Bench warrants are frequently issued by judges in California. A bench warrant is issued directly by a judge, unlike the search and arrest warrants that are issued only when they are requested by police departments and prosecutors. How are bench warrants and arrest warrants cleared or removed in California? In other words, if a bench [...]
Beginning in 2017, the “#MeToo” campaign exploded in the news media. Hollywood stars, politicians, and CEOs were (and still are) being accused of sexual assaults – everything from groping to forcible rape. While it’s good to expose those who are genuinely guilty of crimes, not every accusation of sexual assault is true. Sex crimes attorneys [...]
You already know that social media has changed the way we communicate. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the other social media platforms allow us to look up old friends, share pictures and videos, and market our businesses. You also probably know that elected officials, government agencies, and police departments use social media to provide information directly [...]
California’s “Three Strikes” sentencing law was originally enacted in 1994. Although it has been slightly amended, the law still mandates harsh sentences for second and third felony offenses in California. If you or someone you love already has one felony conviction in this state, you must understand fully the consequences of a second or third [...]
Criminal street gangs account for many of the home invasions, drive-by shootings, drug crimes, and robberies in southern California. The state enforces a gang "enhancement" law, the California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, that outlaws and punishes street gang activities, but sometimes, innocent people have been accused of gang membership or gang crimes under [...]
If you are arrested on a criminal charge in Southern California, you may have to pay a cash bond to be released – even if you are innocent. For several years, a national effort has been underway to eliminate cash bonds – the money that suspects pay to get released from jail while awaiting trial. [...]
If you violate probation in California, will you go to jail? It's possible. Keep reading to learn what can happen. If you breach the terms your California probation - whether it's felony or misdemeanor probation - you will be ordered to appear at a California probation violation hearing. If this happens to you in southern [...]
In the state of California, what should you do if you learn that a warrant has been issued for your arrest? Will you be handcuffed – and humiliated – in front of your family, neighbors, or co-workers? Will a criminal defense attorney be able to help? Anyone can be falsely accused of committing a crime, [...]
The ancient wisdom says thou shalt not steal, and that seems simple and straightforward enough. But under California law in the 21st century, stealing can include theft, robbery, burglary, carjacking, embezzlement, fraud of several kinds, and even identity theft. How are these crimes distinct from one another? If you're falsely accused of stealing in California, [...]
Parents in California need to know. According to the FBI, it's the leading threat to children on the internet, but until just recently, it was specifically against the law in only four states. Beginning in 2018, however, sexual extortion will also be a specific crime in California under Senate Bill 500, which was signed into [...]
