There’s a new District Attorney in Los Angeles and with him comes New Policies Many of us know that there is a new District Attorney in Los Angeles County.  The District Attorney is the head prosecutor in the county where he was elected.  He makes all decisions about filing misdemeanors and felonies committed within his county.  Our new DA, George Gascon was elected on a campaign of liberal justice, striking prior convictions, striking enhancements for gangs, great bodily injury, guns, eliminating life sentences and never asking for the death penalty. I have already seen the effect of the new District …

San Fernando DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer The San Fernando Valley is a big place.  It’s so big that it actually has two criminal courthouses.  Some counties, like Ventura, only have one courthouse for the entire county.  The San Fernando Courthouse handles misdemeanors and felonies which occur in the San Fernando Valley, to the North of Roscoe Boulevard and South of the 210 Freeway.  This includes all of Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Sylmar, Porter Ranch, and even the city of San Fernando.  The Los Angeles City Attorney handles the misdemeanors within the City of Los Angeles and the District Attorney …

Van Nuys DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer Growing up in the San Fernando Valley really does give me better perspective on my job of defending people charged with DUI or other criminal cases.  I know where every police station in the Valley located.  I know many of the spots where cops hang out looking to write tickets or make arrests.  I know what bars are frequented by cops around closing time.  I have even gotten to know many of the Valley Traffic Unit and DUI task force cops in the Valley.  It’s actually kind of funny walking into court in …

The Real Encino Criminal Defense Attorney They say you are truly “from a place” when you have kids who are born there.  If that is the case, I am the true Encino Criminal Defense Lawyer.  Being born and raised in Encino, California does make me better equipped to handle criminal and DUI defense cases in Encino, Van Nuys and San Fernando.  Unlike many law firms who hire full time content writers and IT professionals, every blog on my site was written by me.  Every review about my work on the internet was written by a client, not someone I paid. …

DUI Arrests over a hot Labor Day Weekend We’ve been sheltering at home, working from home, and wearing masks. Well all of us except the president.  We’ve had vacations cancelled, campground closed, rental houses shut down and we are getting tired.  We’re tired of being stuck inside, tired of wearing masks, and we NEED to get out. Things are starting to open up.  Restaurants are serving meals on their patios.  Wineries are open for outdoor service.  Beer, wine and alcohol delivery service and “to-go” service is available as we have never seen it before. This weekend we have record breaking …

Now is a Great Time to Reduce and Expunge Times are tough.  There is no end in sight to our current world situation.  The job market is terrible, unemployment is high, rent has never been more expensive, and our criminal records are holding us back. One of my clients just called me to tell me he was turned down for an apartment because of his felony conviction.  Another client told me his old boss offered him his job back if he could get his felony reduced to a misdemeanor.  Yet another was to be promoted at work if he could …

Arrested for Child Pornography in California I have been getting a lot of calls in the past few years from clients who were arrested for possession or distribution of child pornography.  This includes still photographs and videos.  These are very tough cases, and they can be brutal if picked up by the fed’s.  Recent advances in technology have made it much easier for law enforcement to find potential offenders.  Cooperation between internet companies and law enforcement has made locating computers even easier for the cops. Simply put, assume that your internet provider is “policing” every online move you make.  Assume …

The Cost to Hire a Lawyer for Your DUI If you are shopping for price, you can stop now.  I will not be the cheapest lawyer you can find to help you with your DUI.  For years I have been getting calls and people simply want to know how much it costs to hire a lawyer to defend them for a DUI. The answer has not changed.  After over 20 years of practicing law and hundreds and hundreds of DUI cases, the answer is the same, it depends.  It depends on the case, the location, criminal history, whether it goes …

Trial and Why it Might be the Right Thing for You Many criminal defense and DUI defense lawyers want to talk to you about a plea. Plead guilty, often straight up to the charged crime. What good does this do? Good question. If pleading guilty to the charges does not sit well with you, you’re not alone. It doesn’t sit well with me either. A win for me can take several different forms. First, a dismissal of all charges or an acquittal of all charges is certainly a win. But that’s not the only way to win. A reduction of …

Domestic Violence is on the Rise Domestic violence is on the rise. It appears to be another negative biproduct of the pandemic. Normally, in my business, we hear about domestic violence cases on the rise about Thanksgiving time and they stay up in numbers through the new year. This reoccurring phenomenon seems to have two main triggers. First, the holiday times generally means there is a lot of time with family. There is often a great deal of vacation taken and a lot time spent in the home with relatives and friends. Next, there is traditionally more alcohol consumption around …