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Recent Changes to California Criminal Law: How Courts Now Determine Bail Over the past two years, California has enacted significant changes to its criminal justice system, with some of the most notable reforms affecting how courts determine pretrial release. At the same time, voters have approved legislation imposing stricter consequences for certain repeat offenses. Together, …

Changes to California Law: How Courts Now Determine Bail.Read More

Ask a DUI Lawyer: Can the police hold my car in impound for 30 days? Driving without a license is a criminal offense in California. The offense will be charged as an infraction or a misdemeanor. The severity of the charge will depend on the facts and circumstances of the situation. If someone is stopped …

Ask a DUI Lawyer: Can the police impound my car for 30 days?Read More

Effective January 1, 2023, the penalty for driving without having a valid license has been reduced. The reduction applies in specific scenarios when an individual has not been issued a valid California driver’s license. Before the amendment to the law, California law prohibited a person from driving a motor vehicle on a highway unless that …

California Changes Penalties for Driving Without a LicenseRead More

How to handle a California DUI arrest when you have an out-of-state driver’s license? It happens. A driving under the influence arrest occurs when you are in California. Yes, this will be an inconvenience. No, your world will not come to an end. If you have found yourself in this unfortunate situation, having a clear …

Handling a California DUI Arrest when you have an Out of State Driver’s License.Read More

SENATE BILL 731 (Sealing Felony Records) California lawmakers have proposed one of the country’s most sweeping bills that would allow some Californians with criminal felony convictions the unique opportunity to have their records sealed after four years. The proposed legislation would apply to offenders who have managed to maintain a clear record for a set …

Sealing Felony Convictions (SB 731)Read More

Misdemeanor and Felony Probation in California Thanks to recent legislation in California, most individuals placed on probation will now have probation terminated within one year in the case of a misdemeanor or two years in felony cases. Legislation passed in September 2020 changed the probationary period in California for most offenses. This new law has …

California Shortens the Probation Period for Most OffensesRead More

For the past two years, California courts have authorized remote proceedings. Remote proceedings provided a safe and effective way to handle the large volume of criminal court cases during the pandemic. In addition to providing a safe way to handle court cases, the remote proceedings allowed attorneys to effectively work on cases without having to …

California Remote Court Appearances, Penal Code section 977Read More

Currently, the California Department of Motor Vehicles holds administrative hearings to determine if an individual’s driving privilege should be suspended following an arrest for driving under the influence.  These proceedings have been taking place for years in California.  At the hearings, the Department of Motor Vehicles appoints an employee who acts as both the prosecutor …

New ruling impacting DMV license suspensionsRead More

California’s Misdemeanor Diversion Program The new law allows a judge over the objection of the prosecuting attorney to offer diversion to a defendant pursuant to the terms of Penal Code section 1001.95. Those terms can include a number of conditions that the judge deems appropriate under the circumstances, and last for a period of up …

California New Misdemeanor Diversion ProgramRead More