Most people understand that serious crimes carry serious penalties, like jail time and fines. However, many people don’t realize that certain crimes – including domestic violence – can create problems for them outside of the criminal courts. Lawyers call these non-criminal effects “collateral consequences.” A collateral consequence is a legal […]
In the California criminal code, some crimes, such as murder, are always felonies. Others, like public intoxication, are always misdemeanors. But some crimes can be either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the circumstances. California lawyers call these crimes “wobblers” because they can fall on either side of the felony/misdemeanor line. […]
Domestic violence is a serious crime that carries serious consequences. New California laws on domestic violence raise the already high stakes by offering new definitions and extending deadlines. California has also revamped its laws on restraining orders. Though restraining orders generally happen in civil court, there is a direct relationship […]
The time is long past when violence occurring between spouses or family members behind closed doors was a private matter. The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. In fact, the penalties for a domestic assault conviction may be more severe than a similar assault on someone who is not […]
Charges for domestic violence are handled more aggressively and often have more severe penalties than the same acts perpetrated against people you don’t have some sort of intimate or household relationship with. Those close relationships are precisely what make acts of violence more egregious in the eyes of the law. […]