The rise of the Internet in the past few decades has also led to the expansion of Internet-related crimes. Online activities are no longer as incognito as they once seemed. Anonymous usernames, avatars and password-protected accounts aren’t enough to shield users from the real-world consequences of online crimes. One relatively new type of Internet crime – cyber-bullying – has garnered national attention, especially in light of highly publicized cases. Cyber-bullying is a broad term that includes harassment, stalking, threats and other malicious conduct advanced through any electronic means ..read more

You probably don't think about this much, but someone who is incarcerated loses their right to vote in every state other than Vermont and Maine. The right to vote is one of many things that a felon loses when they are convicted of a crime, but with this specific right, it is notoriously difficult for the individual to regain his or her ability to vote -- and even when they do regain their right, it can be rife with complications. But the debate is an interesting one. It has some deep-lying political elements to it, but in general the side that is in favor of allowing former felons to vote say ..read more

You shouldn't wait until you are in trouble before soliciting the services of a lawyer. Sacramento residents and those across the nation who are in need of immediate legal assistance know the importance of retaining an attorney as soon as possible. Here are some specific situations where it's imperative you call an attorney. Trouble with the Law If you get into trouble with the law and are taken off to jail for whatever reason (DUI, tax fraud, domestic violence, or other criminal activities), you will need to speak to an attorney. You have the right to remain silent until you do. This means y ..read more

An incredible story out of Oregon demonstrates that the criminal justice system doesn't always respect your rights or your liberty -- and for this reason, anyone accused of a crime needs to get criminal defense help to ensure that they are protected from this type of unfortunate situation. On this day two-and-a-half years ago (900 days ago, to be exact), two people were arrested and accused of hindering the prosecution in a case that involved a murder. One of the men arrested is the father of the other person charged. These two people have been held as material witnesses in the case. But here ..read more

Drunk driving seems like such an ubiquitous charge nowadays, and there's a reason for that. Many states, prosecutors, and district attorneys are pushing back against drunk driving, and this has resulted in people who commit this offense to be pursued and punished in very harsh ways. The penalties associated with drunk driving are already harsh enough, even without bolstered laws or overly-exuberant prosecutors. Someone who is charged with driving under the influence will likely lose their license, and they may face some extensive jail time. They will also be subjected to fines and court fees t ..read more

When you hear the phrase "aggravated assault," what do you think of? You probably imagine someone who has attacked someone, but who is also really upset while it's happening. Though that may seem comical, that would seem to be the truth if you interpreted it literally. To the contrary, aggravated assault is a charge that depends on the circumstances of the crime in question. Aggravated assault is a charge filed against someone who has assaulted another person, and then the charge is elevated to "aggravated" depending on the circumstances and seriousness of the crime. What this means is that th ..read more

Imagine this scenario: you are driving to work one day but you are going a little too fast. The police pull you over for speeding and they give you a ticket -- but wait a minute. It turns out you forgot to renew your license. Now the police throw more fines at you and you're required to appear in court, at which point you tell a judge you are unable to pay the exorbitant fines that have suddenly piled up. So what does the court do? It puts you on a 30-day period of probation and turns your case over to a for-profit company that collects fines and deal with probation relating to violations of t ..read more

If a driver, during a traffic stop here in California, tests at or above the legal limit for blood alcohol level (0.08 percent for those 21 and over), criminal charges are not the only thing they can be facing. They also will generally face an immediate administrative action from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The administrative action in question is a license suspension. How long does a DMV driver license suspension for testing at or over the limit last? It depends on whether it was the driver's first offense. For drivers 21 and older, the suspension length for a first offense i ..read more

When you hear the phrase "sex crimes," what do you think of? If we had to guess, you are probably picturing a person who is a "monster" -- someone who did a terrible thing and deserves to be punished for the rest of his or her life as a result of the offense he or she committed. And there are certainly people out there who are like that. But there are also many people out there who have been accused and/or convicted of a sex crime that are by no means "monsters." There is a lot of nuance to the penalties attached to sex crimes, just as there is a lot of variety in terms of the types of sex cri ..read more

A new study has come to a few startling conclusions about juvenile crime and the impact so many arrests and incarcerations of young people affect the graduation rates of these individuals. But that isn't the only thing this study is about. There are a few key takeaways from the study that highlight the failings of not just the juvenile criminal system, but the entire criminal justice system. First of all, a disproportionate number of juveniles who are arrested are racial minorities. And even though the overall number of juveniles that are incarcerated has been in decline since 1997, the racial ..read more