Law & Information
Should There Be an Age Restriction on Driving?
Senior drivers are now the fastest growing demographic of licensed drivers. In fact, it is estimated that at least 25 percent of all drivers will be 65 or older by 2025.1 While seniors are often considered safety risks on the road, new research shows they are actually safer drivers than their teen counterparts. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drivers between 70 and 79 had the same crash…
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Amanda Bynes and Involuntary Civil Commitment in California
The lives of child actors often become cautionary tales about the fleeting nature of fame and fortune. Amanda Bynes, once the star of Nickelodeon’s “All That,” has a story that is not unlike many that came before her, but in some ways, hers may be the most troubling case of all. In October, doctors at a Pasadena hospital placed the 28-year-old Bynes under an involuntary 72-hour psychiatric hold after a…
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The Truth Behind Police Homicides
When reporters for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) began looking into the number of the police officer-involved homicides that occur around the country each year, they discovered that hundreds of police killings have not been included in national statistics. In fact, police killings are reported on a voluntary basis, so most police departments don’t report them at all. According to the WSJ, between 2007 and 2012, at least 550 police…
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California Ends “Gay Panic” Defense
Defense attorneys can be a creative lot, and that has often led to a cynical view of the legal profession. In 1978, San Francisco Supervisor Dan White murdered Mayor George Moscone and fellow Supervisor Harvey Milk. White had been known to be a fitness fanatic, but prior to the killings, had become depressed. His defense team presented testimony from a doctor that his diet consisting of Twinkies and other junk…
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The Devastating Ramifications of Having a Restraining Order Granted against You: Why You Need a Qualified Restraining Order Lawyer
The consequences of having a California restraining order granted against you can be severe. If a restraining order is filed against you, it is of the utmost importance to retain the services of a qualified restraining order law firm to come to your defense. If you do not hire a law firm to defend you it is much more likely that the restraining order will be granted against you. If…
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Lyrically Guilty, Factually Innocent?
If we were to take music lyrics literally, we would have to believe that Eminem's ex-wife is somewhere at the bottom of a lake. We would have to take it as fact that Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Of course, Bob Marley would have been charged for shooting the sheriff (but not the deputy). As ridiculous as the notion of interpreting song lyrics…
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Ever Wonder Where the Judge Was When You Were Waiting for Your Case to be Called?
As you sit anxiously in the, crowded, gloomy courthouse waiting for your case to be called, you glance at your watch. 30 minutes pass, then another 15, and then another, but still, no sign of the judge. Maybe he's stuck in traffic, or maybe his car broke down. Whatever the reason for his tardiness, it must be for a valid reason, you naively think to yourself as the day continues…
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You Must Be Mentally Competent to Be Sent to Jail in California (California Penal Code Section 1368)
In order to be sent to jail or prison in California, you must be deemed mentally competent, the California Court of Appeals ruled recently. If you are mentally incompetent and cannot understand the charges being filed against you, you must first receive treatment to attempt to be deemed competent. Recently, a defendant on trial for numerous sex crimes was determined to be mentally incompetent, and therefore unable to stand trial.…
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Are Communications Between an Inmate and his Lawyer Confidential?
Generally, communications between a defendant and his lawyer are supposed to be confidential. However, recent reports suggest that prosecutors have been increasingly intercepting emails and telephone conversations between imprisoned defendants and their attorneys. The DA has blamed alleged security concerns to justify this interference. This raises serious issues as to whether this practice violates a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Should prosecutors be able to intercept conversations between inmates…
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Court Rules Your Silence Can Be Used Against You
You are arrested for hit and run and the police have you in the back of their car. You are at the scene of the accident, and the alleged victims are also at the scene. You are probably worried about the potential consequences you face and how it will affect your life. However, the California Supreme Court thinks that you should also express worry about the victims. In a recent…
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