Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

Angelenos read the stories all the time and judge harshly: when doctors, chiropractors, dentists, pharmacists and other providers commit healthcare fraud in Los Angeles, we have a visceral reaction of disgust.

• How could someone charged with caring for the lives of our neighbors so grotesquely take advantage of their positions of power?
• Given our fiscal crisis at home here in California and nationwide, why would anyone try to rob the already fast-dwindling Medicare coffers?

If you or someone you care about has been charged with a crime, such as Southern California health care fraud – or even a marginally-related crime, such as insurance fraud in Los Angeles, credit card fraud in Burbank, etc. – you may feel an urge to respond defensively. First of all, the charge against you might be unfair, unwarranted, or overly harsh. But even if you did do something wrong, it wasn’t as if you sat up in bed one morning and decided to go down the “path of evil” for arbitrary reasons.

In fact, very few people engage in Los Angeles health care fraud schemes to be purposefully immoral. Quite to the contrary, Los Angeles healthcare fraud often begins when a professional or personal need is not met. For instance, perhaps you are a physician who got sick and tired of the way that the insurance companies treated you and withheld funds. Your practice suffered, and you found it more and more difficult to keep up with your workload, treat your patients with compassion and attention, and have a life at the end of the day.

So you felt like you “deserved” a little something back for your efforts.

Thus, you went down a slippery slope. You began to engage in illegal activities that grew in sophistication, size, and complexity over time. This continued until, of course, you were investigated, arrested and charged.

At the end of the day, yes, you engaged in stupid or illegal practices. But you were simply trying to even out an unfair playing field that prevented you from doing the good work that you went into medicine to do.

The question now is: What can you do to set the score right, make effective reparations, protect your professional reputation and license (if possible), and respond to critics, both in your community and in your professional and personal circles?

The Kraut Law Group has an incisive, compassionate, and highly respected team. A Los Angeles criminal lawyer can listen to your needs and help you develop strategies to minimize your penalties and maximize your ability to move on from this event. Attorney Michael Kraut is a former prosecutor (he spent nearly a decade and half as a Senior Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles), so he understands how prosecutors operate and how defendants can best fight the charges against them.

Those who drive under the influence in Long Beach and cause injury accidents are often ignorant of the law or of the consequences of their actions.

Or, at least, the conventional wisdom would have you believe that.

As we have covered countless times on this Long Beach DUI blog, all sorts of people are stopped, arrested, and ultimately convicted for DUI – some of whom even make and enforce the DUI laws. When lawmakers, police officers, prosecutors, and others who work in the Long Beach DUI system are tagged for such crimes, a big hubbub in the media and blogosphere inevitably sparks. Makes sense, right? After all, police officers, Congressmen, Los Angeles DUI attorneys, etc understand the dangers better than practically anybody out there.

That’s why a recent fiasco out of Etowah County, Alabama, has attracted so much head-scratching among Los Angeles DUI lawyers.

According to WHNT News 19, the police chief of Tuscumbia, AL, Tony Logan, was convicted by jury last week of misdemeanor DUI. Logan was sentenced to 30 days, and his driver’s license might be suspended. But his punishment is less interesting than the fact that he was not just a police officer, but the chief of police for a whole town.

Brandon Hughes, a local prosecutor, summed up the jury’s message: “Drinking and driving on Alabama’s roadways is not going to be tolerated. I just hope it sends a message to folks around the state…to be more careful…there are repercussions [for driving DUI].”

Is there any moral to this story? Can we learn anything from Tony Logan’s experience?

Indeed, we can.

Logan’s arrest and subsequent conviction demonstrates how easy it is easy for anyone -- even a super-educated Los Angeles DUI lawyer who understands the dangers of driving under the influence on a very personal level and who works with DUI cases on a day-to-day basis -- can make errors of judgment that lead to arrests, accidents, and worse.

Of course, this is not to excuse bad behavior or DUI – it is merely to place it in context. If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Long Beach or for engaging in other misbehavior behind the wheel, you are not alone. The transgression doesn’t make you a bad person, or even a bad driver. (It does, however, mean that you might need a Los Angeles DUI attorney.)

Going forward, keep the following in mind:

1. Learn from your mistakes, if you made any, to avoid getting into similar trouble.

To do this, you need to reflect on what happened: what caused you to misbehave or ignore the Long Beach DUI laws?

2. Deal with the reality of your arrest and charges.

A Long Beach DUI criminal defense attorney at the Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454 ) will help you plan the next steps. Attorney Kraut is one of the most respected local DUI attorneys – he has a great reputation among his legal peers, a nearly immaculate record at jury trials, and he draws on his Harvard Law School education and background as a former Deputy District Attorney (14+ years) to deliver superlative service for his clients.

Continue reading "Police Chief Convicted of DUI – Long Beach DUI Attorney Reacts" »

On January 1, Cedillo’s Law went into effect, which could reshape the landscape of Long Beach DUI field sobriety tests (and FSTs throughout the Southland). The law is designed to protect undocumented and unlicensed immigrants from being exploited by towing companies. It forbids authorities at FSTs for DUI in Long Beach and elsewhere from towing the car of a driver operating a vehicle without a license.

Advocates of the law are thrilled; they point out that towing truck operators exploited the old towing rule, particularly at intersections in East and South Los Angeles. A spokesman for the Southern California Immigration Coalition, Ron Gochez, told the Los Angeles Times: “They know which communities have a higher population of unlicensed drivers…we see it [the current towing paradigm] as a money making scheme off the backs of poor people.”

