In a significant ruling on Thursday, the California Supreme Court placed new restrictions on the circumstances under which police can detain and question individuals on the street. The decision has drawn divergent reactions from community advocates and law enforcement groups. The case, The People vs. Marlon Flores, centered on a situation where Flores was merely…

A federal judge in California recently struck down a state law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases. Judge Roger Benitez issued a permanent injunction against enforcing the law, arguing that it violates the Second Amendment rights of California residents. The controversial law was approved by voters in 2016 and later amended to require checks for…

I’d been looking for a template like this for a while online and couldn’t find one so I reached out to a really cool lawyer and got one that I thought I’d share with everyone. It’s a combined template so depending on whether the defendant you’re helping is a zero point offender or trying to…

As an attorney who values civil liberties, I was outraged to learn about the FBI’s egregious violation of privacy rights during a 2021 raid of safe deposit boxes in Beverly Hills. A recent 9th Circuit Court ruling rightly condemned the FBI’s massive overreach, but the damage is already done. This warrantless invasion of personal property…

A new law passed in California last year will give thousands of prisoners the chance to have their sentences reconsidered if the law affecting their conviction changes after they are sentenced. Assembly Bill 600, authored by Assemblymember Mark Stone, was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October. The law went into effect on…

The saga of disgraced lawyer Tom Girardi continues to play out like a made-for-TV legal drama. The latest episode involves a Los Angeles federal judge finally setting a trial date – May 21 – for Girardi to face wire fraud charges. This new trial date comes after the judge ruled last week that Girardi is…

As someone who is passionate about justice and the rights of those with criminal records, I’m thrilled to share groundbreaking news on a recent criminal justice reform measure in California. In a year filled with high-profile legislation, one law stands out as a beacon of progress, marking California as a trailblazer in criminal justice reform. California’s…

Greetings, legal enthusiasts! As we step into the new year, it’s crucial to stay informed about the latest legal developments shaping the California landscape. In this blog post, I’ll share key updates on significant laws that came into effect in 2024, covering mental health initiatives, firearm regulations, and criminal law reforms. 1. Focusing On Mental…

In a recent announcement, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled plans for new legislation aimed at addressing what he describes as a surge in professional theft. The proposed laws intend to intensify criminal penalties, enhance law enforcement tools, and crack down on those profiting from crimes such as smash and grabs, retail theft, and car burglaries. As…

In a recent legal development, a California law seeking to restrict the public carrying of firearms faced another setback as a court case challenging its implementation continued to unfold. A panel from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a temporary hold on a lower court injunction, initially allowing the law to go into effect…