Felonies

A past felony conviction can keep affecting employment, licensing and background checks even after dismissal. California law provides ways to seek dismissal based on your conviction and sentence. Determine whether you qualify for dismissal You may qualify if you...

Attending a felony court hearing can be confusing to anyone who has never gone to one before. Understanding courtroom expectations can help you avoid accidentally complicating an already stressful situation while allowing you to support your loved one appropriately....

Most people have heard the terms "misdemeanor" and "felony," but the difference between them is not always the clearest. Many assume it simply depends on how serious a crime sounds. In reality, the distinction can affect nearly every part of a person’s future. The...

Theft crimes are among the most common offenses prosecuted in California. People accused of shoplifting, stealing from family members or otherwise misappropriating resources that belong to others can face criminal charges. Theft charges can carry an assortment of...

If you are arrested with a small amount of drugs for personal use in California, you will likely face simple possession charges. However, if you had the drugs with the intent of selling them, you risk a much more serious charge - possession for sale. The police do not...

Areas of Southern California with high-end stores have seen a significant increase in organized and brazen thefts carried out by groups of people in recent years. Whether it’s in Beverly Hills or the upscale shopping areas of Newport Beach or other cities, retailers...

The success of a prosecutor's career depends largely on their conviction rate. They need to secure election and then re-election, which can be difficult to do without having data to confirm their job performance. The more times a prosecutor brings charges and then...

While it is common in California to see everyone from the CEO to the employees wearing jeans and a hoodie, even Mark Zuckerberg wears a suit when he goes to court. No rule dictates that you must dress or wear your hair a certain way when going to court. Yet the...

Many people think of kidnapping as an elaborately planned and executed crime, involving taking someone by force or at gunpoint, hiding them and then demanding money from loved ones. Movie franchises and countless episodes of TV shows have been devoted to it. The crime...

People charged with serious crimes can receive a felony sentence if convicted. Felony sentences are usually longer than those provided for misdemeanors. They can also involve time spent in a state correctional facility, as opposed to a county jail. According to the...