Cedillo’s Law was opposed by groups like the Los Angeles Police Protection League and by grieving fathers like Dan Rosenberg, who lost his young son in 2011, when an unlicensed driver crashed into him. Rosenberg told the Times: "I have a lot of sensitivity for people who are willing to risk their lives to come to this country illegally…but you can’t do that the expense of others.”

While we can debate the merits of Cedillo’s Law, the fact is that it is now law. Unfortunately, many drivers arrested for crimes like driving under the influence in Long Beach lack a complete understanding of their rights and obligations under laws like California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) or 23152(b).

Fortunately, you need not struggle through the minutiae on your own. An experienced, thorough, and compassionate Long Beach DUI criminal defense attorney from the Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454) can be your ally and advocate as you navigate new challenges. Connect with the team here at Kraut Law Group right now to understand potential options and make the most of your defense.

Continue reading "Breaking Long Beach DUI Field Sobriety Test News: Unlicensed Drivers Will No Longer Get Their Cars Towed at FSTs" »

No one ever expects the call.

When you find out that someone you love – a husband, wife, child, close friend – was pulled over for driving under the influence in Pasadena, your mind reels. What happened? Is he/she okay? Was anyone else hurt? What were the damage? Where are victims now? Questions like these flood your brain and overwhelm you.

In many ways, it takes just a simple announcement – a teensy bit of information – to radically change your perception of your long term relationship and of your life going forward.

Absent a dramatic metaphor, this discussion has been boilerplate. Of course, a Pasadena DUI charge will change your life and the life of everyone of your family. Of course, if you get convicted of violating California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) or 23152 (b) (or the injury DUI laws 23153(a) or 23153 (b)) life is going to be different and scary. You may face jail time, massive fines and other costs, insurance problems, driver’s license suspension, etc.

But those descriptions don’t really get at what it really feels like to be on the inside of a DUI defense situation.

Fortunately, we can turn to the Japanese for an appropriate metaphor.

Two weeks ago, a Tokyo-based infant formula company, Meiji company, issued a recall of 400,000 cans of formula because of fears that the baby food contained radioactive cesium. Officials are blaming the March 11 hurricane/tsunami that walloped Japan, which led to a multiple-core meltdown at a Japanese nuclear facility, which in turn may have indirectly contaminated the formula. Public health officials in Japan have been quick to reassure. But once the cat’s out of the bag, panic naturally sets in.

Likewise, once someone gets arrested for Pasadena DUI – irrespective of the circumstances – panic sets in.

What do you do? Who can you call? Why did it happen? How can it never happen again?

To make sense of all these questions, speak with an experienced, highly respected Pasadena DUI criminal defense attorney at the Kraut Law Group (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899). Attorney Kraut understands DUI law from both sides. For 14-plus years, he served as a prosecutor, during which time he prosecuted many Los Angeles DUI cases. Now, in his capacity as a criminal defense attorney, the Harvard Law School-educated Mr. Kraut works tirelessly to educate his clients and help them build the stiffest and most strategic defenses possible.

Continue reading "Metaphor for Learning Your Loved One Stopped for Pasadena DUI: Radiation Reported in Japanese Baby Formula" »

Practically no one intends to drive under the influence in Glendale. Misjudgments, carelessness, and other factors come into play and ultimately lead to dire circumstances. It’s typical for Glendale DUI defendants to have trouble explaining to other people precisely what went wrong and why.

After all, everyone knows the dangers of driving under the influence in Glendale -- the serious penalties that you can face if you violate the law, not to mention the long-term costs that you will face financially, emotionally, and physically. Often what happens is not a thought out “breaking of the law,” but rather a momentary lapse of reason that has consequences well beyond the moment.

That’s all a little abstract. The explanation does not have the metaphorical punch needed to really communicate this feeling. Fortunately, the Discovery Channel’s MythBusters accidentally created the perfect metaphor to help give people perspective for what it feels like get busted for Glendale DUI. On December 7, the MythBusters team was experimenting with what happens to a cannon when it fires materials other than cannonballs.

Guess what? A massive accident happens!

According to the Times, the Discovery team fired a cannon at some trash cans, but the projectile went off course into a nearby home, where a couple was sleeping. Their bedroom was pierced by a 10-inch hole. According to the Times, “the cannonball was travelling as fast as a bullet. It exited the house, bounced across four lanes of traffic, struck the roof of another house and then smashed through the window of a parked minivan.” Fortunately – miraculously, perhaps – no one was injured. But the incident shows how small miscalibrations, accidental or even on purpose, can ricochet to massive, dangerous effects.

Likewise, when you miscalibrate how to drive in Glendale – drive too fast, drive while distracted, drive while DUI – the consequences can be metaphorically similar to the consequences of that misfired cannonball shot. Damages to life and limb can be the tragic consequence.

If you or someone you care about needs a Glendale DUI criminal defense attorney, trust Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123). Mr. Kraut is a Harvard Law School-educated former District Attorney (14-plus years in that office) who has close relationships with those in the legal community and a terrific track record helping defendants like you.

Continue reading "The Perfect Metaphor for Glendale DUI: MythBusters Show Rockets Cannonball Through Sleeping Couple's House" »

Every driver in the valley is somewhat sensitized to the dangers of driving under the influence in Glendale, etc.

But if you are a parent, you’re probably especially aware of vulnerabilities that you and your kids face on freeways and even surface streets. That’s why so many people here in the Southland – especially parents – were alarmed by a story out last week out of New Jersey. According to USA Today, a 46-year-old bus driver, Carole Crockett was arrested last Monday afternoon, after she drove 25 children to Westhampton Middle School in NJ while intoxicated.

