How does a lawyer conduct jury selection? What is he looking for? Why did he kick me off the jury panel? How could he think I wouldn’t be fair? Jury selection is sometimes called an inexact science at best. At worst, it’s like throwing darts at a target blindfolded and…
When an employee gets accused of taking money, merchandise, products, or writing checks without permission from his employer it almost always costs the employee his or her job. Often times the employer will call in law enforcement to back up the claim of theft. Why? Many times it is in…
What if the person who is the victim in my case doesn’t want to prosecute? Can I work out a money deal with him so that he is paid restitution and I am not prosecuted? The answer to this question is: sometimes. It’s not buying justice or bribing someone so…
There are several ways the police can end up with your property. Several of the most common methods of seizure include the following: 1. During an arrest your personal property is taken into custody for safe keeping and booked into property; 2. Property has been found at a crime scene…
When you sign a citation after a traffic violation you are promising to appear in court on the date the officer places on the citation. Many people don’t read the bottom portion of the citation when they officer tells them to sign and they’ll be on their way. In fact,…
An individual may be suffering with a mental condition such that everyone “knows” he’s mentally ill. In fact, people often unkindly say he’s “crazy”. However, he is out in society and usually functioning quite well. He may be on Social Security Disability or he may just be impaired yet still…
A Three (3) Strike Case is one where the Defendant has at least two (2) prior felony convictions which qualify as serious or violent felonies under Penal Code Sections 1192.7, 1192.8, and/or 677.5. Serious felonies refer to the conduct involved in the prior felony and are listed in Penal Code…
The California legislature has provided some relief for our combat veterans. In Orange County there is a Community Courts Program that provides, in part, for an alternative sentencing program for veterans of our Armed Forces who have served in combat. The goal of the Combat Veteran’s Court is not to…
How can you represent “those” people? If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that at a party or in a conversation I’d be a rich man. The fact is, “those” people are just like you and me. Everyone hates lawyers until they need one. I had to…
When you don’t like the judge you are in front of you are in trouble. There is a provision for changing your judicial officer but it must be used with caution. When a defendant doesn’t want a particular judge, commissioner, or referee to hear any matter that involves a contested…