The Basics of VC 12500 California Vehicle Code Section 12500 or VC 12500(a) requires you to have a valid license to drive a car in California. Seems simple enough right? You gotta have a license to drive, everyone knows that by the time they are old enough to drive. No license? Pulled over? You…
Can an adolescent’s brain development or lack thereof be a defense? Three general differences between juveniles under 18 and adults demonstrate that juvenile offenders cannot reliabl be classified among the worst offenders. First, any parent knows…juveniles lack maturity and have an underdeveolped sense of responsibility much more so than adults. Moreover, juveniles are overrepresented statistically…
California Labor Code states than an employer cannot ask someone applying for a job for information about an arrest or detention that did not end up in a conviction. So, if you are applying for a job and you happen to have a conviction arising out of the Torrance Courthouse, they cannot ask about the…
Late last night the California State Legislature signed California AB 60 which will allow over 2 million undocumented immigrants to obtain a valid California Drivers License….sort of. There appears to be an ongoing debate right now about whether California AB 60 will allow a drivers “license” or just a driving “privilege”. Either way,…
It is extremely important to understand the factors in deciding bail prior to your court date. Bail is governed by the Bail Schedule for the respective county in which the crime is alleged to have occurred. Factors in the setting of bail are controlled by the California Penal Code Section 1275. Factors in reducing, increasing…
The Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles prosecutes felonies and misdemeanor cases in the surrounding community. There are several prosecuting agencies that prosecute out of the Airport Courthouse. The Santa Monica City Attorney and Los Angeles City Attorney prosecute misdemeanor cases in their respective courtrooms. If you are arrested for any misdemeanor in Santa Monica, you…
There are a number of ways to get your bail reduced in a criminal case. Often times the arresting agency will arrest a suspect for a felony. Bailing out on felony charges can be extremely expensive. I have often witnessed individuals arrested on felony cases with felony bail set by the arresting agency, only to…
DMV Court Codes for LA County Traffic Tickets For some reason DMV court codes are one of the more closely guarded secrets in the California traffic court system. Many DMV employees and traffic court clerks treat the handbook as some sort of holy grail that can not be shared with the public eye. …
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…
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…
