Many people choose to represent themselves in criminal courts due to a lack of money. Often times these “Pro Per” litigants will convince themselves that they are just as good and just as competent as any criminal lawyer. I have seen Pro Per criminal defendants time and time again all the while cringing at their blatant lack of…
The Holiday Season is here….and so are the Loss Prevention Officers (LPO’s). LPO’s are casing stores in search of shoplifters. In many cases, they are evaluated based on the number of alleged shoplifters they detain during their shift. The result is a hyper-aggressive team of LPO’s looking for anyone who may have mistakenly forgot to…
Being charged with Domestic Violence can have devastating consequences on you and your family. False allegations of domestic violence usually arise when a couple is going through a bitter divorce or contested child custody proceeding. In California, family law courts will consider domestic violence convictions in determining which parent receives primary custody. More importantly, a domestic violence restraining order (CLETS)…
Criminal courts can be intimidating and unfamiliar to many people. In fact, the closest many people have gotten to a criminal courtroom is through television. In criminal courts each side is generally represented by a lawyer. The prosecutor is usually a City Attorney or District Attorney. The criminal defendant is usually represented by a lawyer from…
Pages like Craiglist and Backpage offer internet users looking for goods or services an easy and convenient way to purchase items and obtain services. However, those individuals looking for “erotic services” need to use caution. Whether you are looking for an innocent massage or something more, undercover officers are on the lookout for illegal prostitution activities….
Clearing your criminal history in the current economy may give you a leg up in the employment arena. Low costs expungements are relatively easy to do depending on the charge you were convicted of. A low cost expungement is fairly simple if the charge was a mild misdemeanor and the expungement was part of the…
Perhaps the most difficult and challenging cases to fight when you are innocent are sex offenses. Once the alleged victim points the accusatory finger at you, then the public will perceive you as guilty even if you are innocent. The stigma of being wrongfully charged can cause considerable stress for you and your family. The…
Most defendants make the mistake of pleading guilty to a first time prostitution charge at arraignment because the sanctions are generally not severe without considering the defenses to the charge. There are numerous defenses to a prostitution charge. The sanctions/punishment will include probation, HIV/AIDS Testing, and other prostitution related terms. Reviewing your case with an…
Getting a job is difficult in the current economy. Employment searches are made even more difficult if you have a criminal record. This problem can be easily remedied by filing for an expungment (clearing your public criminal record). Many people erroneously believe that once an expungment is granted that your record is cleared. The truth…
Being charged with a theft-related offense can be devastating to one’s career and future employment opportunities. Theft convictions can also result in deportation, exclusion, denial of naturalization and other serious immigration consequences. Usually defendants without attorneys take the first offer (plea bargain) on the table from the prosecution or judge. Since the neither the prosecutor…
