Useful updates and observations by Attorney Lynn Gorelick from the trenches of the criminal courts in Alameda and Contra Costa County, California.
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 ...
With the recent high-profile cases of alleged police brutality, Alameda may have wanted to settle a lawsuit alleging excessive force against one of their officers, rather than take their chances in the court room. As a result, the city of Alameda has agreed to a $450,000 settlement in the case of...
California is tough on DUIs. Everyone knows that a DUI can result in a suspended license, fines, jail time, and even a possible ignition interlock device. But for one man driving through Chico last month, a DUI arrest also included a brutal beating by police. To make matters worse for local law e...
Most people don't like to open their mailbox to find a jury summons. Jury duty can be a major pain in the neck. It requires you to take time off work, to get up early just to circle the courthouse looking for jury parking. In most cases, jury service just means showing up to the courthouse, liste...
California State Senator Ben Hueso recently voted for tougher regulations on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. But he could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he'd called for a ride instead of deciding to drive home recently. Hueso was arrested in the early morning hours for allegedly...
The month of May brings warmer weather to the East Bay, and signals summer vacation is just around the corner. For the residents of Fremont, May will also bring a DUI checkpoint to town. On Saturday, May 9th, sometime between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., the Fremont Police Department will be conducting a s...
We've all seen footage from police dashboard cameras that show drunk drivers acting very drunk. Police can use this footage later on in court, as evidence that the driver is intoxicated, and unfit to drive. But in some cases, the dash camera footage can help a driver, to show that the police offi...
Most of us love our East Bay neighborhoods through the good and the bad. Great communities can sometimes face increased criminal activity, but these trends can fluctuate over time. The latest crime data from two Alameda County cities shows how these crime levels can change, for better and for wor...
In California, a judge can order drivers convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) to install an ignition interlock device (IID) intheir vehicle. The purpose of an IID is to prevent an impaired driver from getting on the road. Under a California pilot program, four counties require an IID fo...
Penalties for a conviction of Driving Under the Influence include a suspension of your California Driver License. Indeed, the Department of Motor Vehicles will try to suspend your license just because of the arrest! For workers who do a lot of driving as part of the job, some employers may not ...
Spring is in the air here in the East Bay. Along with warming temperatures and longer days, March and April signals spring break for a number of Berkeley and other college and university students in the area. Whether travelling out of town, to Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, or staying loca...
The life of a modern college student often involves balancing partying and studying. With sporting events, fraternity and sorority events, and the landmark birthday of turning 21 years old, many young people experience increased exposure to alcohol. When it comes time for midterms and finals, stu...
Expungement is a legal process that permits the convictions and other criminal records to be sealed from a person's criminal record. The California Penal Code allows for three different types of expungements. Which type of expungement is right for you depends upon your criminal record, prior cr...
On November 4, 2014 California voters approved Proposition 47, also known as the Reduced Penalties for Some Crimes initiative or The Safe Neighborhood & Schools Act. This initiative was passed overwhelmingly and constituted a significant step towards rolling back outdated criminal sentencing...
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