Ding dong ditching, or as many people in San Diego call it, “doorbell ditching,” involves ringing people’s doorbells and running away before they answer. The game is nothing new, dating back at least to the 1800s, when it was called “ring and run,” “knock, knock, ginger,” “knock door run,” “Knicky nine doors,” and “knocky door […]
Resisting an Executive Officer in the Performance of Their Duties
Resisting arrest is a crime under 148(a) (PC), but some people go beyond just struggling against an arresting officer and instead attempt to use threats or violence to avoid arrest. When this happens, it is a violation of California Penal Code section 69 (PC), which prohibits preventing an executive officer from the performance of their […]
Self-Defense in California: The Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws
In most cases, it is illegal to use unjustified force against others, but one of the strongest criminal defenses to these charges is arguing that you were acting in self-defense. California is known as a “stand your ground” state, which means you have the right to use force to defend yourself or another person without […]
What are the Best Criminal Defenses in CA?
If you are charged with a crime, you will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead not guilty, you and your criminal defense attorney will need to present a defense to show the prosecutor does not have enough evidence to prove your guilt. To do this, you and your criminal lawyer […]
Vista and San Diego Animal Abuse Defense Attorney
California has some of the strictest animal protection laws in the nation, covering not only pets but also wildlife, strays, and farmed animals. To make matters worse, jury members tend to see the creatures as innocent victims, making it very difficult to ensure a fair criminal trial. For these reasons, anyone facing these accusations should immediately contact […]
What to Know About Simple and Aggravated Battery in Vista, California
Battery is one of the most frequently occurring crimes in California as nearly every time someone gets in a fight at a bar, school, sporting event, or anywhere else, they’ve committed this offense. If you have been accused of this violent crime, insist on speaking with a San Diego battery attorney as soon as possible. […]
Can High School Fights Result in Criminal Charges in California?
A few decades ago, it seemed that every kid was involved in a fist fight in school at one point or another, but as schools clamped down on bullying and violence though, these incidents became more and more rare. And now some students and their parents find themselves surprised to end up talking to police […]
All About Manslaughter Under California Penal Code Section 192 (PC)
In most people’s minds, the distinction between manslaughter and murder charges is whether or not the killing was intentional or not. But in the legal system, things aren’t so simple as that. In fact, while involuntary manslaughter is usually a result of an accidental death that was caused by recklessness or criminally negligent behavior, voluntary […]
Is Mutual Combat a Defense Against Assault Charges in California?
On any given day in any given city in the US, chances are that two people will engage in a verbal disagreement that ends up in a fistfight. But can you fight someone if you both agree? It depends where you are, but in California, fist fights are technically against the law, whether or not […]
Is Mace, Pepper Spray, or Bear Spray Legal in California? 22810 (PC)
California state law defines pepper spray and mace as forms of tear gas, meaning they are covered by the same penal code, 22810 (PC). Under this law, these aerosols are considered valid forms of self-defense, and, as such, they can be carried in public for personal safety. But that doesn’t mean anyone can use these […]
