When Your Career Is on the Line The future of freight is changing as the push to get self-driving trucks on the road continues. Eventually, freight truckers might face job insecurity because of this new technology, but until we reach that point, truckers are a vital part of our economy. Freight...
How Public Opinion Can Affect Criminal Court Proceedings In recent years, there has been growing public outcry over California courts handing down lenient sentences for domestic violence crimes. From the protests that stemmed from the March 2016 sentencing of Brock Turner, the Stanford student wh...
What Is the Maximum Sentence? California recognizes three categories of criminal offenses: infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies. Infractions are the least serious and aren't considered true criminal convictions. Many infractions are simple traffic citations and are punishable by nothing more t...
Conduct On and Off the Job Medical professionals in California are held to high standards. Not only do licensed medical professional need to be at their best on the job, but they also need to be mindful of their conduct off the job as well. Medical professionals have to abide by a code of ethics ...
Infractions vs. Criminal Convictions Not all traffic tickets are created equal. Traffic citations (i.e. tickets) can vary in seriousness from simple “fix-it” tickets for non-moving violations to criminal traffic violations for offenses such as driving under the influence or reckless driving. And,...
Commercial drivers in California are held to higher standards than non-commercial drivers are, both on and off-duty. A commercial driver's entire career can be on the line if he or she does not drive safely at all times. Unfortunately, they face an increased risk of committing traffic offenses du...
Defending Yourself at the DMV If you are facing DUI charges, you will be involved in two separate proceedings: the criminal court process and the DMV administrative process. The DMV is only concerned with your driving privileges. As a DUI defendant, you have a right to request an administrative h...
Your Legal Rights According to both the state and federal constitution, you have a right to due process of the law. That right applies to both criminal and civil court and administrative systems, such as the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV must provide a hearing before taking act...
The Far-Reaching Consequences of a Criminal Conviction Among the many consequences of a criminal conviction in California, difficulty finding rental housing is perhaps one of the most disruptive. Your options for rental housing in California can be limited by your criminal background, and this is...
Is Your Private Business Public? In the interest of public safety and transparency in the court system, many court records, including records of criminal convictions, are part of the public record. To make matter worse, private companies compile public records from courts all over the U.S. and se...
It Takes Less Than You Think to Lose your License in California Driving in California is a privilege, not a right. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) oversees the driving privileges of California residents and can issue, suspend or revoke licenses. The DMV can suspend your driving ...
Changing Times Call for A New Method Public opinion on the safety of marijuana has grown in recent years, which has prompted the legalization of recreational use. Though many agree marijuana is a relatively safe substance to use, law enforcement argues recreational use is not safe when driving. A...
The Before and After of Record Cleaning Cleaning your criminal record can significantly improve your chances of getting a job, housing, or a loan. But doing so is an investment in your time and money, and there are no guarantees your petition will be granted. Many people want to know exactly how ...
Obstructing the Aid Response We rely on law enforcement and EMTs to help us in our time of need. Access to emergency aid is a right, but sometimes this right is violated. In domestic violence cases, in particular, it is not uncommon for the alleged abuser to attempt to prevent the alleged victim ...
Putting Your License Suspension on Hold If you've received notice that the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will suspend your driver license, you might be wondering what, if anything, you can do to keep your license. You might have a specified period of time before your suspension go...
Reassuming Your Rights Gun violence is one of the most highly publicized crime categories in California and for a good reason. Public outcry tends to influence policy, and so there are some situations in which the government can temporarily assume control (i.e. seize) of firearms. Typically, the ...
Alternatives to Imprisonment Being convicted of a felony can change your life. A felony in California is punishable by up to three years in a county jail, up to life in prison, or the death penalty. That's nothing to bat an eye at considering the many non-violent crimes that can be charged as fel...
Banned For Good When you are convicted of a crime in California, you end up with more than just a criminal record. You gain a stigmatization that will make it difficult to find a job, too. Needless to say, few employers will give an applicant with a criminal record a chance. And in certain fields...
Background Check Basics Today, almost anyone with a credit card and Internet access can run a background check on someone. It's not surprising that most employers, landlords, and lenders run background checks on applicants. If you have a criminal conviction on your record, this poses a problem. U...
Tracking Unsafe Drivers To keep tabs on dangerous drivers, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) operates the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS). Under the NOTS, the DMV assigns points to traffic code violations that involve or affect safely operating a vehicle. These points a...
DUIs and Missed Opportunities The consequences of a California DUI conviction are far reaching. Missing out on certain employment opportunities is just one of them. Driving for rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft is an easy way to make some extra money, but a DUI conviction can jeopardize yo...
Injuries Matter In domestic violence cases, the victim's injuries or lack thereof play a significant role in how a defendant is charged and sentenced. Because not all domestic violence victims sustain injuries, California law distinguishes between two types of domestic violence charges: spousal b...
Increased Punishments In the midst of ongoing changes in the California Department of Justice and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, many penalties for non-violent crimes have been reduced. Penalties for offenses involving certain date rape drugs, however, have increased. Possession o...
An Administrative Review A California driver who has received notice from the DMV regarding action taken against his or her driving privileges (e.g. a suspension) may request an administrative hearing to challenge the action. Administrative hearings differ from court hearings in several ways. The...
Moving on From Past Mistakes When on the hunt for a job, mistakes made in your youth shouldn't hold you back. Fortunately, there are protections in place to prohibit most California employers from considering your juvenile criminal history when making a decision on whether or not to hire you. Let...
We focus on defending clients accused of Domestic Violence and Driving Under the Influence (DUI), two of the most aggressively prosecuted charges in California. Every case starts with listening. We take the time to understand your situation, your concerns, and your goals so we can build a defense strategy tailored specifically to you. If you are under investigation or have already been charged, do not wait. Early action can make a critical difference in your case. Contact us today for a confidential consultation.
