RSSLos Angeles Criminal Defense Blog
Your Criminal Record: How to Get It Sealed
An arrest, whether it resulted in a conviction or not, will go on your record, and that charge can be accessed with or without your knowledge. Thus, it can cost you employment, apartments, loans, and other important opportunities. No one wants to lose their dream job over an arrest that wasn’t even justified, or even because of a crime that you have already paid for. Thankfully, with an experienced attorney by your side, there are ways to get your record sealed in California.
What You Need to Know About the Sex Offender Registry
Being placed on the sexual offender registry can have serious ramifications on your life. You may miss out on employment opportunities, proper housing, loan applications, and so much more. Even moving and trying to make new friends may not be possible for you, as one search of your name could easily result in your entire criminal record being pulled up for anyone to see. That is why getting removed from the registry is such an important, albeit difficult, process to go through.
Self-Defense in California: When Is It Legal?
We all feel a little worried when walking down the street alone at night. What if someone tries to rob us? What if a madman with a gun pops out from around the corner? What if we see someone being assaulted across the street? What do we do then? Well, in California, self-defense is an option. But when does self-defense go a step too far?
Probation: Everything You Need to Know
You may have heard the term “probation” thrown around a lot on crime procedural dramas. You may assume that it is an easy alternative to a jail sentence or a process that someone has to go through once they serve their time in prison. However, in the criminal defense world, probation has a very clear definition, and not just anyone is granted the privilege.
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 as what punishments they should face. It also allowed the government to have a tighter control on the drugs being prescribed by doctors and used at large by Americans.
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 just for yourself, but for America as a whole.
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 the crime or not. The good reputation you may have worked diligently for will likely be completely shredded by the time the investigation begins.
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 misdemeanor or a felony.
But the question is: what’s the difference between the two?
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 are situations in which a parent can be tried and convicted for kidnapping their own child. Whether you have been thinking about taking your child away from their other parent, or you are facing parental kidnapping charges, here is a quick look at what you need to know about parental kidnapping.