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…
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…
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…
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…
Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a measure of alcohol in your bloodstream. It’s used as an indicator of your level of intoxication. California’s BAC for drivers 21 years of age and over is .08 percent. Until recently, that number remained the same for drivers…
With the beginning of each year come new laws, some of which may go into effect January 1st. In 2018, there are a number of laws that impact the criminal justice system that you should be aware of. If you have been arrested or are…
