Brady v. Maryland is a 1963 Supreme Court case that affects the rights of defendants in criminal cases. Essentially, Brady dictates that prosecutors must disclose to the defense any evidence that might help the defendant make their case for innocence. As the Supreme Court put…
In December 2018, President Trump signed into law the FIRST STEP Act, which puts in place several changes to the federal criminal justice system. Despite the intense partisanship of American politics, the STEP Act passed through Congress with strong bipartisan support. In the Senate, the…
In California, drunk driving kills thousands of individuals annually, and injures even more. Senate Bill 1046 aims to tackle this problem by expanding the state’s DUI Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Program. An IID is a small electronic device that measures your blood alcohol content (BAC)…
California’s Governor Jerry Brown has signed Senate Bill 1391 and Senate Bill 439 into law, adding to the statutes on the prosecution of juveniles within the state’s justice system. The two bills were part of the Equity and Justice Package, a collection of several bills…
On a weekend, say you were out with some friends and indulged in a drink or two. Knowing that you had to drive, you were careful not to drink too much. However, while navigating your way home, you get pulled over for what seems to…
A criminal case in Fresno begins when a person is arrested, a prosecutor files charges, or a grand jury issues an indictment. Of the three, a likely scenario you could find yourself in is an arrest. After an arrest, a prosecutor will likely file official…
Under recent changes to the California Penal Code, individuals with mental health disorders now have better access to diversion of charges. Pretrial diversion allows you to avoid the formal prosecution of charges against you if you agree to undergo treatment. Once the treatment concludes, the…
If you’ve been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), there is a long list of possible consequences you can face. Having a DUI on your record can affect your life even after you pay your debt to society. Driving under the influence may show…
Under California’s existing felony murder rule, you can go to prison for murder if a death occurs during the commission of a felony offense you were involved in – even if you don’t actually commit the murder. The rule was made as a way of…
California has hit a milestone that many in the legal industry have anticipated for decades: it is the first state in the U.S. to abolish the use of cash bail for defendants who are awaiting trial. However, if you were recently arrested for a crime…