How “under the influence” exactly was Crockett?

According to newspaper reports, the bus driver blew a blood alcohol level of 0.25% – to put that in perspective, that’s more than three times the legal limit for Glendale DUI, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 23152. (Indeed, the 0.08% threshold is the national standard, according to the Highway Safety Research and Communications organization.)

How, exactly, did this bus driver DUI situation transpire? Here's a quote from the Washington Post’s blog: “children in a school bus in New Jersey called their parents to say the driver was swerving and falling asleep behind the wheel. The parents called the Westhampton Middle School, which alerted police. Officers found Carole Crockett at Holly Hills High School trying to pick up more students.”

These extra details create new cause for consternation.

Number one: why did the bus driver continue to try to pick up students, after she was falling asleep behind the wheel? That’s terrifying.

Number two: how could any parent have known and thus prepared against such a contingency? The answer is: not even the most prepared parent could.

Per the Post, 46-year-old Crockett “faces 25 counts of driving under the influence with a minor and child endangerment.”

Obviously, most people react in a shock horror to stories about Glendale DUI school bus accidents and the like. But the reality is, any time you drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or even prescription medications, you potentially put not only your own life but also the lives of others in serious danger.

For help understanding your rights and responsibilities, connect with an experienced Glendale DUI criminal defense attorney, such as Glendale’s Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123). Michael Kraut is a former city prosecutor with a wealth of experience, deep connections with the legal community, and a reputation not only for stellar performance but also for passionate and powerful service.

Continue reading "Every Parent’s Worst Glendale DUI Nightmare: What If You Kid’s School Bus Driver Had a BAC of 0.25%??" »

Last Sunday, 25-year-old Semhar Tadesse was arrested for DUI after allegedly blowing through a red light. Blogs and major media who cover stories like celebrity DUI in Long Beach (and elsewhere in the Southland) reported that the former “Survivor” contestant blew a BAC reading of 0.14% -- nearly twice the limit for Long Beach DUI, pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 23152(b).

A KTLA report said that Tadesse was arrested on the spot, after law enforcement officials smelled alcohol on her breath and tested her to have a 0.14% BAC. The reality star was released from jail after posting a $5,000 bail.

A TMZ.com report on the arrest reveals more details: “Sources close to Semhar tell (TMZ.com), she was unable to walk in a straight line because of a foot injury – but the reality star is still accepting responsibility and feels extremely disappointed in herself… especially after losing a close friend to drunk driving in the past.”

If Tadesse understood on a deep and personal level that driving under the influence in Long Beach (or elsewhere) would be so dangerous, then why did she ignore her “better angels” and get behind the wheel? Not only did she test her limits, but she also allegedly drove through a red light.

One can only speculate here. However, this question is certainly germane. Too often, we are quick to judge someone as "guilty" or "not-guilty" – or as a “good” or “horrendous” driver. In reality, our driving skills – and our moral reasoning abilities – depend intimately on circumstances and specifics. The decisions that Tadesse made (or failed to make) need to be understood in the context of her life and story. Since we do not have access to those details, it’s difficult for anyone to objectively and systematically understand the lapse in judgment and thinking that went on.

This point is critical, and it is why, if you or someone you care about has been arrested for driving under the influence at Long Beach, you might benefit tremendously from the counsel of an experienced Long Beach criminal defense attorney, like Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454).

A good attorney can dig beneath the details of your arrest to uncover legal tactics and strategies to minimize your penalties and maximize your chances of getting back on the road (safely). He or she can also work with you to help you understand the fundamental misjudgments or dangerous beliefs that led you into legal trouble in the first place.

Attorney Kraut is a Harvard Law School educated former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles. He has won the respect of judges and legal peers and has a spectacular success rate at jury trials.

What are the consequences of driving under the influence in Glendale?

The short answer is: they depend on the intimate, specific details of your case. In general, however, they can be surprisingly profound and long-term, even if you successfully “beat the charges.”

Witness the recent high profile DUI arrest of Tennessee republican representative Curry Todd, who was stopped in Nashville on October 11th and charged with DUI, after he failed a roadside sobriety test. What made Rep Todd’s case so newsworthy? Two things:

1. He had a loaded 38-caliber gun in his car.

2. As a state lawmaker, he sponsored legislation designed to loosen laws that prevent people from bringing handguns into bars. So the “hypocracy factor” clearly played a role in the media blitz surrounding his arrest.

So what are the long-term consequences for Representative Todd?

Hard to say at this point. Last week, he surrendered his chairmanship of the Tennessee House State and Local Government Committee, which dealt with most of Tennessee’s alcohol bills and a huge variety of other proposals. Representative Todd stopped short of resigning his legislative seat. And he did not address his arrest, while attending a meeting of the Physical Review Committee, nor did he talk to reporters about the arrest after the session.

Representative Todd’s ordeal is not over. But his experience already can teach us some crucial lessons about the consequences of driving under the influence in Glendale and elsewhere.

On the one hand, the law spells out some scary and real punishments for convicted DUI drivers. These include: jail time, driver’s license suspension, mandatory alcohol education classes, strict probation terms, mandatory installation of a device called an IID (Interlock Ignition Device), which prevents you from driving if you’ve consumed any alcohol recently, and other sundry penalties such as court costs and fines. These penalties should be more than enough to scare drivers into avoiding driving under the influence in Glendale. But more insidious costs may lurk under these primary punishments.

