Nearly every criminal case in the Coachella Valley — whether the arrest happened in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, or Indio itself — ends up at the Larson Justice Center on Oasis Street. If you have a court date in Indio, you want a lawyer who works in that building week in and week out.
Attorney Joseph T. Rhea started his career as a deputy public defender in Indio and has spent more than a decade in private practice defending cases in the same courtrooms. He has personally handled thousands of criminal cases at the state and federal level, with a record of not-guilty verdicts, dismissals, and negotiated outcomes. Palm Springs Life Magazine has named him a Top DUI and/or Criminal Defense Lawyer every year since 2010.
DUI is the most common arrest in the valley — and it can involve alcohol, illegal drugs, or even lawfully prescribed medications such as Xanax, Ambien, and oxycodone. Attorney Rhea has successfully defended DUI cases with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels ranging anywhere from 0.08% to 0.41%. Domestic violence and theft cases are also extremely common, and festival season brings a wave of charges from Coachella and Stagecoach.
You can find a list of recent successes here as well as a detailed profile of Attorney Rhea here.
Your first appearance (arraignment) is where the charges are read and bail is addressed. In most misdemeanor cases, Attorney Rhea can appear for you — you may not need to be there at all. From there, your case moves through pretrial motions and negotiation, and — if it's the right move for you — trial. Every potential client receives a full consultation about their legal situation at no charge.
Joseph Rhea is the only California criminal defense attorney to have been awarded a doctorate from Harvard University. He will take the time to make sure you understand the criminal defense process, then fight tirelessly for you in court.
Call (760) 322-3001 to schedule your FREE consultation today.
“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