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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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6-Jul-2018
Being arrested for a drug crime can be a confusing and stressful experience, especially if it is the first time you have been accused of a criminal offense. It is important to understand that the moment you are under arrest, your future is in jeopardy. At Blumenthal Law Offices, our Riverside criminal defense attorneys have more than 100 years of combined legal experience to ensure that our ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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21-Jun-2018
If you’re arrested and charged with a crime, the first step in your trial is asking how you plead. You have three options for this question: “Not guilty,” which means you contest the criminal charges brought against you and you wish to be able to present your case as to why. “Guilty,” which means you don’t contest the charges, admit to the crime, and agree to ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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21-Feb-2018
One of a parent’s worst-case scenarios is seeing his or her child accused of a crime. Not only does this create extensive stress for the family, but it also means your child’s future is at stake. A conviction of even a minor crime leaves a mark on someone’s record, meaning he or she will have a harder time finding a job or housing later in life. However, the juvenile court tends ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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24-Jan-2018
If you’re facing a criminal charge, you want the best criminal defense attorney on your side. However, your own support can help your case, as well – and you can take steps as a client to improve your odds of avoiding a conviction. Here are 3 essential questions you should ask your lawyer before your trial. Question #1: Do You Have Everything You Need? Your lawyer should be a ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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5-Jan-2018
If you are stopped by a law enforcement officer who suspects you may be intoxicated while driving, he or she will likely ask you to perform a seemingly simple task, such as standing on one foot or following the officer’s finger without moving your head. These tasks have a purpose: They’re designed to show signs of intoxication that can help establish probable cause and justify the ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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9-Oct-2017
Based on legal dramas on TV, many people are aware that police need a warrant to search your home or property. Since the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects private citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, these television programs are often accurate about that aspect of the law. Additionally, nothing seized during an illegal search can be used as evidence in court, ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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17-Mar-2017
When the police conduct an undercover sting operation to catch and arrest people soliciting prostitutes for sexual favors and acts, it always raises a red flag to criminal defense attorneys. Unless law enforcement officers and detectives are completely careful – and oftentimes they are not – the illegal act of entrapment might be the only reason why they can make an arrest for ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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1-Mar-2017
When a person is suspected of committing a tax crime of any sort, not only will he or she be staring down the strength of law enforcement agencies, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will also put a hand into the investigation. IRS audits are notoriously thorough and intimidating, a process that no one wants to imagine. With so much force backing a potential prosecution, it can be easy to get ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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5-Jan-2017
There is a common misconception that assault and battery are one in the same since they are often charged together. However, assault and battery are two separate offenses. Even if you are charged with both crimes, it is important to understand the difference between these offenses and how they are charged and penalized. Our firm is fully prepared to explain what these charges entail and represent ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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28-Nov-2016
When people hear the word “theft,” they often think of a masked burglar sneaking into a home or a crook mugging someone in an alley at gunpoint. While these are indeed examples of theft, many crimes involving theft happen in more subtle and nonviolent ways, including through fraud. What Constitutes Fraud? “Fraud” is an umbrella term that describes a variety of criminal acts ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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18-Nov-2016
California voters approved a range of ballot initiatives on Nov. 8, including Proposition 57. The measure, which passed by a margin of 63.7% to 36.3% statewide, allows parole consideration for “nonviolent” felons and sentence credits for rehabilitation, good behavior and education. Advanced by Gov. Jerry Brown as a means of addressing the state’s crowded prisons, the ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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27-Sep-2016
The category of “ white collar crimes ” encompasses a wide range of nonviolent crimes which are financially motivated in nature and typically involve the use of deceit or theft for personal financial gain. Usually committed by persons of power or high-status in the context of their occupation, these types of crimes can involve a wide range of unethical acts such as misappropriating ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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20-Sep-2016