For instance, your insurance rates may spike in the wake of your DUI arrest/conviction. If your premiums go up several hundred dollars and stay elevated for several years, you are talking about several thousand dollars of fallout from the DUI. And then, you must consider the smaller term “stuff” that can complicate your life, frustrate your career and erode your support even from friends and loved ones.

The best way to respond is to build a smart and strategically focused defense ASAP. Glendale’s Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) can help. Managing Attorney Michael Kraut is a former prosecutor (Senior Deputy DA) with a Harvard Law School education and a compassionate, strategic perspective on Glendale DUI defense law.

Continue reading "Glendale DUI Consequences – The Fall Out Can Haunt You: Just Ask TN State Rep Curry Todd." »

Every week, dozens of stories about driving under the influence in Glendale (and the rest of the southland) get published and discussed in the blogosphere. And SoCal is sure home to some strange DUI stories. But last week, the most spectacular DUI story in the country came from Boise, Idaho, of all places, where police arrested 47-year-old Michelle Caves twice for driving under the influence… within a five-hour span!

Amazing stuff.

Here’s how it all went down, according to the local Boise new station, KBOI 2. Caves had dropped in at a retail store on Apple Street: “Employees told police that [she] smelled of alcohol, and stumbled and dropped items while walking around the store. They say they couldn’t stop Caves from getting in her car and driving away, or… get the license plate number of her car.”

The police then tracked down Caves, pulled her over, and gave her field sobriety tests (which she failed) as well as breathalyzer tests that pegged her at significantly more than four times over the legal limit for Boise (and Glendale) DUI of 0.08%. The police arrested her, booked her into a local jail, and secured her car.

Pretty normal stuff. But then…

Later that evening, “police got a call from a citizen reporting that a drunk driver had returned to her car and was going to drive home. Officers determined it was the same woman they had arrested earlier, and located the car around the corner from where it originally had been pulled over. Police say the car swerved into oncoming traffic and almost drove head on into the officer’s car.”

Lo and behold, it was Caves again. She got retested and her BAC was slightly lower this time – around 0.24% – but still high enough to be more than three times over the state’s legal limit.

After this second, embarrassing arrest, police “requested that Caves’ car be towed to a private, secured lot.”

Obviously, this story is something of an impressive oddity. But it does hold hidden lessons for defendants in Glendale DUI cases. One lesson is that drivers often make mistakes “after the fact” that can dreadfully complicate their legal situations. Of course, had Caves been arrested only once, she still would have been in trouble. But now she faces all sorts of extra headaches because she made bad decisions that compounded her earlier bad decisions.

In fact, it’s this cycle of bad decision-making that often creates the most long-term problems for people. Getting arrested for a Glendale DUI is already a major problem, but it’s the spiral of poor thinking upon poor thinking that creates huge problems.

Fortunately, you can stop that spiral by connecting with an experienced and Harvard Law School educated Glendale DUI defense attorney at the Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123). Attorney Michael Kraut served as Senior Deputy District Attorney for the city of Los Angeles for over 14 years, and he uses his relationships with prosecutors, knowledge of the system, strategic understanding of the law, and other resources to help clients build vigorous defenses.

Continue reading "Now Here's a Glendale DUI You Don’t See Every Day…Woman Busted for DUI Twice in Five Hours!" »

Getting arrested for driving under the influence in Beverly Hills is zero fun.

Contrary to popular perceptions, drivers who violate California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) or 23152(b) are often acutely remorseful, scared, and dismayed by their actions, even hours after an arrest. And while some DUI defendants certainly “fit the stereotype” many people have, the reality is that defendants are diverse and come from all over the community.

One common thread among Beverly Hills DUI defendants is fear.

Defendants worry about job security, family, the possibility of jail time, the possibility of a license suspension, the logistical inconvenience of having to attend weeks or months of alcohol school, the embarrassment of facing strict probation terms, and so on. And these punishments are very real possibilities, by the way, even if you committed a small, misdemeanor Beverly Hills DUI, and it was your first offense.

But certain choices you make now – after the fact, while you are more rational – can radically change the course of your life. Your decision to work with a reputable, creditable Harvard Law School educated Beverly Hills DUI criminal defense attorney, for instance, might lead to a better outcome than you currently believe is possible.

It is also helpful to look at public DUI news events to see how they play out. As a case in point, consider the San Francisco Forty-Niners’ Braylon Edwards. The wide receiver pled guilty to a DUI in July and got fined $50,000. Under ordinary circumstances, he might have been suspended from playing in the NFL, which could have derailed his career and led to a professional catastrophe. And sports analysts who examined similar cases involving Kenny Britt, Aqib Talib, and Terrelle Pryor, thought Edwards’ situation could have gone either way.

He could have been suspended, but he got lucky.

This goes to show that your case is not entirely within your control. Edwards could have done everything the same but been suspended and he wouldn’t have had any say in the matter.

The important takeaway here is that Beverly Hills DUI defendants need to figure out what they can control and what they can’t control. And then they need to focus on what they can control, such as their choice of attorney. Beverly Hills DUI attorney Michael Kraut, of the Kraut Law Group (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935), can put together a powerful and solid defense plan for you, irrespective of the circumstances and complexity of your legal challenges.

Continue reading "Hope after Beverly Hills DUI Arrest? Redemption is Possible – Just Ask the 49-ers’ Braylon Edwards" »

Last week, Moammar Gaddafi’s four-plus decade rein over Libya came to a screeching halt as rebels overtook Green Square in Tripoli.

