California Criminal Law | California Traffic Tickets

California Suspended License Driving in violation of Vehicle Code Section 14601

California Suspended License Help.  California Vehicle Code Section 14601 sets forth the rules and penalties for driving on a suspended license.   The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office estimates that more than 15% of all criminal cases filed in the Los Angeles County Court system are based on charges of driving without a license…

California Criminal Law | California DUI law | California Traffic Tickets

What happens if I refuse to take the test when stopped for DUI in California?

It’s amazing how much confusion there is around what you should do if you get pulled over after having had something to drink.  Whether it is from family, friends, or even clients who are facing multiple DUI convictions, I often hear “so if I get pulled over, I should refuse the chemical test, right?” It…

California Criminal Law | California DUI law | California Traffic Tickets | Constitutional Rights

Should I talk with a police officer when I’ve been pulled over and drinking?

What do I do? If you are pulled over and you have been drinking then I recommend you skip the field sobriety test and do not answer any questions as to drinking. In fact, you should tell the officer to cite you for what you were pulled over for and let you continue to your…

California Criminal Law | Constitutional Rights

Can You Avoid A Prostitution Conviction By Claiming You Were Doing Porn?

Yes, but there are a lot of issues to consider. In California, there is a difference between pornography and prostitution and I’m not talking about the bad acting…from what I’ve heard of course.  In the landmark case of People v. Freeman, the California Supreme Court held for an act to be  prostitution, the money or…

California Criminal Law | Constitutional Rights

When Can the Cops Search My Car?

The 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects your right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures. That means the cops can’t search your body, your house, your purse, your man-bag, or your vehicle unless they have “probable cause,” or in some cases, “reasonable suspicion” (reasonable suspicion is something less than probable cause). Every…

California Criminal Law | Celebrities and the Law | Constitutional Rights

Obama’s New Immigration Policy

On Friday June 15, 2012, President Obama’s administration announced the largest change in US Immigration policy in decades.  After years of stalled talks about the dream act, immigration reform, and amnesty; reality hit the fan in about 30 seconds on Friday.   According to the press release on the US Department of Homeland Security website,…

California Criminal Law | California Family Law

Cleaning up a California Criminal Record

As a California Criminal Defense Lawyer I get calls every day from people looking to clean up their criminal record.   Cleaning up a California criminal record can done for many reasons.   Most of the time the motivation to do something about an old criminal conviction in California comes from one of following factors: 1-Employment-Cleaning up…

California Criminal Law | California DUI law | California Traffic Tickets

WTF is the “Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus”?

It’s not a distant planet. It’s not a Kama Sutra move. It’s a DUI field sobriety test. And it’s coming to hipster parties near you. The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus is one of many field sobriety tests given by law enforcement to determine whether you are under the influence of alcohol. “Nystagmus” means a jerking of…