California Penal Code § 647(a), Lewd Conduct in Public
It a misdemeanor crime to engage in lewd conduct in public, or to solicit someone to do lewd conduct in public under California Penal Code § 647(a). Both crimes have nearly similar elements except for soliciting involves an individual requesting someone else do the lewd conduct instead of the individual performing it directly themselves. According […]
Does California Have a Romeo & Juliet Law?
Why Some States Allow for an Exception to Statutory Rape Laws Among Shakespeare’s most well-known plays, Romeo and Juliet is a story about two teenagers who fall in love despite their relationship being forbidden by their families. The name of this play has been adopted to describe legislation across the United States that allows some […]
Is Sexting a Crime in California?
When Sending Sexually Explicit Texts Is a Crime Sexting or sending and receiving sexually explicit text messages is not always unlawful, but it can be in California. It is against the law to possess a video or photo of a person who is under the age of 18. Additionally, it is illegal to attempt to […]
What You Need to Know About Owning and Possessing Firearms in California
There has been a lot of news lately regarding the ownership and possession of firearms in the United States. The US Supreme Court has been addressing the issues of when you can and cannot carry firearms and what kind of guns you may legally own. Despite what many people believe, you have a constitutional right […]
What the District Attorney Does Not Want you to Know about a DUI
You Can Fight a DUI Allegation The prosecutor and the police would have you believe that a DUI is a cut and dry crime. They want you to believe that the best thing is to rely on the system, give up the rights guaranteed to you by the Constitution and plead guilty. This is simply […]
Indecent Exposure
You may have heard someone claim they ended up on the sex registry because they got caught peeing in public – be it during a long road trip or after a wild night on the town. But, does this actually happen? Penal Code section 314 criminalizes “indecent exposure.” Indecent exposure is typically charged as a […]
What is Plea Bargaining and Is it a Good Option for Me?
Plea Bargains in California If you have been charged with a crime in California, you may be presented with a plea bargain at some point during your case. A plea bargain may be the result of negotiations between two parties or might be due to weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Either way, a plea bargain […]
Arraignments within 48 Hours No Exceptions – New AB61 Passes out of Committee.
In California, if a person is arrested on Friday night, or a weekend, they can be held for more than the required 48 hours before they are brought to court. A new law would change this. Arraignment is a legal proceeding in which a defendant appears before a judge to hear the charges against them […]
Which Crime Is California Toughest On?
Data Shows State Heavily Prosecutes Violent Offenses In an effort to reduce recent upticks in criminal activity, California has taken a tougher stance on certain crimes. Violent crimes, for instance, are heavily prosecuted in the state. With more pressure on the state and law enforcement agencies to crack down on crime, it is likely that […]
What you need to know about your right to remain silent
If you’re under investigation or suspect that the police will come knocking soon, now is the time to start thinking about your criminal defense. This is because far too many people end up talking themselves into trouble when they interact with the police well before any formal criminal charges are levied against them. With that […]