New Misdemeanor Diversion Law in California – AB 3234
New Law in California Allows a Judge to Grant Diversion for Most Misdemeanor Cases Under Assembly Bill 3234 The state of California has significantly expanded an opportunity for diversion in most misdemeanor cases after Assembly Bill 3234 took effect on January 1, 2021. AB 3234 allows a defendant diversion for... View Article
New Law Shortens Probation Time in California
Probation has been reformed and changed in California and Assembly Bill 1950 provides substantial benefits to probationers in criminal cases. Specifically, Assembly Bill 1950 shortens the length of probation in most misdemeanor offenses to one year and in most felony cases to two years. In order to deal with a... View Article
Speedy Trial Motions in California
Review of a Serna Motion in California to Dismiss Criminal Charges for Lack of Speedy Prosecution In California, a “Serna motion” (known as speedy trial motions) is a legal motion to dismiss misdemeanor or felony charges because you were denied your constitutional right to a speedy trial, which violates the... View Article
Bail Hearings in California Criminal Cases
After someone is arrested by police, one of their first thoughts is whether they will be able to post bail in order to get released from custody as quickly as possible. When someone is arrested for a California state crime, they are normally allowed to post a cash bond, which is... View Article
What is a Misdemeanor Crime Under California Law?
There are different levels of crimes in the state of California, including an infraction, misdemeanor and a felony, which is the most serious crime. This article will review misdemeanor crimes and how criminal courts and prosecutors handle these types of cases. A misdemeanor is a crime where the maximum sentence... View Article
What is a Felony Crime Under California Law?
In California, any criminal offense that can result in a maximum sentence of more than one year is considered a felony crime. Also, anyone convicted of a felony crime in California can also be fined up to $10,000 and a judge has the option of imposing formal felony probation. The... View Article
Resentencing for Defendants Due to New Policies by LA District Attorney
New Polices Offer Potential Resentencing Of Defendants Who Accepted a Plea Deal with LA District Attorneys’ Office The new Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon has announced sweeping reforms that include a new resentencing policy meaning there are many defendants eligible for a reduced sentence or an immediate release from... View Article
When Can I Post Bail After Getting Arrested in Los Angeles?
The criminal justice system in California normally requires an arrestee to post bail with the court in order to get released from custody. The primary purpose of requiring bail is to make sure the defendant will appear for their court appearances. Of course, there are many situations where a judge... View Article
Subpoenas in California Criminal Cases
In simple terms, a subpoena is a demand for someone to provide testimony in court. A prosecutor and criminal defense lawyer can issue a subpoena to someone to give testimony or demand they bring documents or some other type of evidence to court. Once you are charged with a crime,... View Article
Victim Restitution in California Criminal Cases
If you are convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense and the victim of your crime sustained some form of loss, the court will generally order you to pay restitution to the victim to recover those losses. Paying victim restitution will be a condition on your probation. Victim restitution is... View Article