If you were recently arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale, you probably weren’t paying much attention. You were probably focused more on the imminent crises in your life – potential jail time, license suspension, mandatory installation of interlock ignition device, and other problems that you could face if you are ultimately convicted of Glendale DUI.

Maybe you made a mistake, ignoring the news.

Maybe you should have been paying attention to Libya – and not just to have something to chat about with coworkers while you gather around the water cooler. You see, the rapid and surprising collapse of Gaddafi’s loyalist forces indirectly teaches us a powerful lesson about Glendale DUI defense.

Yes, it sounds like a stretch at first. But stay with this train of thought…

When you read analyses of the drama in Libya, there is a common refrain: “No one saw this coming.” NATO didn’t anticipate it, policymakers didn’t anticipate it, probably even the rebels themselves didn’t anticipate that they would be able to march into Tripoli in such short order. This kind of deer-caught-in-the-headlights reaction is typical during war. Events on the ground often come as a surprise, and war plans disintegrate often immediately after they go into effect.

Now, building a coherent defense against Glendale DUI – to get you unhooked from charges pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) or 23152(b) – is not exactly like going to a war. But both war and DUI defense involve strategic thinking – and they also involve surprising setbacks and opportunities. Good generals – and good Glendale criminal defense attorneys, too –understand the power of strategic thinking as well as the power of renegotiating, reassessing, and reforming plans in the midst of battle.

For instance, in your case, new evidence might suddenly emerge that could potentially get your charges dropped or at least give prosecutors a much harder time. If you don’t have the strategic focus and flexibility available to take advantage of that development, you might miss out on a key opportunity to reduce your sentence.

Just as the Libyan rebels managed to take advantage of the surprising collapse of Gaddafi’s forces to turn the tide and take down Tripoli, your Glendale DUI defense attorney may potentially leverage surprising developments in your favor. These include sudden revelations of weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and other subtle factors that could transform your options and get you better results than you – or even your attorney – ever expected.

To that end, you want to work with an attorney who thinks like a general – who helps you not only construct the right strategic defense, but also continually reassesses your options in real time. Attorney Michael Kraut of Glendale’s Kraut Law Group (450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) has a unique vantage on Glendale DUI defense law. Attorney Kraut served as a prosecutor for over 14 years. He put DUI defendants behind bars before switching over to become a criminal defense attorney. Since he has “played the game from both sides,” he can help you understand what your prosecutors are planning and counter-plan accordingly.

Continue reading "Your Glendale DUI Defense: How Might the Fall of Gaddafi's Regime Affect It?" »

Hopefully we won’t be reading about Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus going through the gauntlet of the Pasadena DUI process any time soon.

We need at least some of our young fresh-faced celebrities to stay sober and clean and act as responsible role models. But young celebs like Cyrus and Bieber are already setting something of a bad example. According to a recent article on CNN.com – “nation of adults who write like children” – Cyrus, Bieber, and other young celebrities have atrocious handwriting. The article quoted Justin King, a paparazzi who sells celebrity autographs: “with stars ages 30 and above, they generally have a much more full, legible signature. When you deal with these new people like Elle Fanning, you are lucky if you get an E and F and a heart for a signature.”

How does this all relate to the Pasadena DUI process?

It does, actually.

Because defendants recently arrested for violating California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) or 231521(b) – driving under the influence in Pasadena (or elsewhere in Southern California) -- must deal with a certain amount of bureaucracy, or risk of losing their licenses or encountering other legal trouble down the line.

If your handwriting is terrible – like Bieber’s and Cyrus’s, for instance – and you submit illegible forms, several things might happen. You might be asked to fill out the forms again. Or, quite possibly, the documents can be misinterpreted, leading to all sorts of unpleasant bureaucratic complications.

Given that your future is on the line – not just your potential freedom, but also your driver’s license, future insurance rates, employability, etc., it behooves you to connect with an experienced Pasadena criminal defense attorney who can explain your options.

Pasadena’s Kraut Law Group (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899) provides the help, support, and resources you need (minus the handwriting instruction) to manage your Pasadena DUI charge with aplomb. Attorney Kraut is a widely respected figure in the Pasadena DUI community. Please read more about his background, credentials, history as a former city prosecutor (Senior Deputy District Attorney), and critical information about the relevant law (“Pasadena DUI 101”) on his site, or connect with him now for a free consultation.

Continue reading "Making the Pasadena DUI Process Way Too Complicated? Maybe it’s Your Bad Handwriting… like Justin Bieber’s?" »

The most tragic Beverly Hill DUI arrests, at least from a narrative point of view, are ironic.

In other words, there is an inherent dissonance. When a young and healthy celebrity – someone who has everything going for him or her – crashes a car and winds up behind bars, you can't help pay attention to the dissonance between the image of this "perfect person" and the dire straits he or she is now in.

Not all stories about Burbank DUI, Pasadena DUI, DUI in Glendale, and DUI in Los Angeles have this element of irony in them. But a story last week out of Hailey, Idaho definitely had that element -- tragically so. 29-year old Olympic silver medalist, Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, got arrested the Friday before last for DUI and speeding… and then things took a terrible turn.

The three time Olympian apparently had “caused a disturbance” somewhere in Sun Valley, Idaho before getting behind the wheel and driving off at a fast clip. A local police chief, Jeff Gunter, said: “when he went through Hailey, we estimated he was going 80 miles per hour, and they didn’t get him stopped until Belleview.” In addition to being hit with a misdemeanor DUI charge, Peterson also faced a charge of “fictitious display of license plates.” The Olympian had gotten in the trouble in the past. During the 2006 Winter Games, he got into a bar fight that got him sent home from the Olympics.

