Sexual extortion, often called “sextortion,” could technically involve all types of exploitation, but the acts covered by California law involve blackmailing someone by threatening to release their nude or otherwise sexually explicit images or videos. It doesn’t matter if the blackmail is an attempt to extort money, sexual favors, or any other type of property; […]
Is Bullying a Crime? It Depends on the Circumstances
There have been a lot of efforts to reduce bullying over the last few decades, with more teens facing serious consequences for doing what was once considered simply hazing or typical schoolhouse fun. But even today, most forms of bullying, while problematic, are still not a crime. That being said, there are many activities that […]
Are Lawyers Allowed to Lie on Behalf of Their Clients?
There are probably hundreds of jokes about lawyers lying for a living, but no matter what public opinion, legal standards prohibit attorneys from knowingly telling a lie. If a lawyer lies, he is risking his law license. The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct specifically says that while they must do what […]
How Lawyer May be Able to Get a Confession Thrown Out of Court in Vista
We’ve previously talked about how police push suspects into confessing to criminal acts, but while it’s always better not to confess the first time, you can still fight the charges even if you have already admitted guilt. Here are a few ways a criminal defense lawyer may be able to have a confession tossed out […]
Better Understanding the “Plain Sight” Doctrine
All Americans are protected against unreasonable search and seizure thanks to the Fourth Amendment, but defining what qualifies as unreasonable is a complex process. That’s where the plain view doctrine comes in -it states that police can search your home or vehicle without a warrant if they see evidence of a crime in plain sight. […]
Patient and Physician Confidentiality in the Criminal Courts
There are many relationships given special confidentiality protections in the courts: lawyer/client, therapist/patient, spousal, priest/confessor and doctor/patient. Like all of these protected communications, there are many rules that cover how physician confidentiality works when it comes to the criminal courts, including the nature of the information and how it will be used. Not Everything You […]
Police Can Legally Lie to Suspects in Vista; Here are the 6 Most Common
Most people assume that because police are charged with upholding the law that they wouldn’t lie to perform their duties. This is a very problematic assumption because it’s simply not true. Law enforcement agents can legally lie to suspects (and often do) to get suspects to confess or otherwise get them to do what they […]
All About Illegal Gambling Laws In Vista, California
While gambling may be legal within casinos on federally recognized tribal land within California, it’s usually illegal in off of tribal properties. In fact, there are a number of crimes related to gambling within the state, but because the ins and outs of California’s gaming laws can be confusing, anyone accused of these crimes in […]
What You Should Know About Victim Restitution Payments in Vista
If you are convicted of a crime, you may be required to pay compensation to the victim or be ordered to pay a fine, particularly if a victim was injured or suffered financial losses as a result of your actions. Here’s what you should know about victim restitution and criminal fines and how the two […]
Wedding Crashing is a Crime, But Charges Are Rare
While people have been crashing weddings for probably about as long as people have had weddings, the idea of “wedding crashing” really entered the popular consciousness when the Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn film Wedding Crashers was released in 2005. Since then, many more people have tried their hands at crashing weddings in order to […]
