Criminal Defense

It’s natural to want your Los Angeles criminal case to resolve itself quickly. Nobody wants to be caught up with the justice system for very long. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell how long a case will take. Nevertheless, there are some laws, guidelines, and rules of thumb we can share. Misdemeanor Cases Many…

California has been required to clear cannabis convictions since 2018, but the process hasn’t gone quickly. A new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom may help. Under current California law, a person 21 years of age or older may possess, process, transport, purchase, obtain, or give away up to 28.5 grams of cannabis and up…

Did you know it may be possible to address a domestic violence arrest before charges are filed? That’s because there is a gap between the arrest and the filing of charges in these cases.  This gap applies in cases where you are accused of unlawfully touching or threatening an intimate domestic partner. There are times…

Do you believe that innocence will protect you if you’re charged with a crime in Los Angeles? Think again. Wrongful convictions happen. California has found over 200 of them since 1989, and those are just the major crimes convictions researchers focus on. Wrongful convictions happen for much more routine crimes, too. DUI/DWI False Positives  Cops…

A stand your ground law allows anyone who believes their life to be in danger to use lethal force in an act of self-defense, and removes the duty to retreat. California is not a stand-your-ground state. It is a “castle doctrine” state.  The castle doctrine allows you to use deadly force if someone forces their…

Police set up DUI checkpoints in Los Angeles from time to time, usually during times where they expect a high percentage of intoxicated drivers on the road.  They differ from a traffic stop in that police don’t require probable cause to stop you and check you. Instead, they just force every car to stop.  Are…

If you get drunk and throw a few punches, you could find yourself facing criminal charges. Bar fights may be a staple of television shows, but they’re a bad idea in real life. There are, in fact, a number of criminal charges that could come with a bar fight, and there’s a good chance the…

Traffic stops are one of the most common ways that the average citizen of Los Angeles will ever interact with the police. As it’s very easy to make mistakes during these stops, it’s vital that you know and understand your rights when they happen.  It’s also important to know exactly what to do so you…

In California, you’ll see the Grand Jury process used in felony cases at both the state and federal level. They are not used in misdemeanor proceedings. A Grand Jury does not try you. Rather, they are used to determine whether the prosecutor has done their job well enough to warrant the launch of a criminal…

This month Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new state law which prevents police from arresting people for loitering for prostitution. This bill does not legalize prostitutions. “To be clear, this bill does not legalize prostitution,” Newsom said in a signing message. “It simply revokes provisions of law that have led to disproportionate harassment of women…