Southern California Criminal Lawyer Blog

It’s no secret that many elements of the criminal justice system have imposed unfair prison sentences, especially enhancements that can add decades to the total time served in prison. This has led to overcrowded prisons, disproportionately affecting people of color and those suffering from mental illnesses. Sentence enhancements are not related to the original crime,…

Domestic violence is a complex crime that often consists of smaller acts that appear to be less serious and benign. But studies show that these acts become more frequent and violent. Domestic violence doesn’t always start out as physical abuse, it starts as a little act of intimidation, and almost always involves the use of…

California Personal Injury WHAT DOES PERSONAL INJURY MEAN? Under California law, an individual who has been the victim of an accident or injury can take action against those responsible. As a personal injury victim – or plaintiff in the case – there are options for the types of claims and lawsuits that can be brought…

Gun Law Enhancements Can Result in Lengthy Sentences. LET’S TALK CRIMINAL GUN ENHANCEMENTS (AB1509) Under California gun laws, a sentence for a felony case can be “enhanced” if a gun was possessed or used during the commission of a crime. These laws can extend sentences well beyond the maximum punishment for the principal crime itself.…

CDC Prisoners seeking early release via the granting of parole. LA DA GEORGE GASCON CONTINUES TO MAKE WAVES WITH PAROLE CHANGES Since being sworn in as Los Angeles County District Attorney in December 2020, George Gascon has hardly been out of the headlines. From eliminating sentence enhancements for hate crimes and dismissing gang enhancements to…

NEW LA COUNTY DA PROMOTING SWEEPING CHANGES (GEORGE GASCON) On December 7, 2020, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon was sworn in as the County’s 43rd District Attorney. Following his defeat of Jackie Lacey, a DA who had built a reputation for a “tough-on-crime” approach, Gascon went straight to work making changes to his…

Facts About Prop 57: “The Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act” of 2016 In November 2016, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 57 (64% to 35%) to enhance public safety, stop the revolving door of crime by emphasizing rehabilitation, and prevent Federal Courts from releasing inmates. Under Prop 57, CDCR incentivizes inmates to take responsibility for their…

WHAT IS FRAUD? (UNDERSTANDING AND FIGHTING A FRAUD CASE) Most of us are familiar with terms like “theft” and “forgery” given that they immediately bring to mind the taking of something that does not belong to someone or making a misrepresentation in writing. When we hear the term “fraud”, we are often left confused by…

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN LOS ANGELES (PREVENTING A FILED CASE) With the recent Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, tensions are higher than ever. Quarantine, loss of work, social isolation, and all other stressors have created a perfect storm for emotional escalations. Some of these even turning physical. This has meant that domestic violence incidents have risen during the…

FELONY MURDER RULE RELIEF (SB 1437) On September 30, 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 1437. SB 1437 became known as the Felony Murder Rule effectively changing the rules for how California charges felony murders. Prior to SB 1437, California law allowed a defendant to be convicted of first-degree murder in the…