“ Statutory rape ” is a somewhat generic term used to describe the illegal act of an adult engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 18. In the state of California, this crime is legally referred to as “unlawful sex with a minor” or “unlawful sexual intercourse.” Statutory rape is a crime regardless of whether or not the sex is consensual, as ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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12-Aug-2016
At some point in every relationship or marriage, couples will have arguments about a wide range of issues from financial matters to parenting decisions. While no relationship is absent from heated debates, couples may wonder what separates a fight from domestic abuse. In some cases, there are clear indications, such as when one partner resorts to violence. However, this distinction can often be ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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29-Apr-2016
Many people that have been charged with a crime do not fully understand the difference between the types of charges they face. While the terms “misdemeanor” and “felony” are often thrown around in legal texts, many people do not know exactly what makes them different from one another. Depending on whether you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony, you could be ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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22-Apr-2016
In 1994, California enacted an enhanced-sentencing law for repeat violent felony offenders known as the “Three Strikes” law. As its namesake would suggest, this law implemented a “strike” system in which violent felony offenders would receive a mark on their criminal record and harsher sentences for subsequent violent felonies, culminating in a mandatory 25 years to life ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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28-Mar-2016
While the law has a reputation for being cut-and-dry, there are some legal distinctions that are incredibly fine or hard to define. When the law tries to make room for human nature and natural failings, there will usually arise a legal distinction that is a little...difficult to demonstrate. When it comes to high-level crimes, few things are as hard to delineate as the difference between ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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7-Mar-2016
Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a legal sentencing option in the state of California. Since the state’s first recorded death sentence in 1778, 722 executions have taken place. More than 700 inmates currently serving time on death row, though executions are currently on hold due to pending litigation. Methods of Execution in California Capital punishment has been carried out via ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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10-Feb-2016
Being arrested can be a terrifying experience, especially for those who have never had a brush with the law before. If you are ever arrested and charged with a crime, it is highly likely that several different thoughts and emotions will run through your mind. While it can be easy to slip into a state of shock amidst your tumultuous circumstances, it is important that you make an effort to remain ...
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Posted By Blumenthal Law Offices
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11-Jan-2016
After being arrested for an alleged crime in California, the criminal justice system is going to immediately put you and your life under the microscope. Prosecutors are well-known for seeking out weaknesses in both your case and your personality to secure a conviction, and the state is not exactly famous for being lenient with criminal penalties. To shield yourself and your rights, you need a ...
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Heavy drinking is, for many, a normal part of college life. This can result in criminal charges if drinking and driving is involved. With summer vacation officially over, students around the country are returning to school, including college students in California. This is a life-changing time for people attending universities, especially students who are new to college life. One of the perks of ...
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Research shows that many juvenile crimes reflect a lack of impulse control and rational judgment, rather than serious criminal tendencies. Juveniles are often emotionally volatile and impulsive, as most parents in Riverside know firsthand. These traits can cause juveniles to take risks and make decisions that appear questionable to mature adults. Sometimes, these decisions don't have harmful ...
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Eyewitness misidentification is a contributing factor to a significant number of wrongful convictions in the U.S. Thousands of people spend their days behind bars as part of the U.S. prison system. While some California prisoners are serving time for crimes they committed, others have never committed a crime at all. Since 1989, 329 people have been exonerated of their crimes after DNA evidence ...
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Proposition 47 is reducing prison populations, but it may be causing longer periods of incarceration for inmates who are unaffected by the legal changes. Last November, California voters passed Proposition 47. Under this law, drug possession for personal use and certain minor property crimes are now categorized as misdemeanors. As many people in Riverside know, this measure was intended to reduce ...
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Being sent to prison, knowing that for a period of time that one will have to live behind bars, is traumatic in and of itself. If that wasn't bad enough, some inmates suffer further humiliation by being sexually assaulted at the hands of fellow inmates and prison guards. At times, such indignity is not adequately addressed or is ignored by prison officials, leaving an inmate to be a victim of ...
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