In Riverside County, California, you can go to jail and have to pay hefty fines if you make false statements in an advertisement for the sale or real estate, goods, or services. This is in addition to civil penalties that may be imposed by the state of California. California Business and Professions Code Section 17500 …
Victims who have been hurt on a rental property can sue the property owner, the tenant, any company that maintains the property, and any employee whose negligence contributed to the accident. Suing multiple defendants is common. Depending on the case, though, some of these parties will be unlikely to fully compensate the victim for his …
Future lost earnings, also called lost earning capacity, can be proven with evidence of past wages, as well as testimony from the plaintiff’s employer, doctor, and other expert witnesses. These sources of information can show what the victim could reasonably have expected to earn, were it not for the accident. They can compensate the victim …
Felony probation lasts up to 2 years for most non-violent felonies. It can last up to 3 years for the crimes of grand theft, embezzlement, or theft by false pretenses that involve more than $25,000. The term of probation can be longer for violent felonies, or for crimes that specify the applicable term of probation. …
There are several ways for criminal defendants to convince a prosecutor to drop their charges. They can present exculpatory evidence, complete a pretrial diversion program, agree to testify against another defendant, take a plea deal, or show that their rights were violated by the police. The prosecutor may still be able to refile the case …
Bail bonds work by allowing a defendant to post bail that he or she would not have otherwise been able to afford. The bail bondsman posts the full amount on the defendant’s behalf. The defendant pays the bail bondsman a percentage of the bail amount – usually 10 percent. This payment is nonrefundable. The bondsman …
In California, people on summary probation can generally leave the state. However, any out-of-state travels cannot infringe on their ability to meet the other terms of their probation. Breaking any of those terms can violate probation. If this happens, probation may be revoked. The probationer can be sent to jail for the remainder of his …
In California, there is usually not any jail time for a first offense of driving under the influence (DUI). However, certain aggravating factors can increase the penalties of a DUI conviction and can lead to a jail sentence. First-time offenders can also face jail time if they violate a term of their DUI probation. Some …
Commercial robbery takes place in a business like a bank or a convenience store. Residential robbery is a robbery that takes place where people live or reside. Residential robbery is considered first-degree robbery. Commercial robbery is considered second-degree robbery. Under Penal Code 211, robbery is: the felonious taking of personal property, in the possession of …
Robbery is divided into first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery in California (Penal Code 212.5 PC). First degree robbery is committed when the victim is: the driver or passenger of certain fare earning vehicles; robbed while located in a residence, inhabited vessel, trailer coach, or building; using or just used an ATM machine. Second degree robbery …
In California prisons, a 602 appeal is the way to challenge any action or decision taken by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). By using a 602 appeal form, inmates in California prisons can have their grievances heard. Exhausting the 602 appeals process is often required before filing a federal lawsuit over prison …
While a blood test is usually more accurate than a breathalyzer at determining someone’s blood alcohol content or blood alcohol concentration (BAC), blood tests are more difficult to administer. They are also far more intrusive than a breath test. This is why most cases of driving under the influence (DUI) involve evidence from breathalyzers rather …
A CDCR Form 115 discipline report is the form that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation uses to document rule violations in prison. Form 115 is used for administrative violations. Form 115A is used for serious rule violations. These actions trigger a hearing to determine if rule violations occurred. If it is determined that …
Permanent residents of the United States (holders of green cards) can be deported for certain misdemeanors convictions. These include: crimes involving moral turpitude, drug crimes, firearms offenses, failing to register as a sex offender, violating a restraining order, domestic violence offenses, and child abuse crimes. These offenses make non-citizens deportable. This includes lawful permanent residents. An …
There are five common types of alternative sentencing in California criminal cases. These are community service, home detention, drug diversion programs (per Penal Code 1000), drug treatment programs (per Proposition 36), and probation. As to the latter, California law allows for either: misdemeanor (or summary) probation – for misdemeanor offenses, or felony (or formal) probation …
Employees in California have the right to breastfeed at work. Employers have to make reasonable accommodations for lactating mothers. However, these rights and accommodations are often limited to pumping, not directly breastfeeding a newborn. If an employer does not make those accommodations, it can amount to workplace discrimination. What are breastfeeding rights in the workplace? …
Maybe. Teachers and prospective teachers may face difficulty in gaining employment or maintaining their educator positions, with a DUI or DWI conviction on their record. The true answer to this question typically depends on the severity of the DUI and the jurisdiction in which the teacher works. With regards to new teachers, they are subject …
At least twice per month. In California, nearly all employers have to pay commission-based earnings at least twice every month. They typically have to be paid in the first pay period they can be calculated. If the employee has left the company, commission has to be paid immediately. The details should be outlined in the …
It can be. There are times when defendants in criminal cases may want to waive their right to a jury trial, and instead have a bench trial where the judge alone decides guilt or lack of guilt. Examples of when a defendant may want to waive a trial by jury include when: the defendant is …
A motion to stay a sentence pending appeal is when a defendant in a criminal case asks the court to stay, or pause, execution of the sentence until an appeal is heard. “Execution” in this context is when the court carries out the sentence or imposes it. If granted, this motion temporarily stops the trial …
Yes. Some jurisdictions allow police to administer urine tests in DUI cases to check if motorists have drugs or alcohol in their system. However, urine testing is sometimes less reliable than other forms of testing (for example blood tests or breath tests) and are considered less practical to administer. Police most often ask for a …
Prosecutors try to avoid filing charges against youths whenever possible. As of December 8, 2020, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office (LADA) is minimizing juvenile prosecutions in favor of steering troubled youth towards rehabilitative diversion programs. This way, young people avoid Juvi while learning tools for being law-abiding young citizens. Are juveniles still prosecuted for …
As of December 8, 2020, the vast majority of people arrested for a crime in Los Angeles will be released on their own recognizance and without paying any bail. In certain cases, LADA (Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office) may ask for conditions on defendants’ release (such as electronic monitoring). Prosecutors may still request bail in …
Not anymore. As of December 8, 2020, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office (LADA) is no longer seeking the death penalty in pending or future murder cases. And for defendants currently on death row, LADA is no longer seeking an execution date. Does California still have the death penalty? Prosecutors in California other than …
Yes, but less so now that LADA (Los Angeles District Attorney) has adopted Special Directive 20-07. In attempt to promote rehabilitation over punishment, LADA will decline to press charges in many California misdemeanor cases. Instead, LADA will divert these suspects to treatment providers (called “diversion“) in attempt to keep them from reoffending. Which misdemeanors is …
