With the term “public intoxication,” we typically think of drunkenness. However, this offense also applies to intoxication from any substance, including: Illicit drugs, such as methamphetamine Prescription drugs, such as oxycodone Inhaled substances, such as glue What...
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Year: 2021
What are your options if facing a petty theft charge?
Petty theft is a crime for which well-intentioned people are often wrongly accused. You may have legitimately thought you had the owner’s permission to take a particular item. You could receive a gift that was stolen and not even realize it. Or you could be shopping...
After drinking, you may have to wait longer than you think before driving
We all know the effects of alcohol on drivers. But many people think they can handle driving when the effect of the alcohol they consumed has not yet worn off. In 2018, the California Office of Traffic Safety reported that there were more than 1,000 deaths in...
How to defend against or avoid penalties for driving with a suspended license
A person who knowingly operates a vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license may be charged with a misdemeanor that carries a sentence of up to six months in jail, fines and other expenses that can cost $1,000 or more. Driving with a suspended license is a...
How can I avoid a hit-and-run charge in San Diego after an accident?
California Vehicle Code 20002 VC makes it a crime to leave the scene of an accident without stopping and leaving personal information when damage occurs to vehicles or other property. Drivers involved in an accident must stop even if they were not responsible for the...
How do I defend against or avoid a weapons charge in San Diego?
Carrying a loaded firearm in a public area or a motor vehicle is considered a crime in California. While each case is charged according to its unique circumstances, most are usually prosecuted as misdemeanors, which can result in a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to one...
Lessons to learn from Bruce Springsteen’s DUI arrest
On Feb. 7, rock legend Bruce Springsteen appeared in his first-ever Super Bowl commercial driving a Jeep and urging unity for a divided nation. A couple of days later, the carmaker pulled the ad after it was disclosed that “The Boss” was charged with DUI in New Jersey...
How can ‘diversion’ affect a charge of resisting arrest?
Under California’s Penal Code 148(a)(1) and following, resisting arrest is a misdemeanor offense that typically results from someone “willfully” obstructing police officers or emergency medical personnel while performing their duties. A conviction can result in one...
How to defend against an arson charge
Every year, stories of wildfires in California dominate the news cycle. Images of flames consuming forests and hills, and sometimes even neighborhoods, flood TV screens. Sometimes these fires are the accidental result of campers and hikers making cooking fires, or by...
4 facts regarding prescription drugs and crimes in California
Californians can face criminal charges for possessing prescription drugs without a valid prescription from a physician, podiatrist, dentist or veterinarian under California Health and Safety Code 11350 HS. The maximum sentence for a misdemeanor conviction is one year...