Arrested or cited to appear in Joshua Tree National Park?
Over a million visitors come to the Joshua Tree National Park every year. While the park is one of the most beautiful places in the world, bad things happen even here. Every year hundreds of visitors and locals are cited or arrested, mostly for driving under the influence and drug possession. Unfortunately, because these arrests are made on federal land, they go to federal court. The penalties and consequences for almost everything are more severe in federal court than California state court. This is especially true for drug-related crimes. (See more on drug offenses here.)
Attorney Joseph Rhea is the only California attorney who regularly appears in the Black Rock federal court in Joshua Tree National Park. He also takes cases which originated in the park and are then tried in the United States District Courts in Riverside and Los Angeles. The judges and United States attorneys all know him as a friendly and aggressive advocate for his clients Attorney Rhea is the only criminal defense trial attorney in the state of California with a doctorate from Harvard University. He is also a former Deputy Public Defender and his legal career has been devoted almost exclusively to criminal defense. Some of his recent successes can be viewed in Past Results.
VISITORS AND MILITARY
The vast majority of cases originating in Joshua Tree National Park are Class A, B, or C federal misdemeanors. Usually, you or your loved one were given a notice to appear at the Black Rock federal court, and then released. For those misdemeanors, Attorney Rhea can appear for you pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 43. In those cases where an actual arrest was made, you or your loved one will usually be arraigned in United States District Court in Riverside. In those situations, Attorney Rhea will work with you and your family to present the best arguments for release on your own recognizance or reasonable bail.
Background and History
Additional information: Joshua Tree National Park is located in southeastern California. Declared a U.S. National Park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act (Public Law 103-433), it had previously been a U.S. National Monument since 1936. It is named for the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) forests native to the park. It covers a land area of 789,745 acres (319,598 ha), or 1,234 square miles – an area slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. A large part of the park is designated to wilderness area—some 429,690 acres (173,890 ha). Straddling the San Bernardino County/Riverside County border, the park includes parts of two deserts, each an ecosystem whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation: the higher Mojave Desert and lower Colorado Desert. The Little San Bernardino Mountains run through the southwest edge of the park.