Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

The judge in the Lindsay Lohan Southern California DUI case was given incorrect information resulting in an arrest warrant for her arrest. Judge Marsha Revel was not given all of the information when she signed the warrant. The Los Angeles DUI defense attorney immediately went into court and corrected the error.

When a person is arrested and convicted for driving under the influence in Southern California (DUI), they will be placed on probation for a period of between 3 and 5 years. During that time person will need to comply will all of the strict terms and conditions. If there is a violation, then the person could serve up to 6 months in jail. Judges usually do not impose the full amount of jail time until there are so many violations that they give up on the Los Angeles DUI suspect.

Lohan's DUI problems began back in May, 2007, when she was pulled over and arrested for her second Beverly Hills DUI. Along witht he DUI arrest, she was also charged with cocaine possession. That charge is a felony, but for a first time offender a top notch drug defense attorney will usually be able to get their clients into a formal drug diversion program.

Continue reading " Lindsay Lohan's Los Angeles DUI Arrest Warrant Quashed By The Beverly Hills Judge " »

After two years of investigation, rapper T.I. plead guilty and was sentenced to just over one year in prison. T.I., whose given name is Clifford Harris, was charged with three felony counts after he was arrested as he received machine guns equipped with silencers.

Originally, he pleaded not guilty. When his attorneys informed him that he could face 10 years in prison for each count, he changed his mind. He plead in October but sentencing was continued to this past Friday, March 27, 2009. During the several months between conviction and sentencing, TI has performed over 1000 hours of community service and completed his reality series.

He will soon turn himself in to prison the face the sentence that he agrees to take. It is important that if a person is arrested or charged with a weapons charge, that a top notch Los Angeles and Southern California weapons defense attorney is contacted right away. Waiting until the charges have been filed or until the first court date can be too late gather evidence to convince the prosecution not to file criminal charges.

This past Friday the famous former football player-turned-actor Brian Bosworth was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles. He was charged with two misdemeanors. Each count has a penalty of 6 months in jail and a number of other consequences. It was important that once he was arrested with a Los Angeles DUI, he needed to call his Los Angeles DUI defense attorney Michael Kraut.

It is the job of a top notch Southern California DUI defense attorney to attack the evidence that may be amassed against the DUI suspect. Many people do not realize that a first time Los Angeles DUI can have devastating effects. There are many people who think hiring a Southern California DUI defense attorney is not going to help. But of the consequences of jail time, huge fines of over $1000.00 plus penalty assessments, and suspension of a driver's license, can have ruin a person's life. In this tough economic times, a good Los Angeles DUI defense attorney can make the difference between a person going to jail and loosing their job, and being found not guilty of the charges. In addition to the above named consequences, a person convicted of these DUI charges can expect to have to enroll in a very expensive alcohol education class, probation for 3 years and sky high insurance rates. When one looks at the real financial consequences of a DUI, a Los Angeles DUI defense attorney can more then pay for their services in time and money saved.n custody, with a maximum 6 months in jail.

The evidence can be fought based upon the breath machine being faulty or out of calibration, the officer's personal biases, failure to comply with policies or proce,dures, mistakes in the police reports and other evidence problems.

Continue reading " NFL Star Player Brian Bosworth Arrested For DUI In Los Angeles Neighborhood of Hollywood " »

United States Attorney General Eric Holder announced that Federal law enforcement will no longer target medical marijuana dispensaries in California that operate legally. That means that Los Angeles and Southern California medical marijuana defense attorneys will have an upper edge. For the first time in the history of the United States, Federal laws are no longer going to be used to prosecute a drug crime. President Obama announced during his campaign that medical marijuana prosecutions would no longer be a priority under his administration.

The new policy has a direct effect on the 13 states that have legalized marijuana laws. Of those 13, only California allows for medical marijuana dispensaries operate legally. Until now, the Feds have not acknowledged the existence of Proposition 215 enacted by the citizens of California in 1996. Also called the Compassionate Use Act, Prop 215, allows for those with a medical need to have a doctor "recommend" the use of marijuana to relieve symptoms.

