In 2021, California enacted Senate Bill 384, heralding a transformative shift in its approach to the sex offender registry. Previously, once an individual's name was entered into this registry, it became a lifelong commitment. However, under the new legislation,...
Governor Newsom signed hundreds of new bills into law that took effect beginning this year. We will be highlighting many of them throughout the year. Here are just a few more: SB 1228 (DNA from Rape Kits) In 2016, a property crime case was issued against a sexual...
Most people look forward to the fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve, but at the Law Office of David P. Shapiro, we get excited when the new year is ushered in with the passage of new laws that benefit our clients. We are happy to report that lawmakers appear to be...
First, let’s discuss what a preliminary hearing is. A preliminary hearing is a “mini trial” that comes after the arraignment and before the trial. It takes place when you are charged with a felony offense. There is no preliminary hearing for misdemeanor charges in...
You should hire a criminal defense attorney whenever there is a realistic chance of being charged with a crime. “Wait and see” is oftentimes the worst strategy imaginable. In fact, it is not a strategy at all, but rather gives up all control of your future to the...
Being arrested can be a very traumatic experience and even more so when you have no idea what to do or what to expect. A lot of people feel lost and powerless through the process. It is important to know that you can regain control of the situation by being proactive...
Speeding This one is a no brainer. It is by far the most common reason a driver would get pulled over. Depending on how fast the driver is going and if there is any accident or injuries, this may even lead to serious criminal charges that go beyond a simple speeding...
Juvenile court proceedings begin with the arrest of a minor. If law enforcement decides to detain the minor, then the minor may be taken to juvenile hall and face charges in juvenile court. Who can be charged in juvenile court? To be charged in juvenile court in...
In many instances, you can petition for an expungement under California Penal Code section 1203.4. If granted, an expungement allows you to withdraw your guilty plea and reenter a plea of not guilty. Basically, it gets the case dismissed for many (but not all)...
You cannot lawfully be arrested or prosecuted after the statute of limitations has run its course. This blog will focus on varying statutes of limitation for California crimes, not federal crimes. Statutes of limitations are a set of time periods which a prosecutor...
