Number of Juror Challenges May be Changed Number of Juror Challenges May be Changed . California Senate Bill (SB) 213 would reduce the number or peremptory challenges in a misdemeanor trial from 10 down to 6. The theory is that this will “speed up justice”. During jury selection, many people have prejudices they will not admit out loud.…
Interesting Law Enforcement Tools and Technology Interesting Law Enforcement Tools and Technology . While reviewing some documents in a court case, I came across the sentence: The police department used an ALPR (Automated License Plate Reader) and noted that the suspect’s vehicle was located near the ABC/XYZ area. In the case file I was reviewing, police were…
Sports Injury or Assault with a Deadly Weapon? Sports Injury or Assault with a Deadly Weapon? . Anyone who has watched professional sports or even weekend warrior sports knows You can get hurt and. Some guys play dirty. During the October 11 Dodgers/Mets Playoff game, Chase Utley allegedly slid into third base a little too late and…
Your Rights in a Vehicle Stop: Contrasting Situations Your Rights in a Vehicle Stop: Contrasting Situations. On July 18, 2013, a Texas officer stopped a young woman named Sandra Bland for failing to signal a lane change. The officer’s dash-cam activated, capturing most of the audio and video during the incident. Ms. Bland complied by pulling…
California Supreme Court Strikes Down Certain Jessica’s Law Provisions California Supreme Court Strikes Down Certain Jessica’s Law Provisions . On March 2, 2015, the California Supreme Court decided In re Taylor, and declared the residency restrictions for registered sex offenders under the Jessica’s Law unconstitutional – but only as to the way San Diego County courts applied the law. Because…
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE! IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE! . How many times have you heard “Ignorance of the law is no excuse!”, meaning that a person can break the law and still be charged with a crime, even if he does not know that he is breaking the law.
Domestic Violence and Equal Rights Domestic Violence and Equal Rights . It is a horrible thing to be a victim of domestic violence, involved in a relationship where a person is verbally and physically abused and made to feel powerless and hopeless. Until domestic violence was treated seriously by the courts and society, people often were heard…
California State Senator Yee Indicted California State Senator Yee Indicted . On March 27, 2014, California State Senator and former candidate for mayor of San Francisco Leland Yee was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury for trafficking in firearms and corruption. Yee has been involved in local and state politics for many years and was running…
Several news outlets recently published stories about Daniel Johnson, a 26 year old California man who filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office for excessive force. The complaint alleges that Johnson was inside his parents home, when someone knocked on the door and told him his father was receiving a ticket for…
In June 2013, the United States Supreme Court decided Salinas v. Texas. The effect of this decision further nips away at our 5th Amendment Constitutional right to remain silent—part of what we all hear on cop TV shows and movies as our “Miranda rights.” In that case, Mr. Salinas voluntarily went to the police department to clear his name…