Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Possible Impact of DUI Violation On Everyday's Life

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is against the law. Sure enough, the reasons are quite obvious. If you get behind the wheel while being intoxicated, you lose your ability to focus on the road; you cannot focus on the traffic. Hence, not only you endanger your own life – you also endanger the lives of people around you – both the drivers and the pedestrians.

Most DUI offenses are considered felonies and the legal consequences of such offenses can be quite severe. Not only will you have to pay expensive fines, acquire a pricey new insurance coverage, spend your time attending obligatory alcohol and drug awareness course, but you will also be incarcerated and sentenced to jail or state prison for a very long time.

Furthermore, DUI records will remain in your personal files for a long time, so you will probably be unable to find a decent job or even rent a decent real estate property. Employers find people with criminal records unreliable and tend to avoid hiring them to begin with. Landlords are also not very excited about the criminals living in their homes. You can lose your license for a very long time. License suspension is also a harsh penalty, especially if you live in a big city or need to travel around a lot. Overall, you will have to pay a serious price for breaking the law and therefore it is best to avoid driving while being drunk or intoxicated.

Of course, if you were pulled over without any probable cause or if the law enforcement officers did not act in line with other legal regulations, you can avoid your punishment. Furthermore, field sobriety and BAC tests are not always that accurate to begin with.

Therefore, if you have committed a DUI offense and are still hoping to minimize the legal damage, we recommend you to consult with a qualified and experienced criminal defense attorney at the earliest opportunity. He will be able to review your case and come up with a solid as well as aggressive defense strategy that will allow you to avoid severe penalties. Furthermore, the attorney will go over all the evidence, police and witness reports, every tiny detail in order to make sure that your arrest was lawful and you were not detained without a probable cause.

If you are concerned about the legal consequences that your DUI arrest may have on your life, do not hesitate to contact The Los Angeles Criminal Defense Experts as soon as possible. In most cases, you will have the ability to reap all the advantages of the initial free consultation. During this consultation, you will be able to tell the lawyer about your case and review all the legal options that you have in front of you. Choose a truly experienced lawyer, who had to deal with such cases and who knows how to proceed in order to achieve the very best legal outcome possible. This is your sole chance to avoid the penalties and to keep your driver's license.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Animal Cruelty: Legal Consequences

A lot of people simply cannot imagine their day to day living without their beloved pets. Our four-legged, tailed and feathered friends turn into genuine members of our families. We love them, we care for them and we will do everything in our power to protect them from just about any kind of threats.

There are people out there, who cannot be considered actual human beings. They like hurting living things that cannot hurt them back. They actually enjoy the pain and torture and can inflict serious injuries to the poor animals just for fun. It is hard to believe it, but such people actually exist and live in our society right beside us.

The law recognizes that animals are living beings that also feel pain and that is why they must be legally protected against any form of cruelty. The penal code has several definitions of animal cruelty that go as follows:

  • Abandonment. It is very important to remember that pets are not toys. You cannot simply take a kitten or a puppy, play with it for a couple of weeks and just throw it out on the street.
  • Torture. Sick people, who have no right to be called humans, actually find enjoyment in organizing animal fights and torturing poor things afterwards.
  • Unreasonable failure to provide water or food. Some pet owners are incredibly negligent and do not really care about their animals, which is also a crime and is punishable by law.
  • Transporting animals in cruel conditions.
  • Using animals for luring in dog races. A very cruel practice that used to be a usual thing. Thankfully, now it is generally prohibited by law.
  • Intentionally attacking, hurting, killing or tripping an animal. No comments here – animal have feelings too and most of them deserve to live more than some humans.


When it comes to legal penalties for breaking the animal cruelty laws, there are two categories of crimes and the legal punishment is depending on it:

  • Intentional category, which is referring to cases of intentional animal cruelty, when an animal is intentionally attacked, injured or killed. Intentional animal cruelty crimes are the most severe ones. People who commit such crimes are risking to spend up to 2 years in jail and will have to pay up to $10 000 in fines.  
  • Failure to act. Failing to provide food or water to the animal qualifies as a failure to act crime. These crimes are also punishable by law. Failure to act crimes may result in spending up to a year in jail and up to $4000 in fines.

At times though, sadly, people have little choice. For instance, if a furious animal is attacking and killing the livestock or if it threatens to injure a person, then people may use force for self-defense. If that is the case and you are actually innocent of the crime, since you did not inflict any damage to the animal intentionally, it is best to hire a good attorney in order to gather all the evidence that would help you avoid legal penalties. If you also adore animals and would never hurt them unless the situation would be as dire as it was, do not hesitate to get in touch with The Law Offices of Criminal Defense Specialists and he will be more than happy to help you to discover your best legal defense strategy.
            

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Grand Theft In California – Legal Definition And Penalties

Thieves represent a significant issue and legal punishment for theft can be quite severe, especially in the state of California. Theft or larceny is divided into two categories – petty theft and grand theft. Depending on what kind of theft took place, the legal penalties will be determined accordingly.
            
In case the value of the stolen property equals or less than $950, then the crime is considered a petty theft and the punishment for it will not be as harsh. However, if the value of the stolen property exceeds the above-mentioned amount, then a grand theft took place and legal penalties here will be much more serious. In addition, grand theft can also be divided into two categories – misdemeanor grand theft and felony grand theft. The sentence depends on the circumstances in which the crime took place, on the actions of the criminal and, of course, on the overall value of the stolen property.
            
For instance, a misdemeanor grand theft offense can lead up to a year in the correctional facilities, restitution of the property, community work and so on. A person, who is accused of a misdemeanor grand theft, may be eligible for up to three years of probation. A felony grand theft offense is punished more severely. Penalties may include up to three years in the correctional facility, restitution of the stolen property, community works and so on. People, who were accused in felony grand theft offenses, may also be eligible for probation. However, in case the thief was armed with a gun or any other weapon and if the crime was violent, he or she will not have the right for probation. Probation also cannot be imposed on people, who have stolen property that is worth more than $100 000. Furthermore, even if a person is on probation, he or she will need to meet with the probation officer on a regular basis, submit to drug tests and so on. Felony probation period may last up to five years.
            
So how will the court decide whether they are dealing with a misdemeanor or felony grand theft offense? Well, to begin with, it depends on the circumstances of the crime. If there was violence or weapons involved, the crime will automatically be regarded as a felony. Moreover, it is also largely based on the offender’s criminal history and any other crimes that he or she may have been involved in. Besides, if the prosecution has enough evidence and is certain that they will be able to build a solid case, chances are, the crime will also be regarded as a felony.
            
In case you were accused in grand theft in the state of California, it is very important to have a good theft attorney such as from Law Offices of Criminal Defense Experts, who would have the experience and the necessary skills to represent you in the court of law. Only a qualified lawyer will be able to gather enough evidence to prove that the crime cannot be considered a felony and is in fact a misdemeanor. Perhaps you just had the misfortune to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. A skillful attorney will prove that you are innocent.

One way or the other, regardless of whether you are guilty or not, it is crucial to get in touch with a good lawyer at the earliest opportunity and to develop a good defense strategy along with him. It is best to hire a trained professional, who had to deal with similar cases in the past. That way, you will make sure that you get the best legal representative possible, who will find a way to help you out of difficult situation. Whether it is a felony or a misdemeanor that you are accused of, do not hesitate to contact a lawyer and you will not be disappointed.