Recent Blog Posts
Top Defenses for Fighting a DUI case in California
Even a first-time conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) can lead to a suspended license, hundreds of dollars in fines, and months in jail. Multiple offenses can lead to more severe penalties. If you’ve been arrested for DUI in California, you might have several defenses available to you. Continue… Read More »
How to be Removed from the Sex Offender Registry in California
Last year, California modified its sex offender registration laws, with the new law taking effect at the start of 2021. Many offenders will now face registration for ten or twenty years rather than lifetime registration. In fact, criminal justice scholars and officials estimate that 90 percent of California sex offenders will no longer have… Read More »
Changes to California’s Sex Offender Registration Law
One of the most serious consequences of conviction for sex offenses in California is the sex offender registry. Anyone convicted of a serious sex crime must register as a sex offender. If they move, they have to update local law enforcement agencies while residing in the state or working in the state. Registration has… Read More »
CA Penal Code 311: Child Pornography
California Penal Code Section 311 et seq. sets out California’s prohibition on the possession and distribution of child pornography. Child pornography is one of the most serious charges a defendant can face. Even the mere allegation that someone possessed or distributed child pornography can cause severe damage to a suspect’s reputation, professional life, living… Read More »
Do Bench Warrants Expire in California?
If you violate a court order by, for example, skipping out on a criminal court date, refusing to pay child support, or failing to complete court-ordered classes, the judge may issue a bench warrant for your arrest. A bench warrant gives police the authority to arrest you on sight. Bench warrants are based on… Read More »
A California Bench Warrant Can Land You In Jail Like R. Kelly
A California bench warrant authorizes police to arrest an individual on sight, leading to potential jail time. A bench warrant can be issued by a California judge for a variety of reasons. Bench warrants, unlike other arrest warrants, are not necessarily based on specific criminal activity. Many do arise in the criminal context, however…. Read More »
CA Penal Code 236.1: Human Trafficking
California Penal Code Section 236.1 lays out California’s prohibition on the practice of human trafficking. Human trafficking is broadly defined as depriving the personal liberty of another person for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. The California legislature specifically defines human trafficking to be equivalent to the federal definition of “severe”… Read More »
CA Penal Code 236 and 237: False Imprisonment
California Penal Code Section 236 sets out California’s prohibition on false imprisonment. Broadly, PC 236 defines “false imprisonment” as “the unlawful violation of the personal liberty of another.” False imprisonment is meant for circumstances where a person restrains or holds another person against their will, but the severity of the crime does not amount… Read More »
CA Penal Code 261: Rape
California Penal Code Section 261 is part of California’s sex crime legal scheme and leads off the chapter that criminalizes rape, abduction, the carnal abuse of children, and criminal “seduction.” Rape is one of the most serious felony offenses under California law and carries severe penalties upon conviction. Section 261 concerns non-spousal rape, which… Read More »
California Penal Code 287(a) – Unlawful Oral Copulation
California’s sexual assault crimes are codified within Title 9 of the California Penal Code (PC). Section 287 punishes unlawful “oral copulation,” which is defined as the “the act of copulating the mouth of one person with the sexual organ or anus of another person.” Consensual oral copulation is not itself illegal in California; rather,… Read More »