Mobile Video Audio Recording Systems (MVARS for short) simply refers to police dashcams. These cameras are mounted on police vehicle dashboards, face forward, and are set to begin recording whenever the officer turns on the emergency lights. A few of the things a dash cam can record include: conversations between police and you before and …
A Franks hearing is a legal proceeding in a criminal case where you try to traverse a search warrant. Traversing a warrant means that you challenge the truth of the information that is used to support it. A Franks motion is the legal document given to the judge that sets forth your request for a hearing …
A Ramey warrant is an arrest warrant issued by a California judge or magistrate before the prosecutor has filed formal charges.1 Typically, arrest warrants are issued after prosecutors file charges. It takes time for police to go to prosecutors, who then need time to review the police’s findings. Ramey warrants allow police to go straight …
In California, cite and release is the practice of police issuing you a citation for suspected unlawful conduct, but not bringing you to jail for a formal booking. Instead, you are released on the condition that you make a signed promise show up to court, later on. The process is used mainly for low-level offenses, …
You can register an unregistered gun in California by completing and submitting a Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Application. This voluntarily declares that you are the owner of the firearm. However, this form cannot be used to register an assault weapon. A FOR Application is not required for most firearms. The dealer will have registered them …
Wrongful termination lawsuits can take over a year to resolve. Every case is different, however. If the employer is eager to settle out of court, the case can end in a matter of weeks. If either side is intent on going to trial, a wrongful termination claim could linger on for several years. Currently, many …
In California, attempted robbery is when you intend to use force or fear to take someone’s property from them, and you then perform an act in furtherance of the robbery. It is a violent felony that carries up to 3 years in prison. However, there are some strong legal defenses that I can raise to …
You were in a car accident in the City of Los Angeles and the insurance company is now requesting a copy of the traffic collision report (TCR). How do you get one? Further, what does it show? You can get a traffic collision report from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) by either requesting one …
Police generally start investigating a California hit and run case by visiting the scene of the accident, interviewing the victim and gathering evidence. Law enforcement then goes to identify the driver who fled the scene, usually by: piecing together the evidence they gathered, viewing surveillance camera footage (if available), bringing the case into the news, …
Direct evidence is defined as evidence that directly proves a key fact at issue. Examples include: an eyewitness in a murder case who saw the actual killing security camera video showing a robbery suspect holding up the victim the defendant’s fingerprints on a knife the defendant’s forged signature on an insurance application Indirect evidence (also …
What is a "Suspended Sentence"?Watch this video on YouTube A suspended sentence is where a judge sentences you to jail or prison time, but then delays imposing the sentence in order to let you serve time on probation. If you complete probation successfully, the judge typically dismisses the case without placing you in custody. If …
Some examples of misdemeanors include assault, shoplifting, and petty theft. These are all criminal offenses that are more severe than an infraction, but less severe than a felony. Misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in county jail and $1,000 in fines. What are some examples of misdemeanor crimes? Some common examples of misdemeanor crimes in …
Blackmail is a crime under federal law and every state law. Blackmail involves coercing or extorting someone to gain money, property, or services unless the victim meets specific demands. This offense is generally a felony that can carry over a year in prison and high fines. In many states, blackmail falls under the laws of …
Pedestrians do not always have the right of way, though they generally do. In some cases, pedestrians can be partially or totally liable for a pedestrian accident. When do pedestrians have right of way? Each state has its own pedestrian and crosswalk safety laws. In California, California Vehicle Code 29150 VC says that motor vehicles …
If you walk out of a California restaurant or bar without paying your bill – “dine and dash” as it is often called – you are committing a crime and could land in jail. California has a specific criminal statute that deals with “dine and dash” situations, though it does not refer to it as …
It is not double jeopardy to charge you in state and federal court, provided that you did some act that violated both state and federal laws. The Double Jeopardy Clause, as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, says that you cannot be prosecuted twice for the same offense. Though jeopardy only attaches, …
The police recently arrested you for assaulting someone in a bar. How can a prosecutor charge it? Are there really different levels of assault? Yes. Most jurisdictions recognize six common types of assault charges. These include: simple assault, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, vehicular assault, and felony assault. A prosecutor can …
Mitigating circumstances are facts surrounding a California crime that work to reduce your culpability or overall responsibility for committing an offense.1 You present mitigating circumstances during a misdemeanor and felony sentencing hearing to persuade the judge to grant a more lenient sentence. Ten examples of mitigating factors include: You only played a minor role in …
Because every case is unique, the expected settlement for a herniated disc injury can range from as little as $20,000 to over a million dollars. The severity of your injury is a big factor. Other major factors are whether you were partially at fault for the injury and the extent of the available insurance coverage. …
Is Lolicon (Loli) Legal in the United States?Watch this video on YouTube Child pornography laws in California do not explicitly cover loli or manga depicting minors engaging in sexual activity. California statutes prohibit the possession of child pornography. Child porn includes material that “depicts a person under the age of 18 years personally engaging in …
If you have a loved one being held in a Los Angeles County jail, you can send money to the inmate. This is commonly called “putting money on the inmate’s books.” The funds can be used to buy food, snacks, hygiene items, and even clothes from the jail commissary. If you reside in California, you …
California law say that theft is “grand theft” when “the money, labor, or real or personal property taken is of a value exceeding $950.” Grand theft is a wobbler under California law, meaning that a prosecutor can charge the offense as either a misdemeanor or a felony.1 Can felony theft involve taking $950 or less? …
A California DUI arrest record is a report created by a police department after one of its officers arrest someone for driving under the influence of alcohol. The report includes: the details of the arrest, the nature of the DUI offense, the results of any breath tests administered, booking photos, and information on subsequent court …
Implied consent law is a maxim of state law saying that you are deemed to have consented to a breath test or blood test to measure your BAC if the police properly arrest you for driving under the influence (DUI/DWI). The purpose of this law is to help police officers measure your blood alcohol content …
Yes, in some cases, petty theft charges can be dropped. You can complete a pretrial diversion program, take a plea bargain that reduces the charges, or present prosecutors with exculpatory evidence. All of these strategies often require the legal advice and representation of a criminal defense attorney near you. They all keep a costly conviction …
