Jun
25
Criminal Defense Tips: What You Need to Know about Your Miranda Rights
Do you watch the television show, "Cops?" A fan of "Criminal Minds?" If you watch crime shows, or ever witnessed an arrested yourself, you've probably seen an officer reading someone their "rights" upon being cuffed and thrown into the back of a police vehicle. But what are these rights? Why do officers have to say them? What do they mean? This article will tell you.
Categories: Criminal Defense
Jun
18
Marijuana DUI: What a Fresno DUI Attorney Thinks You Should Know
While many celebrated California's legalization of recreational marijuana last November (Proposition 64), that same initiative granted California Highway Patrol (CHP) a multimillion-dollar contract to enforce it. That enforcement includes going after marijuana DUI.
Categories: DUID Defense
Apr
29
Times Police Can Search You or Your Home or Car Without a Warrant
The fourth amendment of the United States Constitution grants persons reasonable rights to not have themselves and their properties searched. Unlawful searches and seizures can violate a person's expectation of privacy. There are, however, several mitigating circumstances that allow law enforcement to legally search you, your residence or your vehicle without a warrant.
Categories: Criminal Cases
Apr
23
Investigators at Your Door - 2017 Criminal Defense Tips
If you've witnessed a crime, know a crime victim or perpetrator, or investigators are at your door because you may be a material witness to a crime in the San Joaquin Valley, you need legal representation. In this emotional upsetting time, you know both of the individuals, but nothing of their argument or dispute? Even the police chief has come to your door. No one should face criminal charges alone.
Categories: Criminal Defense
Feb
27
Fresno Drunk Driving Defense: Can You Plead Down to a Wet Reckless?
Because the charges in California for an driving under the influence (DUI) conviction are so steep - those convicted face a large fine, possible prison terms, and possible suspension or revocation of their license - defendants often ask about methods to plead the charge down to a lesser offense. One option is a charge often termed a “wet reckless.”
Categories: DUI Defense
Feb
26
Fresno Criminal Attorney Asks: Can Police Use Your Smartphone Fingerprint Feature as Evidence?
For a wide variety of crimes, technological developments are opening up new possibilities for police to obtain evidence. One potential piece of evidence they may want to collect and use to establish their case is a smartphone fingerprint, such as the Touch ID used for iPhones.
Categories: Criminal Defense
Dec
30
Man Charged with a DUI Caused by Caffeine
When most people think of driving under the influence or DUI, they think about drunk driving or perhaps getting behind the wheel while using some illegal drug such as cocaine. But Joseph Schwab, was pulled over for allegedly driving erratically and cutting off an agent from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. A breathalyzer test showed that Schwab had zero alcohol in his system, but had caffeine in his system. He was, subsequently, charged with DUI.
Categories: DUID Defense
Dec
30
Criminal Defense Tips: What to Know About Plea Deals
Anytime you plead guilty to a crime in a court of law it is serious business. When you accept a plea deal, you do not go to trial but you do face an automatic conviction. Yet, plea bargaining is common and is often recommended as a criminal defense strategy.
Categories: Criminal Defense
Dec
30
Domestic Violence as Explained by a Fresno Lawyer
In California, domestic violence is a serious offense that can carry significant penalties for the perpetrator, in addition to substantial injury to the victim. As a domestic violence lawyer, the Mitchell Law Group has considerable experience in addressing cases of domestic violence in Fresno County and across the Central Valley.
Categories: Domestic Violence
Nov
16
Information from a Fresno Criminal Lawyer About Recent Death Penalty-Related Propositions
Recently, Californians voted in favor of the death penalty on two separate proposed measures. In the first case, Proposition 62, roughly 54 percent of people voted against repealing the death penalty and replacing it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. Instead, with just over half of the voters in favor of Proposition 66, Californians have voted to speed up the repeal process, so condemned murderers are executed, rather than dragging out their appeals, possibly for decades.
Categories: Death Penalty