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Immigration officers are trolling courthouses across the country in search of undocumented immigrants, and this is having a profound effect on the justice system. In addition to courthouse arrests, the issue is affecting ongoing criminal trials. Last year, for example, in a domestic violence case in San Francisco, the mother of a domestic violence victim

In an article published this month in the San Diego Criminal Defense Blog, Stefano L. Molea, a San Diego criminal defense lawyer and partner at the Law Office of David P. Shapiro, provides useful information regarding the consequences of low-level drug crimes for immigrants in California. The article focuses on AB 208 which was signed into law late last

David P. Shapiro is honored to have been selected as as finalist for the 2018 San Diego Next Top Business Leaders Under 40. The San Diego Business Journal will honor young professionals — leaders, change makers and innovators — who are making waves, creating impact and leaving a positive mark on the San Diego community.

Effective July 1, 2018, Uber, Lyft and other ride-share drivers will be subject to a lower legal limit for their blood alcohol content when charged with a DUI. Currently, they are subject to a legal limit of 0.08, the same as other drivers of passenger vehicles. Drivers of trucks and other commercial vehicles are already

Arrested but never convicted? Have your California arrest record sealed. It’s one thing to be charged with a crime and to be acquitted or for the case to be dismissed. But what about your arrest record? This could affect your employment and educational opportunities by remaining a blemish on your record. Under the CARE Act

When Stefano L. Molea arrived in the United States from Italy at the age of 10, he lacked many of the advantages of children his age. Coming from a working class, blue-collar family, and arriving in a place where he did not have friends or even speak the English language, he learned early on the

This Book Tells You What You Need to Know Click here to see a summary of the book and learn how to obtain a copy If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime, what should you do? The ultimate goal is to get your life back on track, and to regain

Being charged with a sex crime will throw your life into chaos. The purpose of this book is not to excuse sexual assault and similar behavior. On the other hand, you may be entirely innocent, or the charge against you may be exaggerated. And as we know from the “Weinstein Effect,” merely being accused of

On New Year’s Day, recreational marijuana became legal in California. Just 4 days later, the Trump administration sought to throw a wrench in the new law when Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent out a memo to the Justice Department which stated that “marijuana activity is a serious crime.” Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and

Stefano Molea Brings Experience, Quality Representation to Our Criminal Law Practice Our law firm has successfully provided outstanding legal representation to those charged with crimes since it was founded by Managing Partner David P. Shapiro in 2007. With success comes growth, and that growth in turn gives us the opportunity to serve more and more

David Shapiro Discusses Domestic Violence in California The reports on the level of domestic violence during the holiday season are mixed, although high expectations, money pressures, and the increase in alcohol consumption tends to raise stress levels, which may precipitate incidents leading to domestic violence charges. In this video, San Diego criminal defense attorney David P.

From Harvey Weinstein to a host of celebrities, sexual assault and other sexual misconduct has been big news lately. Whether the issue is an allegation against a movie producer or just an average citizen, David Shapiro’s experience has often led the media to his office for comments about cases in the news. Recent interviews include Voice

Finding the Right Attorney When You Are Charged with a Crime In this online video, San Diego criminal defense lawyer David P. Shapiro discusses what to look for in an attorney when you or a loved one are facing criminal charges. Experience is obviously an issue, but David emphasizes the importance of also looking at the

We’ve been deluged lately by news reports about the “opioid” crisis. They’re talking primarily about prescription opiates – Fentanyl, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percocet, and others. Why all the shouting? Well, to begin with, the link between crime and drug use is extraordinary. In San Diego, for example, SANDAG tells us that around 75% of all those

What do you gain by having a free case evaluation? This video describes what you can expect when you come into our office to meet Mr. Shapiro or one of his staff members, or speak to us on the phone, for your free case evaluation. The evaluation will be absolutely confidential, and we will take

The courts have been active thus far this year dealing with numerous issues in the area of criminal law. Some of the more newsworthy cases are: Conflicting decisions on warrantless search of probationer’s cell phone. Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and California Fourth District Court of Appeal differ on constitutional interpretation. If you are

Candid Video on Arrests, Jail and More David Shapiro has been helping people charged with crimes for over 10 years. In this candid video, David speaks about his own experience as a defendant in the criminal justice system. This is one of the reasons that David understands the fear, uncertainty, and stress that clients go

August 17, 1998– Bill Clinton became the first sitting President to testify before a grand jury in which the focus of the investigation was the President himself. August 4, 1964 – Three young civil rights workers were found murdered and buried in an earthen dam outside Philadelphia, Mississippi. They were participating in the Mississippi Summer Project