He was also a very decorated Olympic athlete – in addition to his Olympic silver medal, he helped win a national championship and seven victories at the World Cup.

In any event, few expected the minor arrest to end in tragedy. But it did. Just days after the arrest, and only "seventeen months after reaching the pinnacle of his career by winning a silver medal at the Vancouver Olympics… Peterson was found dead in a remote canyon in Utah in what police are calling a suicide." (USA Today article published 7/26)

Devastating news, and a sad illustration of how DUIs can cause terrible and unexpected stresses in the lives of everyone involved.
If you have a Beverly Hills DUI case, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can help you understand what might have gone wrong, how to respond to your charges effectively and efficiently, and how to move beyond the arrest and charges to get a grip on your life again. Michael Kraut, of Beverly Hill’s Kraut Law Group (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450 Beverly Hills, California 90210 (310) 550-6935), is an experienced, highly reputable, compassionate former prosecutor who is devoted to helping defendants build better cases and rebuild their lives. Connect with him today to get a consultation.

Continue reading "Beverly Hills DUI Crushed Dreams: Olympic Silver Medalist “Speedy,” Tagged for Speeding in Ohio, Commits Suicide" »

Pro football fans were dealt another setback last week – more Long Beach DUI bad news. The NFL has been shellacked this year: possible season ending/shortening labor strikes; concerns about players' long-term brain health; multiple DUI arrests at both the NFL and college level.

Steelers' wide receiver Hines Ward added to the chaos the weekend before last. Fortunately for Southlanders, Ward was not arrested for DUI in Pasadena, DUI in Glendale, Los Angeles DUI, or Burbank DUI. Ward got booked in DeKalb County, GA early last Saturday morning. According to USA Today, “the police report… claims Ward hit a curve and had difficulty remaining in his lane. It said he smelled of alcohol, though Ward said he had just two beers three hours previously. He refused the breath test upon arriving at the jail.”

According to Ward’s representation, the defendant claims that he was not impaired by alcohol while he was driving. But this case will not fade from the limelight anytime soon (at least if Baltimore Ravens fans have their way), given Ward's celebrity. He won Super Bowl XL’s most valuable player award as well as this year’s Dancing with the Stars.

His court hearing is scheduled for October 6th. If convicted of misdemeanor DUI, he could face a $1,000 fine on top of a full year behind bars.

So it’s clearly an up and down year for Ward. And, in that sense, his case presents us with an important object lesson. Many people assume that Long Beach DUI arrests only happen to people who are on the “down and down” – who are living too fast, ignoring safety rules, and generally “asking for it.” But this stereotype does not necessarily hold true. Everything in your life can be going great, and you can still get tagged with a serious Long Beach DUI charge.

What’s important is to recognize your reality – the potential trouble that you might be in and your potential resources. Rather than “reinventing the wheel” and trying to figure out your best possible strategy by yourself, you might benefit tremendously from a free consultation with Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454). Michael Kraut is not only a very experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, but he is also a former prosecutor. His experience in both positions gives him a very unique vantage, which he uses to deliver excellent results for his clients, get results at jury trials, and even impress legal colleagues, peers, and the major media.

Continue reading "Long Beach DUI Sports News: Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Arrest Shocks the NFL" »

Ask anyone in law enforcement how to end the problem of Long Beach DUI, and they will tell you that we need better enforcement, more measurement of the problem, better education and tools for law enforcement, drivers, road engineers and policymakers. These are good points. And if we did indeed measure DUIs better with richer metrics, chances are we could see a decline in Pasadena DUI, Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI and Los Angeles DUI arrests. That being said, statistics may not be as useful as many bright-eyed and bushy-tailed pundits believe they are. As the old saw goes, “there are lies, damned lies and statistics.”

Case in point: consider a small story published in a Kansas newspaper, the Wichita Eagle, last week: “Wichita police see spike in DUI arrests.” Over a relatively non-special weekend, police saw a jump in DUI arrests of more than 50% – 31 arrests, up from the usual 21 DUI arrests for the weekend. Traffic accidents also increased from 70 to 98. This is a statistically significant shift, by any measure, and law enforcement officials and local prognosticators jumped on the story to immediately develop explanations for the surge. Wichita Eagle posited “there are lot of outdoor activities at this time of year… and that increases the opportunities for drunk driving to occur.” That said, the magazine concluded with this statement: “DUI arrests were made all over Wichita…and couldn’t be linked to any specific event.”

What if the surge was just a random fluctuation? Sounds impossible?

It turns out that statistics don’t work quite the way that most people believe that they do. In any given city, on any given weekend, one might expect a surprising surge – 50% or even more – as part of the random background statistical noise. In other words, the spike need not tie into any specific event because it really was random. It only appeared to have meaning because the statistics were considered just in the context of Wichita instead of in the context of the whole nation.

Think about it this way: say you were to flip a coin six times in a row. What are the odds that you flip heads each time? Here is the quick answer: 1 in 64 (1/2*1/2*1/2*1/2*1/2*1/2). If you pull out a coin and ever do this experiment, chances are pretty good (63 out of 64) that you will not get heads every time. But 1 out of every 64 readers of this blog post will! And to that person, this post may seem like magic. In fact, it’s not. Random events can look like something more than random when viewed out of context. Thus, the spike in Wichita DUIs might not have been anything at all. It might have been something… but there is not really a clean and clear way to tell.

The same thinking should apply to study of Long Beach DUI statistics.

