Is Ignorance of The Law a Viable Defense in California? In California and elsewhere in the United States, ignorance of law cannot be used as a defense as per a fundamental legal principle. People charged with criminal offenses would begin claiming ignorance if it was accepted as an excuse. Laws ...
A 21-year-old woman in Ventura County has pled guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter for killing a friend due to driving while intoxicated. Prosecutors announced that Lindsey Shaver from Camarillo was high on marijuana when she caused a crash that resulted in another passenger sustaining fatal i...
How to Defend a Criminal Threat Charge in California? Criminal threat used to be known as terrorist threat and is now usually associated with domestic violence cases in California. The Penal Code Section 422 defines what constitutes a criminal threat in California. These cases are wobbler offens...
DUI in California: Frequently Asked Questions Many people in California have their very first brush with law in the form of DUI arrests. Considering the involvement of both California DMV and criminal courts in the DUI process, an individual charged with DUI should have a reasonable understandin...
Riverside County prosecutors have been in a chaotic situation recently because more than 500 criminal cases were dismissed due to a lack of available judges. More than 50 dismissed felony cases were for assault, attempted murder, battery with a hate crime enhancement, stalking and arson. The dism...
In California, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher is illegal. A snapshot of statistics shows that the danger is highest during the holidays. During the holiday season, CHP officials typically report a dramatic increase in DUI arrests, registering an almost 20% uptick d...
A Texas man was recently arrested in Beverly Hills after video surveillance turned into the Beverly Hills police department captured him throwing objects at a large menorah and carving a Nazi swastika into the large religious holiday object on public display. The night of the hate crime marked th...
The holidays can be a challenging time for victims of domestic violence, who often feel trapped and unable to escape their abusive relationship. In California, the number of domestic abuse cases reported to law enforcement agencies has been on the rise in recent years. In addition to physical abu...
Drinking and driving is a serious offense for which you can be held criminally liable. But the laws governing drunk driving in California are highly complex, and even if you take care to understand them, there are many ways that you could potentially break the law without realizing it. During th...
During the holidays, drinking and driving is way up and the police are always on the lookout for the slightest sign of an intoxicated driving situation. The consequences of getting charged with a DUI are not just limited to being fined by the court or paying a higher insurance premium. The legal ...
Every year from early December through January, thousands of individuals are arrested for petty theft throughout California. As the seasonal boom of holiday shoppers comes to a close, authorities keep a keen eye on potential crime spikes. Increased shopping, personal spending, traveling, and dri...
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and festivities. Unfortunately, it is also a time when the roads are more congested and dangerous than ever. People drink more alcohol during this time of year and may be on the streets inebriated. This can lead to serious traffic accidents that cause ...
The Los Angeles mayor race was heavily publicized and watched by residents in and out of Los Angeles. With Karen Bass declared the winner, she is now making headlines for a recent car accident her daughter was in earlier this week. The hit and run accident took place in the West Adams area of Los...
Holiday traffic in California can be particularly dangerous due to the increased number of vehicles on the road, drunk drivers, and the shopping mentality deterring drivers from staying focused on driving. But while you may expect more congestion on the road, you might not expect an increase in a...
It can be difficult to find gainful employment in California if you have a criminal record. Unfortunately, most employers actively try to avoid hiring even talented people if they have a past criminal conviction. Moreover, this should not deter you from finding a job even with a criminal record. ...
Grand theft refers to taking property, labor or money belonging to someone else that is valued at $950 or more. Anything less than that is considered petty theft. There are four distinct types of grand theft crimes in California. You can either be charged with felony or misdemeanor for all four t...
It is natural to have concerns about what might happen if you or a loved one is under police investigation. A nagging worry is how long the prosecutors might continue to track you and keep your life under the lens. The statute of limitations in civil cases applies to private plaintiffs whereas in...
Is Your Child Facing Juvenile Criminal Charges? This is What You Should Know The standard justice system is not employed when a young person gets into trouble with the law in California. Juvenile courts are different from the regular courts most people in the state know. They have different guid...
Legal Implications of a Child Abuse Arrest in California Your world, as you know it, could change considerably if you are accused of child abuse in the state of California. California provides immediate protection through removal and restraining orders after instances of child abuse, especially ...
The State of California has created specific laws related to “revenge porn” because publishing explicit photographs online has become a commonly adopted means to settle scores with an adversary. Committing an act of revenge porn can lead to severe penalties for the convicted, considering that sex...
Good people can make the wrong impulsive choice in a high-pressure situation. Maybe you had a few drinks and, on your way home, you hit another car to avoid colliding with an animal. However, you know that the police will not see it that way. They will easily link the crash to a DUI offense. You ...
On July 28th, according to the local law enforcement authorities, a pride flag was stolen in Los Olivos, a town in the Santa Ynez Valley region of central Santa Barbara County. The Sheriff's Office in the county asked the prosecutors to charge two people with hate crime for stealing a pride flag ...
A single DUI in California can disrupt your life. You may face jail time, fine and license suspension even if you are arrested on your first DUI. However, things can become significantly worse if you had children in the car at the time. You are considered a threat to public safety when driving un...
The state prosecutor working on the case is the only person capable in California of dropping domestic violence charges. Prosecutors represent the victim in the court. They investigate the allegations and criminal cases brought to their attention. Their course of action is focused on delivering j...
Robbery, burglary, and theft are different crimes as per California law. Each of these crimes have their individual provision within the California Penal Code. Each crime has a unique definition with possible penalties. Your prior criminal record and individual circumstances leading to the crime ...
