Criminal Defense

After an arrest, the police will question you. Unfortunately, there are situations where you may confess, regardless of your innocence or guilt. According to Psychology Today, sometimes people confess to crimes they did not commit. Persuaded confessions Officers may...

Your home is your castle, and you expect it to be safe and comfortable. If someone you do not know breaks into your house and enters it, you have little choice but to assume the person intends to do something nefarious. The castle doctrine comes from English common...

Shortly after an arrest and booking, a defendant will appear before a judge who will review the charges and remind the defendant of his or her rights. The judge will also assign an attorney if the defendant does not already have one and ask for a plea of guilty or not...

The three-strikes law in California doles out enhanced penalties for convicted felons. The law has undergone some changes since its creation in 1994, but the foundational elements remain. A person facing a second felony conviction may want a better understanding of...

California residents like you who face down a harsh conviction may have heard the term "plea bargain". Some people will argue that this is a helpful tool. Others will say that it creates problems for those on trial. Despite being divisive, plea bargains have a place...

Because of crowded court dockets and limited financial resources, prosecutors often try to induce criminal defendants into accepting plea deals. In fact, about 97% of federal criminal cases end in plea bargains. While accepting a plea may be the right course of...

A new bill that the governor of California signed has been creating a lot of controversy. Supporters state that the bill's intention is to protect the LGBTQ community, while the opposition says it is a way to legalize pedophilia. The Los Angeles Times reports that the...

There are 51 different court systems in the United States of America. Each state has their own court system, and there is also a federal court system as well. Understanding if it is the state or the federal government charging you with a crime is important for your...

You maintain certain rights when interacting with authorities, and understanding what these rights are may help you avoid serious legal trouble. The rights you have when authorities pull you over in your vehicle differ to some extent from those you have when they stop...

You likely would never anticipate having to face a criminal charge (let alone one as serious as assault, manslaughter or murder). At the same time, you cannot predict not ever finding yourself in a situation where another threatened the immediate your safety (or that...