Perjury is defined as the act of swearing an oath to tell the truth, either by speaking it or writing it with the intention of lying or withholding information. As you can imagine, perjury is considered a very serious offense because our judicial system relies so heavily on witness testimony and accounts to prosecute criminal acts as well as to defend alleged criminals who have yet to be proven guilty. Not only does our judicial system endeavor to prosecute those who have committed a crime, but it is dedicated to protecting the innocent who may fall victim to a false witness.

There is nothing wrong with having a few drinks, but when you drive under the influence, you risk a lot. Learn what happens when you get your first DUI. 

Convictions are often hard to acquire. But the system is designed that way. Here are some of the challenges prosecutors must overcome to make their case.

In previous articles, I've described in general terms, the meaning of "white collar crime." While non-violent in nature and, by definition, committed by members of the educated, professional class, these crimes are still rigorously prosecuted in most jurisdictions and often carry stiff penalties. But this may leave you wondering, exactly what crimes are classified as "white collar"?

Although marijuana has been legal for recreational use in California for nearly a year now, many people are still confused about how to obtain pot and where they can legally smoke it.  The fact is, while California's laws governing private marijuana use are now far more liberal than they've been since the early 20th Century, significant legal restrictions remain in place; violations can carry significant criminal penalties.

With all the recent high-profile discussion of “flipping defendant’s” I thought it might be interesting to discuss what “flipping” really means and how it affects a defendant and the criminal justice system.

The California Money Bail Reform Act signed into law September 25, 2018, is meant to level the playing field between rich and poor defendants in the state’s criminal justice system. Essentially, the law eliminates cash bail and leaves the decision to release a person after arrest up to a judge, with input from other court personnel. 

Are you imagining your favorite coming-of-age movie? The character desperately clinging onto the phone as they nervously wait for an exasperated “yes”? Maybe their friend throws down a few hundred bucks and promises not to tell their parents, then picks them up in their old truck. This scenario may work in the movies but in more serious cases, bail can cost you as much as a large home. This is why it’s so important to learn why hiring an attorney prior to bailing out and the first court appearance can immediately save you thousands and thousands of dollars.

Have you ever called a friend or relative with important news and deflated at the sound of the BEEP? Realized your sent box was bigger than your inbox? When people don’t get back to you, you can feel disrespected or confused. Now, if you get that BEEP when trying to contact your attorney, it’s not only disheartening, it’s downright dangerous. The availability of your lawyer to take your calls, respond to emails, and set appointments can make or break your case.

Whether you’re a business owner, artist, or consumer, intellectual property impacts you every single day. We constantly use patented technology, watch and listen to copyrighted material, and invent or learn of other people’s ideas. That’s why the theft of these intellectual properties can be so damaging to our global economy—these crimes affect us all.

International exports are closely monitored, regulated, and restricted by the Government. Regardless of how innocuous you think your item is, you need to know what can happen to them and you once you attempt to send them across borders.

To continue our month-long examination of white-collar crimes, we’re going to explore the various ways a loan officer or borrower can commit loan fraud. Similar to other white-collar crimes, a lot of money continuously circles this industry, from mortgage brokers, agents, appraisers, and officers. With proper documentation and distribution of financial information, this money goes where it should. As we saw in the 2008 subprime crisis, when white-collar criminals commit loan fraud, the ramifications can be catastrophic, tanking not only a person’s bank account but the whole economy.

Due to the prevalence and serious consequences to defendants of white-collar crime, we’ve decided to make them the focus of our summer blog series. Let’s start July off right by discussing healthcare fraud, a far-reaching type of white-collar crime.