Under the newly announced policy, the Federal Government will no longer target those individuals that do not violate state laws on marijuana. In order for a dispensary to be legal under California law, and thus immune from Federal prosecution, they must comply with the California Attorney General August, 2008, announcement of compliance as well as other laws.

A dispensary must seek guidance from a Los Angeles based medical marijuana criminal defense attorney in order to make sure that they are not violate the law. If the dispensary can operate legally, then the Feds will leave them alone.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown's position is that a medical marijuana dispensary must operate as a nonprofit cooperative. That means the marijuana must be grown by cooperative members to be sold without a profit to other cooperative members. Those members must all have a medical necessity for marijuana to treat their symptoms. The member must have a valid recommendation from a duly licensed doctor. The dispensary must be both licensed and pay taxes on its sales as well as provide security for the facility. There are dozens of other requirements that must be put in place prior to a person opening a legal dispensary.

Continue reading " United States Attorney General Announces New Committment To Avoid Prosecuting Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Who Operate Legally in Los Angeles and California " »

The Los Angeles based psychiatrist for Anna Nicole Smith surrendered herself to the Los Angeles Police Department on March 16, 2009, to face felony charges. Khristine Eroshevich, 61, turned herself in at the Van Nuys jail early in the morning in an attempt to avoid the press. He bail was set at $20,000.

Ana Nicole Smith's psychiatrist was not the only person charged by local authorities. Smith's boyfriend and former attorney, Howard Stern, as well as another of the celebrity's doctors, Sandeep Kapoor, were charged with unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit the crime of prescribing, administering and dispensing controlled substances to an addict. The charges were filed by both the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and the Office of the California Attorney General. Now that they are all similarly charged, it is important for the three of them to hire a Los Angeles drug crime attorney who handles Southern California drug crimes.

The doctors were also charged with obtaining a prescription by giving a false name or address and doing so by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. These charges stem from the use of a false name on the prescription in violation of California law. Their Southern California criminal defense attorneys claim that they used a false name in order to protect Ms. Smith from the media.

Stern and Kapoor both turned them themselves in earlier and all three are expected to be arraigned on May 13, 2009. Both of of the crimes are considered moral turpitude crimes, ie: showing poor moral character, all they stand to loose their professional licensees.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Celebrity Anna Nicole Smith's Lawyer and Two Doctors charged With Southern California Drug Crimes " »

After Chris Brown and Rihanna had their violent encounter on February 8, 2009, in Los Angeles, things may be changing. Initial reports emerged that Rihanna had received a text page that enraged Chris Brown to the point that he became exceptionally violent with the pop star in the Los Angeles Hollywood suburb of Handcock Park earlier this month. News reports are now circulating that the two have reunited as a couple. It is now up to his Los Angeles domestic violence defense attorney to attempt to lower the charges, or have the case thrown out completely.

New organizations are beginning to report that because the two have been seen together, then Chris Brown will not face criminal charges. That cannot be further from the truth. Domestic violence is like no other crime prosecuted in Los Angeles. In almost 80-90% of the cases, the victim and the assailant get back together. The fact that a couple reunite after a violent episode does not mean that the prosecution is powerless to prosecute the crimes that had occurred. In almost all cases a victim in a domestic violence case will refuse to testify or will minimize what actually occurred during the criminal incident. Because the prosecution is aware of these facts, they almost always demand that the police or other investigatory agency, tape record the statements of the victim. That way the victim can be impeached on the witness stand if they "go backwards" on the statements they previously made.

The result to Chris Brown will be most likely seen in the punishment that he receives. He will most likely still be prosecuted for the crime, but if Rihanna tells the court that she was the aggressor or that Chris Brown was merely defending himself from her attack, then the prosecution could decide to drop any charges that they might be considering. If they still decide to prosecute then a top notch Southern California criminal defense attorney would be able to argue that the facts indicate that it was a case of mutual combat, or that Chris Brown was defending himself. If that were to occur then the prosecution would most likely not file criminal charges.

Continue reading " Chris Brown and Rihanna Reunite in Los Angeles. Will Chris Brown Face Criminal Charges? " »