Bay Area Criminal Defense Blog

Some high-profile incidents of sexual assaults on campus have made lawmakers and universities reconsider the policies on how to handle assault allegations. Now with the first day of classes starting for colleges and universities across the East Bay, students may be facing expulsion for sexual ass...

A conviction for a first-time DUI can mean jail time, thousands in fines and fees, an alcohol education program, and a 6-month license suspension. A second DUI within 10 years carries a minimum of of 4 days in jail and a longer DUI school program. After a third DUI, a driver may face a minimum of...

A felony conviction in California can have repercussions that last well beyond any prison sentence served. A felon may be prevented from ever owning a firearm. It may be difficult or impossible to pursue certain careers or professions. You may be prevented from serving on a jury or serving in the...

For many people arrested for a DUI, it is their first real experience with the criminal justice system. It can be a frightening and confusing experience, from arrest to chemical testing to arraignment. Many people are surprised to learn of the penalties from even a first-time DUI offense, which i...

When stopped by the police, some people have an instinct to run away. It could be because they may have drugs and don't want to get caught in possession. It could be because they have a warrant, and don't want to go to jail. In some cases, it could just be a panicked response to dealing with the ...

The law says that when the police put on their lights and sirens behind you, you have to pull over. If you try and evade the police in a properly marked car, exhibiting lights and sirens, and driven by a uniformed officer, you may be charged with a misdemeanor evading an officer. But what are you...

The National Football League (NFL) is no stranger when it comes to domestic violence. The professional football association has been plagued with incidents of alleged violence by players, and faced a backlash by what has been seen as a soft handed approach when it comes to penalties. Largely in r...

Despite the public concern over mass shootings in the United States, gun laws are slow to change, and gun sales have actually been on the rise. The recent shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina have again raised concerns about the availability of guns, but only one sta...

After a weekend of fireworks, barbecues and for some an extra day off of work, the statistics are in. Before the Independence Day holiday, we reported that cops would be on the lookout for East Bay 4th of July DUIs. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has been implementing a Maximum Enforcement P...

Police brutality cases in California and across the country are nothing new. Especially with the increased availability of phones to record audio and video of law enforcement encounters, these events have an increased visibility with the public. With many of these claims now backed up by video ev...

In the 2002 film, Minority Report, a specialized police department would arrest criminals before any crime was committed based on psychic predictions. While we don't expect psychics to put an end to due process anytime soon, crime prediction technology is already here. The City of Oakland has eve...

The July 4th holiday celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. The holiday is often celebrated with picnics, barbecues, backyard parties, parades, and gathering at nightfall to watch fireworks light up the sky. With...

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the number of vehicle thefts in California declined for the second year in a row. However, the Bay Area, including Oakland and Hayward, still ranks among the top spots for vehicle theft. The five Bay Area counties of Alameda, Marin, San Francisco,...

If someone is convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in California, the driver may be facing up to 6 months in jail, fines of thousands of dollars, a suspended California driver license, DUI school, and may have to have an ignition interlock device (IID) installed in their car. This ...

One of the first things to happen after a DUI arrest here in the East Bay, is the police will take away your driver's license. In exchange, you'll get an Order of Suspension and Temporary License. While you may be tempted to put away the pink piece of paper, a careful reading will show that your ...

Over the years, advances in technology have made VHS tapes, 8-tracks, and floppy discs obsolete. Even things like compact discs, which were a huge leap forward in digital music technology, are becoming difficult to find outside of a library. Can technology eventually make driving under the influe...

Charges for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in California can lead to some pretty severe penalties. This includes thousands in fines and assessments, jail time, suspension of your California driver license, having your car impounded, and completion of a mandatory DUI alcohol treat...

Anyone who knows someone with a felony record understands that it can follow a person for the rest of their life. In California, having a felony criminal record can affect future employment, professional licensing, voting rights, jury service, and gun ownership. However, there is some light at th...

The Contra Costa County fair recently wrapped up, and the Alameda County Fair is ready to open its gates. Held annually in Pleasanton since 1912, it is ranked as one of the Top 50 North American Fairs. Featuring rides, games, music, and of course, fair food and drinks. Spending all day enjoying f...

No profession is immune from the risk of getting arrested for driving under the influence. We've seen professional athletes, police officers, and politicians all involved in DUI arrests. Just last month, the CHP released video footage of California State Senator Ben Hueso's roadside stop, where h...

Field sobriety tests are intended to be tools used by law enforcement to investigate whether a driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These tests were created with research supported from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These tests are nowhere near 100%...

Most news stories of a driver getting arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence are accompanied by a small number. That number is the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which can be the basis for a per se DUI violation if a driver tests 0.08% or higher. Now, in Vermont, police and pros...

The East Bay is home to a number of breweries and cocktail bars, and we are surrounded by countless wineries. Is the easy access to alcohol making it more tempting to enjoy one too many? Whatever the reason, heavier drinking appears to be on the rise, not just here in California, but nationwide. ...

Most of our police officers here in the East Bay are regular people, just like the rest of us. They go to work, do their jobs, and want to take care of their families. But just like anyone else, there are some bad apples who try and take advantage of their situation. A recent report on the Oaklan...

When a driver is pulled over and suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, the police officer will usually ask the driver to blow into a handheld device called a Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) device. This test will give the officer a reading purporting to show the driver's blood ...