As of March 29, 2022, Lynching became a federal crime in the United States, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Lynching is the extrajudicial killing by a group or mob of a person to punish them for an alleged transgression. Extrajudicial means that it is done without giving the person the legal trial they…
How long has the attorney been practicing law? Does the attorney practice only criminal defense, or do they juggle multiple practice areas? You want to make sure that your attorney has a passion for criminal defense work. When an attorney juggles multiple practice areas, its hard for them to really know the ins and outs…
Proposition 64, known as “Prop 64” and, more officially, as the “Adult Use of Marijuana Act”, is a ballot initiative that the residents of California approved in November 2016. From a criminal law perspective, Proposition 64 is very important for three reasons: It legalized the possession and use of small amounts of marijuana for people…
An Estes Robbery is when a Shoplifting crime (link to shoplifting) can become a Robbery case (link to robbery page). When a store employee or a loss prevention specialist follows after a shoplifter, and the shoplifter uses force of violence to get away and avoid being stopped, the use of force would elevate this charge…
The simple answer is no. Most people who are arrested for a criminal offense believe they will end up in jail. But that is not always the case. Sometimes, there are reasons why a Prosecutor, or based on the strength of the case against you, or the Ontario Criminal Defense Attorney you hire, where you…
Proposition 57 was a ballot initiative that was passed on November 8, 2016. Proposition 57 allows inmates at a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facility the opportunity to advance an inmate’s release date if sentenced to a specified length, or advance an inmate’s initial parole hearing date if sentenced to an unspecified length…
New laws are generally passed several times throughout the year. However, unless it is otherwise stated, the law does not become active, binding law, until January 1st of the following year. Some laws can pass sooner, and others are delayed for various reasons. The laws listed in this section apply to all people starting January 1st,…
This is a new law that has already been signed and becomes effective starting January 1, 2021. Currently, most criminal cases where a person is not sent to a State Prison receive some type of Probation. This Probation can be Formal (for felony cases) or Informal (For misdemeanor cases). A probationary period would normally last…
A new law has already been signed and becomes effective starting January 1, 2021. Currently, every county in Southern California can have their own version of a “Diversion” Program. A diversion program is a type of program where you complete some kind of classes, community service, and a fine, and you can earn a dismissal…
“This bill would authorize prosecution for that crime to be commenced within 5 years. The bill would apply to crimes that are committed on or after January 1, 2020, and to crimes for which the statute of limitations that was in effect prior to January 1, 2020, has not run as of January 1, 2020….