carlsbad criminal defense attorney

Advice for Individuals on Probation

Published on: May 27, 2016 | by Leslie Legal Group

Facing jail is an emotionally difficult experience. Knowing that probation is an option in California might put a person’s mind at ease. While many individuals elect for probation, there are many important pieces of advice that individuals on probation must remember. The following is a list of essential information regarding probation:

Build a Good Relationship With Your Probation Officer. Discuss any changes or unusual situations with your probation officer. Make sure that you are forthright and upfront about everything. The better a relationship you can manage to build with your probation officer, the easier the situation will proceed. If you slip up, your probation officer might be willing to cut you some slack rather than recommending the harshest possible penalty.

Diligently Pursue Activities. Do your best to diligently pursue the various requirements of probation and keep detailed records about all community service and job applications. If you are not particularly organized, you might want to ask a friend or family member to help you. Make sure your probation officer knows about everything.

Prostitution Offenses in California

Published on: May 13, 2016 | by Leslie Legal Group

For many people, a prostitution offense might be one of the last crimes of which they could imagine being accused. Despite the potential embarrassment of such charges, it is important to contact an experienced prostitution attorney in California as soon as possible if you find yourself facing allegations of prostitution or solicitation, or of agreeing to engage in either.

Valid Defenses to California Prostitution Charges

Many prostitution charges are brought after so-called sting operations, but the resulting prosecutions can be complicated. There are several valid defenses to prostitution-related charges, including that the sexual or lewd acts were consensual, that no agreement to exchange a sex act for money was ever made, and that even if an agreement was made, no acts in furtherance of the agreement actually ever took place.

Events in Ferguson Shine Light on a California Problem

Published on: April 15, 2015 | by Leslie Legal Group

Prior to the U.S. Department of Justice uncovering a history of racial profiling and discrimination in Ferguson, MO, a group of attorneys filed suit claiming that municipal courts in the town were arresting and imprisoning a large number of people for unpaid traffic tickets and other minor offenses. In 2013, 33,000 arrest warrants were issued for residents, earning the city $2.6 million. Ferguson is not the only town in America profiting off of residents’ debt. This is a problem here in California as well. Four million people in the state have suspended licenses for failing to pay citations, and are deeply in debt because of this.

Traffic Courts & Inequality

A coalition of civil rights groups issued a report entitled “Not Just a Ferguson Problem: How Traffic Courts Drive Inequality in California.” The report found that a driver who commits offenses as small as littering or driving without a seatbelt is subject to a $490 fine. Many Americans are not able to afford such a fine, and if the driver does not pay the fine in full quickly enough or misses a court appearance; the punishment is a suspended license. This creates a real problem for many Californians – they only way they can pay off their fine and lift the suspension on their driver’s license is to drive without a license to work. They then risk even more fines ($300-$1,000) and six months in prison for getting caught driving with a suspended license. This creates a cycle of debt that many are unable to break.