The age of consent in California is 18. Oddly, while you have to be 18 to get married without your parent’s permission, you can marry at any age as long as you have parental consent —and those who are legally married are excluded from the state’s statutory rape laws. Here’s what you should know about […]
Escorts Vs Prostitutes: What’s the Difference?
Prostitution is illegal in California, leaving many people to question why pornography and escort services are legal when selling sex acts is not. While we’ve already covered the fine line between prostitution and pornography, that doesn’t explain why escort businesses are legal in San Diego and the rest of California. Though escorts and prostitutes are […]
California Polygraph Law on Lie Detector Test Admissibility
Everyone has heard of polygraphs (often called “lie detectors” by the public) being used by police or prosecutors, but are these tests even admissible in court in California? As it turns out, California law about evidence admissibility makes it very unlikely that a lie detector test’s results will be admitted in court. However, police still […]
All About California Dash Cam Laws
Under California law, dash cams are legal, but the state does place some restrictions on the devices. Whether or not you would benefit by installing such a device in your vehicle is a personal question that depends on how you drive and what situations you are likely to find yourself in. In some cases, the […]
Do the Police Actually Hire Consultants Like They Do on TV?
Shows like Lucifer, Psych, Castle and Monk feature contractors hired by the police to help solve crimes, but is what you see on screen realistic? As it turns out, while police consultants are real, criminal attorneys would get most of the evidence the TV consultants uncover thrown out of court. Here’s a breakdown of how […]
The Concept of Imperfect Self Defense and When it Can be Used in Vista
Self-defense is considered a “perfect defense,” meaning you automatically qualify for a full acquittal if the defense succeeds. However, even with a top criminal attorney, it can be difficult to prove all of the requirements for self defense, particularly in a case involving murder. When it’s impossible to prove self defense in a murder case […]
The Pros and Cons of Eliminating Cash Bail
Like most things, cash bail has pros and cons, but when you look at the data, evidence suggests eliminating it would benefit society overall. In California, we were lucky to get a chance to see how putting an end to cash bail could work when the state instituted a zero bail policy in an effort […]
Evidence Tampering Laws in Vista, California: 132 (PC), 134 (PC), 135 (PC), and 141 (PC)
Evidence integrity in the court system is critical, especially as the US justice system requires prosecutors to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Unreliable or missing evidence could result in great injustices. To protect evidence accuracy, California has passed many laws prohibiting its destruction, concealment, or alteration. If you have been accused of […]
Debunking the 10 Most Commonly Believed Legal Myths
Many shows, books, and movies depict the legal system, but because writers need to be concerned with conciseness and ratings, they often fall back on common misconceptions. Unfortunately, when myths spread enough, the public starts to accept them as accurate, but no matter how much people believe these ideas, it doesn’t change how the criminal […]
Can a Sex Offender Move to Another State?
Just about everyone has a basic understanding that most sex crime convictions result in mandatory registration on the sex offender registry. What you may not know is that while every state has a sex offender registry under Megan’s Law, each one has a different set of laws detailing the rights and responsibilities of those on […]