Defenses to Drug Possession Charges In this online video, San Diego criminal defense attorney David P. Shapiro discusses felony drug possession charges. These usually involve allegations of a large amount of drugs in your car, in your house, or under your personal control. Mr. Shapiro points out that the mere fact that you have been

When the voters of California passed Proposition 64 in November of last year, they did more than legalize the possession of marijuana for personal use. Prop 64 also reduced some marijuana offenses from felonies to misdemeanors or wobblers, and others from misdemeanors to infractions. And it allows the court to reduce some marijuana-related felony convictions to misdemeanors, some

Reduced penalties for shoplifting under Prop 47. Misdemeanor designation also applies to entering premises to commit non-larcenous act such as cashing stolen check. Men arrested for Facebook posts sue police. Two men who posted rap lyrics on Facebook and were arrested for gang activities have sued the San Diego Police Department in federal court for deprivation of their First

Are you facing a DUI? In this YouTube video, San Diego DUI and criminal defense attorney David P. Shapiro discusses why it’s essential to hire an attorney to defend against a DUI charge, even one where the police say you had a high blood alcohol content (BAC), maybe two or three times the legal limit.

Brown v. Board of Education (decided May 17, 1954 by the U.S. Supreme Court). Racial segregation in public schools declared unconstitutional. Pitchess v. Superior Court (decided May 23, 1974 by the California Supreme Court). Defendants in criminal cases may access a police officer’s personnel file to support allegations of excessive force or lying about circumstances surrounding the

Autism Scholarship Announced In this short video, David speaks about the firm’s scholarship program. This year, he is offering tuition assistance for those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. ASD and autism refer to a group of disorders that can present difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and other areas. The scholarship is intended to foster

A report last month in the San Diego Union Tribune described a car accident in Poway. The driver was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol. There was nothing particularly unusual about the crash. A man was driving a BMW on Pomerado Road in the early morning hours when his car struck the rear

Last week California Governor Jerry Brown released a list of 72 individuals he has pardoned, including several involving crimes committed in the San Diego area. Those pardoned had been convicted of a wide variety of offenses, ranging from marijuana possession to animal cruelty to arson. A pardon is an act by the governor representing forgiveness

California Supreme Court Upholds and “Interprets” Chelsea’s Law Chelsea’s Law is a California statute that significantly increased penalties for sex offenders. The law, which became effective in 2010, covered, among other things, sentencing, parole, and internet postings. It was passed in response to the rape and murder that same year of Chelsea King, a San

A number of famous crimes were committed in the month of April, including: April 14, 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. April 15, 1920 – Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti allegedly kill a paymaster and a guard at a factory in Massachusetts in order to steal a $16,000 payroll shipment.

St. Patrick’s Day is generally known as a drinking holiday. And if the activities of the police are any indication, they believe that it translates into more drinking and driving than usual. Here’s a compilation of just a few of the activities around town on March 17, 2017: Gaslamp. The position of the DUI checkpoint

The news is filled these days with statistics on crime. It is also filled with misstatements about whether crime is on the increase or on the decline in states and cities across the nation. Some folks appear to be sticking to their claim that violent crime us up everywhere, largely due to immigrants and not

Identity theft has been creating problems for individuals for decades. But it is not since the expansion of internet use that the problem has truly exploded. On an annual basis, around 15 million people are affected by identity theft each year. Around 1.5 million of those people are Californians. It is definitely a growth industry,

Data Says Sanctuary Counties are Safer You’ve heard of the gender gap and the generation gap. Well, we have a new one for you. We call it the “fact gap.” It is a phenomenon that arises when a politician spouts words that have no factual basis whatsoever. The sole purpose of these statements appears to

In this video, David Shapiro discusses a variety of drug charges. Topics include: Simple possession vs. possession with intent to sell; Diversion programs; Felony vs. misdemeanor drug charges; Plea bargains; Marijuana legalization; and Defenses, including entrapment.

Rapper and Student Sue San Diego PD In case you haven’t noticed, there are thousands of laws on the books in California, including those contained in the California Penal Code. Sometimes the lawmakers get it right, and sometimes the language they draft and codify into law invites problems. All of which brings us to PC

In February 2016, a computer hacker was able to seize control of the computer system at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. This prevented the hospital from accessing its own data. It wasn’t a prank. The hacker demanded ransom in the form of “bitcoins.” Bitcoin is a new currency created about 8 years ago.  They can be used