If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, the best thing you can do is to cooperate with authorities on basic matters, like providing your name, and then respectfully request an attorney before answering any other questions. That is because, in the criminal justice system, coercion can be…
Innocence and guilt are determined in courtrooms across the country every day. While the burden of proof is on the prosecution in any criminal trial, the defense strategy offered during a trial can certainly do a lot to dismantle a prosecutor’s presentation. Whatever defense you wind up with, you want…
If you have been charged with harboring a fugitive, you could be looking at serious state and/or federal penalties, including large fines and years in prison. It does not matter how or why you got mixed up in this situation: it is essential you work with an experienced criminal defense…
If you have been found guilty of violating crimes in California, you will undergo a presentence interview before you ever get to the sentencing phase of the process. This is basically an investigative interview with a probation officer who will be tasked with making recommendations related to your sentencing, so…
Let’s say you pleaded guilty—or even a no-contest—and have since thought about it and decided that you made the wrong move with that plea. Maybe it was part of a plea agreement, and you were so frightened by the thought of a long prison sentence that you copped to lesser…
Rumor has it that attorneys in some states hope for jury nullification at the end of a trial, knowing that it would be nearly impossible to get a “not guilty” verdict based on the facts of the case. What is jury nullification, and what makes it so attractive in some…
Anyone facing criminal charges is hoping for an outcome other than a guilty verdict. That can come through an acquittal, although sometimes it is quicker and easier to have the charges dropped or dismissed before ever reaching a courtroom. How can any of these results find their way to your…
If criminal charges have you headed for a trial and you are determined to testify in your own defense, be prepared for a rough cross-examination experience. Prosecutors know how to paint people in a negative light, and they will undoubtedly be prepared to try to overwhelm you with a variety…
The First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech in this country. Nonetheless, we hear about judges issuing gag orders in high-profile cases, clearly restricting the speech of individuals connected to both civil and/or criminal trials. What gives? The Point of Gag Orders Judges typically issue gag orders—sometimes called non-dissemination…
Hazing occurs in high schools and colleges across the country, notwithstanding extensive publicity detailing the dangers associated with it, in concert with laws on the books penalizing those who perpetuate it. Here in California, we have seen our fair share of hazing resulting in horrendous outcomes: A high school football…