Los Angeles Criminal Defense Blog
Roadside DUI Tests: Know Your Rights
Everyone gets pulled over at one point or another in their life. Sometimes these interactions with police officers end with just a light warning. Other times, you may be asked to perform roadside sobriety tests, in order to determine if you have driven while over the legal blood alcohol level. These tests can feel embarrassing and evasive. Knowing your roadside rights may just help you avoid an uncomfortable situation.
Drug Classification: What You Should Know
The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) was passed in 1970 by the Reagan administration. It was one of the government’s many tactics while fighting the war on drugs. The drug epidemic was considered the most important issue of the day, and the federal government was determined to keep American citizens from becoming addicts. While many of the drugs listed on the CSA were already illegal to use recreationally, the act gave them categories based on their medicinal use as well as how addictive they are. This helped determine how serious it was if a person was found in possession, as well…
What to Do When Your Constitutional Rights Are Violated
The United States of America is governed by our constitution. The document was written soon after the country was founded and has been amended many times over the centuries to keep up with cultural changes. All citizens of the U.S. have rights guaranteed by the constitution, as well as the constitutions of the states in which they reside. When those rights are violated, then it not only leaves you in a difficult situation, but also puts our entire democracy at risk. Seeking the proper avenues to hold those who violated your rights accountable for their actions is incredibly important, not…
The Danger of False Claims
False claims are a broad array of laws designed to punish individuals or corporations that attempt to defraud the United States government. Anyone can report a false claim, whether or not they are affiliated with the government. Which means that you may be accused and investigated for a false claim even if you never broke federal law. These accusations and investigations can turn your life upside down. Any level of privacy you previously had may be stripped of you as federal agencies look into the accusation. Your friends and family may come to distrust you, whether you are convicted of…
Hit-and-Runs: Misdemeanors vs Felonies
Car accidents are incredibly stressful. Whether it resulted in a minor dent in a bumper or catastrophic injuries, your first reaction may be complete panic. What should you do? What if you get in trouble? Will you face criminal charges? These questions may motivate you to simply leave the scene and drive away, hopefully ensuring that no one will know you were involved in the accident. If you do so, however, you will be committing a criminal act. If you are caught, you will face harsh penalties, although these penalties may vary depending on whether you are charged with a…
When You’ve Been Accused Of Kidnapping Your Own Child: What Parents Need to Know
When parents are in the middle of a particularly contentious custody battle, or there is a disagreement between separated parents about custody and visitation, tensions can escalate to the point where one parent decides to physically take their child without the permission of the other parent (often out of state) in order to prevent them from seeing the child. However, what many parents do not realize in the heat of the moment is how serious this action is, as they can actually face criminal charges for parental kidnapping. While many parents may be surprised to learn this fact, there actually…
How To End Your Probation Early: What You Should Expect
Many people think of probation as getting off lightly when it comes to the legal system. However, while probation can be given in lieu of a prison sentence or as part of a reduced sentence, it often puts people between a rock and a hard place. After all, just because someone is on probation that doesn’t mean they don’t still have bills to pay, or go in to work. If the restrictions and requirements placed on them by probation cause a strain, it’s possible that someone will lose their job or their home, and what could be worse that could…
What Exactly Is A ‘Cybercrime’?
One hundred years ago, if someone wanted to steal money – they had to physically rob a bank, a house, an office, or some other property. If they wanted to stalk someone, they had to actually follow them. These days, our technology has evolved to the point that virtually everyone spends a portion of their day on the internet and benefitting from computer technology – for everything from communication to finances, and home security to national security. Unfortunately, crime has advanced just behind this rapidly advancing technology curve.
The Facts About Concealed Carry in California
Unlike many other US states, it is against the law to carry a gun in public in the state of California without a permit. The law doesn’t differentiate between open carry and concealed carry – a permit to carry a concealed weapon, also known as a CCW permit, is required to carry a gun in public at, with few exceptions. With the law as it is, you can be charged with a crime if any police officer or sheriff finds you carrying a firearm without the proper license.
Is Crime in the Air?
Recent scientific research from three different universities in the US has provided startling conclusions: both weather and pollution may have a significant impact on crime rates. While the data isn’t conclusive and there are no direct cause-effect relationships, the correlations of heat and pollution to aggression and crime are such that they shouldn’t be ignored.
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