Ghost guns present a considerable threat to gun control laws. Ghost guns are guns that are assembled by component parts bought online. These guns are increasingly posing a challenge to law enforcement and to public safety. The component parts, essentially a gun kit, are available online for anyone to purchase.…
2018 saw major change on California’s statute books, many within the criminal law arena. Below are some of the changes in law that impact those who may be facing criminal charges and those who have already been convicted. JOB APPLICANTS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS You may have heard the term…
Under California Penal Code section 12022.5, when a person uses a firearm during the commission of a felony, he or she will almost certainly be charged not only with the felony conduct but also with an enhancement for the use of the firearm. The firearm need not be engaged…
Police Chase Suspect Into Backyard Hot Tub A 29-year-old Anaheim man was arrested after Placentia police chased him into an Anaheim neighborhood and then discovered him hiding in a hot tub in the backyard of a residence. The incident began around 5:00 a.m. when police attempted to pull over an…
CALIFORNIA ENDS GRAND JURY HEARINGS IN FATAL POLICE SHOOTINGS California is the first state to announce that it will ban grand juries in the preliminary determination on whether a law enforcement office should face criminal charges after killing someone in the line of duty. The reasoning behind the ban, which…
Penal Code Chapter 2.9C 1001.80 Pretrial Diversion For Firearm Offenses The Legislature has introduced a new bill that will establish a pretrial diversion education program for those who are arrested for nonviolent misdemeanor or felony firearms offenses. The bill will specify the guidelines and define the criteria, application and procedures…
As a Criminal Defense Lawyer, practicing law for more than 20 years in Orange County California, I am often asked about the law as it pertains to legally carrying a concealed weapon. I have represented hundreds of individuals who have been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon. While…
California is not doing enough to keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill, according to a state audit released on October 24. The breakdown is a result of the state’s failure to report a person’s mental health status to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Why is this…
After the 2011 Seal Beach shootings, where a man walked into a hair salon carrying 3 guns, using at least two of them to shoot and kill 8 people, there was a resurfacing of the cry for gun control. Whether or not the man possessed the guns legally, it appeared…
In California it is illegal for a felon to possession a weapon. Penal Code 12021 states that no convicted felon may purchase, receive, own or possession a firearm. But what does “possession” of a firearm mean? Does it mean that a convicted felon must have physical possession on their person…