On a more practical note, if you are in need of the services of an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454) may be able to steer you in a good direction. Attorney Michael Kraut is an experienced prosecutor who is respected by legal peers and by major news media as a maven of Los Angeles DUI law. He can help you understand your rights, develop a strategy, and ensure that you make smart decisions going forward to protect your rights as a defendant.

Continue reading "Long Beach DUI Statistics: What Can They Really Tell Us?" »

After U.S. lawmakers pressured Apple, the tech company has banned an app called “Buzzed” which revealed the locations of Long Beach DUI checkpoints (and checkpoints elsewhere) that police had not previously publicized. Apple also changed its online store guidelines to come into compliance with this new policy: “Apps which contain DUI checkpoints [such as Los Angeles DUI, Pasadena DUI, Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI, etc.] that are not published by law enforcement agencies that encourage and enable drunk driving will be rejected."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) Nevada applauded Apple but encouraged the company “to take the next responsible step for removing all applications that allow unsafe drivers to evade police checkpoints.” Perez Hilton, for one, also applauded the Apple move: “It’s definitely a step in the right direction… we feel these apps only do more harm than good by putting other drives at risk. Not only will drunk drivers be drunk, but they will be fiddling around on their cell phones to avoid getting caught!”

Opinions about Apple's move were far from unanimous, however. For instance, as techdirt.com points out, blogger Nick Gillespie built a powerful argument against the banning of apps like Buzzed: “police themselves regularly make this info available as a deterrent.”

Quoting from Gillespie’s blog now: “Some police departments actually support the data used in such apps because they reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road!”

Another blog post on reason.com argued that such apps (like Buzzed) actually minimize drunk driving and speeding – which is one of the reasons why police in places such as Travis County, Texas are the ones entering the information for DUI checkpoint apps such as Trapster. As a Travis County cop puts it, “If we can stop the problematic behavior without writing tickets or hauling people, everybody is better off.”

The pundits and techno bloggers can continue to debate the merits (or lack thereof) of Apple’s app ban. But if you or someone you care about has recently been pulled over at a Long Beach DUI checkpoint, you have fewer intellectual concerns and more practical ones. A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, such as Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454), can inform you, help you understand your rights and responsibilities, and develop an astute and aggressive strategy to clear your record and defend your interests.

Continue reading "Long Beach DUI Tech News – Apple Bans “Buzzed” App" »

What makes a story about driving under the influence in Long Beach noteworthy? A quick search on Google news reveals that the most popular Burbank DUI, Pasadena DUI, Glendale DUI, and Los Angeles DUI stories involve celebrities, scary or grisly cases, or people doing stunt-like acts while DUI, such as driving lawnmowers, jet skis, or electric unicycles.

Sometimes, the ages of the participants – as well as their dramatic situations – influence newsworthiness. For instance, last week, police arrested 20-year-old Andrew Magill of Arona, Pennsylvania for driving under the influence, after his 16-year-old wife leapt from his car. Early reports did not specify why the 16-year-old leapt from the vehicle at Central Highway and Buttermilk Hollow Road at 6:15 A.M. last Tuesday. But the fall resulted in a potentially serious head injury and a DUI charge for her husband. Apparently, police are not expected to file domestic dispute charges.

This near tragedy (or, possibly, semi-tragedy) clearly illustrates that there is a fine, almost minuscule line between conventional Long Beach DUI -- which is generally charged as a misdemeanor pursuant to CVC 23152 (a) or 22152 (b) -- and Long Beach injury DUI, which would be charged according to CVC 23153 (a) or 23153 (b).

If all those letters and numbers confused you, we are talking about the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor – between a mild sentence and more than a year behind bars!

Even if you have the world’s best Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, your challenges become exponentially greater if you have to fight a felony count (or multiple felony counts) instead of just a simple misdemeanor.

This isn’t to say that all hope is lost. Indeed, Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454) can provide immediate, strategic assistance developing and moving your defense forward. Mr. Kraut is often called upon to analyze Long Beach DUI news stories for KTLA News, the New York Times, Fox News, and other major media sources. He served for nearly a decade-and-a-half as a prosecutor for the city before “switching sides” to represent defendants.

Continue reading "Long Beach DUI Romantic Tragedy… Well, It Would Have Been, But it Took Place In Pittsburgh" »

If you smoke medical marijuana and get behind the wheel – or drive under the influence of alcohol in Beverly Hills -- you can be charged with a crime pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a). Indeed, it doesn’t matter if the marijuana you smoke is legal – even over-the-counter medications or prescription medications taken with a doctor’s order can cause you to violate 23152(a). In the annals of the literature about Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI, Los Angeles DUI, and Pasadena DUI, you can find hundreds of cases involving people getting arrested for driving after consuming totally illegal drugs.

The question about how to measure drug-induced driving problems has obsessed lawmakers and policymakers for some time. The Colorado Senate last month proposed a bill to set a limit for marijuana blood content. But last Tuesday, the CO Senate Judiciary Committee killed that bill -- House Bill 1261 -- on a voice vote. The Pot DUI Bill would have set a limit for medicinal marijuana drivers – if you had more than 5 nanograms per milliliter of THC in your blood, you would be considered over the legal limit.

A medicinal marijuana advocate, William Breathes, demonstrated that his THC levels remained over that limit -- even after he had slept for a full night and abstained from smoking for 15 hours. An occupational medicine specialist evaluated him at that time and declared him to be “in no way incapacitated.”

