Categories for Criminal Defense

If You Have a Criminal Case Pending in one of the San Fernando Valley Courts do you Have to Appear in Court and Disobey the Governor’s Order Regarding the Corona Virus? This is a good question because the Governor’s order right now as I put this content in the website says that nobody can leave except for essential things.  So, the bottom line is, the San Fernando Valley courthouses — if you… Continure reading

If You Have a Case Pending in the San Fernando Valley, How Can You Avoid Jail Time and the Virus? This is a good question because a lot of people are fearful of jail, but when you combine the fact that there’s the Coronavirus and you could end up going to jail in the San Fernando Valley and being exposed to the Coronavirus because the jail population is to compacted together,… Continure reading

It’s an interesting question.  Based on the Governor’s order, you would figure that all of the courthouses in Los Angeles would just close down.  Unfortunately, because they are viewed as critical need when it comes to criminal defense, the San Fernando Valley courts are open. In fact, all 38 courts in Los Angeles county are open.  They’re opened for limited business.  For example, in Van Nuys for felony cases, if… Continure reading

Aiding and abetting is a legal theory as to how prosecutors can capture additional suspects in a criminal case, beyond the principal actor. For instance, in a bar fight, two people attack two other people and one person hits someone with a bottle, cutting their eye. The man is charged with assault with a deadly weapon. His friend, who fought along with him, is charged with the same, as an… Continure reading

The police derive a lot of cases from searching people’s cars and one big trick that they have is they’ll pull you over.  They’ll order you out of the car for officer’s safety and then they’ll claim they have to go back in the car to search the car for your driver’s license, your insurance information, your car registration.  That just pretty much gives them a free search of the… Continure reading

Excessive force an interesting concept because the way I use it in criminal defense is, as a defense to certain crimes that my client is charged with.  For example, resisting arrest, battery on a police officer (CALCRIM 945). Some of these other charges that the police drum-up once they rough somebody up and the person either fights back or they don’t fight back, the police are just putting a crime… Continure reading

This is an interesting area of the law and it’s usually where insurance companies feel like they are going to have to pay out money or they’ve already paid out money on some auto insurance claim that they don’t think is either fair or they think the person is attempting to pull a fast one on them and get money for something that’s not a legitimate accident or not a… Continure reading

A specific intent crime has to do with a criminal defendant having the specific intent to commit a specific crime.  For example, let’s assume that the crime we’re talking about is attempted murder. In order to be convicted of attempted murder, one of the elements of the crime is that the defendant has to have the specific intent to kill the victim.  So, for example, if you take the Reginald… Continure reading

Obviously, the easy answer to this question is don’t let them, but the police are little bit more persistent than that and a lot of times they will get a search warrant to search your house.  If they come with a valid search warrant, then you ought to just get out of their way and let them search the home. You certainly don’t have to provide any statements to them… Continure reading

Defense of others you don’t see a lot in criminal defense.  I’ve been doing this for twenty-five years.   Very rarely see it used as a defense.  Once in a while where it comes into play is where somebody does something to another individual or individuals in defense of another person. For example, of somebody were beating somebody up and another person came in and knocked that person down, hit them… Continure reading