a six-courtroom facility handling everything from traffic matters to felony trials, and Attorney Rhea defends cases at the Banning Justice Center for clients from the Pass communities.
Arrested in Blythe or stopped on I-10 near the Arizona border? Your case goes to the Blythe courthouse at 265 N. Broadway — a court that only hears cases on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. That limited calendar makes timing critical, and in most misdemeanor cases Attorney Rhea can appear on your behalf under Penal Code 977, sparing you the 100-mile drive from the Coachella Valley.
Tens of thousands of people visit the desert for the festivals, the national park, Modernism Week, and the winter season. If you were arrested here but live somewhere else, California Penal Code 977 allows an attorney to appear for you in most misdemeanor cases. Attorney Rhea handles the court dates; you stay home.
What to do if you were arrested on vacation
DUI/DWI · Domestic Violence · Drug Crimes · Felonies · Sex Crimes · Theft Crimes · Traffic Offenses · Expungements
Schedule a free case review: (760) 322-3001.
“Mr. Rhea was extremely knowledgeable which, without a doubt, was the reason the Judge dismissed my case without any fines, probation, etc. Additionally, his vast knowledge helped lay out all the scenarios which helped relieve my anxieties. He was extremely prompt and reliable which made working with him a pleasure. I would highly recommend Mr. Rhea’s services to anyone and everyone.” – Former Federal Drug Possession Client