Advocates of the Pot DUI Bill, such as Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, were furious that the bill died. Said Suthers: “It is dumbfounding that the Colorado Senate could fail to pass a per se Marijuana bill. There are approximately 125,000 Coloradans authorized by state law to use medical marijuana…The Senate’s vote yesterday exhibited not only a lack of concern for the safety of Colorado drivers and pedestrians, but also an inability to lead.”

This policy debate is hugely important, and it's one that’s not likely to go away, especially here in California, where more and more citizens over the past decade have been using medicinal marijuana to treat problems like glaucoma, chronic pain, and depression and anxiety. If you’ve been arrested for a drug-related DUI in Beverly Hills, a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney, such as Michael Kraut of Beverly Hills’ Kraut Law Group (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935), can provide you with the essential guidance and legal counsel you need.

Mr. Kraut is well regarded by peers and by the media as an expert on the subject of Los Angeles DUI, and he also served for nearly a decade-and-a-half as a prosecutor of drug and alcohol crimes.

The crime of driving under the influence in Glendale – in and of itself – is enormous and consequential, even if you don’t cause damage to life or limb and you cooperate fully with authorities – and even if you were just barely over the limit.

But evidence mounting against Miguel Cabrera – an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers – suggests that the major leaguer, who was arrested back in February on DUI charges, may be in a lot more trouble than anyone previously knew.

As this blog and other media outlets reported, Cabrera got arrested on February 16th in a florid scene that probably would have been newsworthy even if he hadn’t been a major league baseball player. If you have been pulled over in a relatively pedestrian Burbank DUI, Glendale DUI, Los Angeles DUI, or Pasadena DUI matter, you may be shocked to learn how crazy Cabrera’s arrest was.

He apparently drank a whisky bottle in front of the officer who arrested him, asked the police to “kill me” and confessed to having threatened to blow up a steakhouse.

Turns out, all those things pale in comparison with what Cabrera might have done.

Last week, the Florida State’s Attorney’s Office released evidence that suggests that Cabrera nearly ran two different Wal-Mart trucks off the road in his Range Rover. The truckers were forced to “take evasive action… in order not to hit [Cabrera’s] sport utility vehicle head on.”

Cabrera allegedly caused one tractor trailer to dodge him and another to actually drive all the way onto the grass to avoid a collision.

More information about what actually happened will no doubt trickle in, once the June 10 hearing arrives. Had Cabrera collided head first with either of the trucks, chances are, this would be a story about Los Angeles DUI manslaughter.

When SUVs and truck collide on the highways head on at high speeds, even advanced safety measures like ABS and airbags can be rendered essentially useless. Glendale DUI vehicular manslaughter charges can lead to punishments such as lengthy jail sentences, fines and fees, alcohol school, strict probation, and essentially the end of a baseball career (or any career).

An experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney (one example: Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group – located in Glendale at 450 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 600, Glendale, California 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) can help you make sense of the charges pending against you and act in a timely, appropriate and proactive way to manage the charges. Connect today with this Harvard Law School educated attorney to go over your case and start plotting the most appropriate legal response.

Continue reading "Glendale DUI Near Nightmare Averted by Sheer Chance – Slugger Miguel Cabrera Nearly Ran Two Truckers Off the Road" »

Let’s face it: celebrities, movie stars, and Beverly Hills business people want to stay as thin as possible. But if you're on a low carb diet and you're pulled over under suspicion of Beverly Hills DUI, be forewarned that the ketone bodies that you produce while on this diet can potentially have an adverse effect on your breathalyzer readings.

In fact, this effect of low carb or very low calorie diets (e.g. fasting) can easily accidentally land you a Burbank DUI, Pasadena DUI, Glendale DUI, or Los Angeles DUI – even if you're significantly under the legal limit… or haven’t been drinking at all!

Before we get deep into the biochemistry, let’s dial back and learn a little bit more about the breathalyzer. A Beverly Hills DUI breathalyzer test is essentially a chemical analysis that looks for certain compounds on your breath to determine whether you’ve imbibed ethanol alcohol in a high concentration. If your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is greater than 0.08%, you will be tagged for Beverly Hills DUI pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 23152(b). End of story.

Or is it?

A variety of factors can screw up a breathalyzer’s reading. If you're diabetic, for instance, and you suffer from ketoacidosis – a potentially life threatening condition – you will produce chemicals that can skew the BAC reading to be higher than it should.

When you're on a low carb diet, your body will also manufacture these compounds, called ketones, but at very safe levels. (One of the big myths about low carb diets involves confusing the very dangerous ketoacidosis with normal ketosis).

Essentially, when you spare carbohydrates in the diet, your liver burns fat to help transform protein via a process known as gluconeogenesis into the glucose you need to run things like your brain. The half burnt fat releases ketone compounds to help provide fuel for the body and organs. According to Dr. Michael Eades, author of the best seller Protein Power, “the heart, for example, operates about 28% more efficiently on ketones than it does on glucose.”

In any event, the ketones not used immediately for fuel remain in the blood; they will be present in your breath and can skew your breathalyzer reading. How much will they skew your reading? The answer depends on a huge variety of factors, including how deeply into ketosis you are, your age, your gender, your weight, whether you’ve consumed alcohol simultaneously, whether you are on any medications, and literally dozens of other factors.

To build an effective defense, therefore, it’s common sense and good practice to talk to an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Mr. Michael Kraut, (offices in Beverly Hills at: 9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935), can discuss your arrest and possible defense strategies today. Mr. Kraut spent nearly 15 years serving the city as a prosecutor – he actually put many DUI offenders behind bars.

Continue reading "Beverly Hills DUI Unfairness: Can a Low Carb Diet Ruin your Breathalyzer Readings?" »