In September 2020, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1950, which shortened the length of probation in both misdemeanor and felony cases. Under this law, probation is capped at one year for misdemeanors and two years for felonies. Of course, there are some...
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COVID19 ANNOUNCEMENT
If you or anyone you know has been accused of a crime related to the COVID19 outbreak, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation.
The Notorious R.B.G.’s Most Influential SCOTUS Cases
Even before she ascended to the highest bench, the Supreme Court felt Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s impact. As an attorney, she argued in front of the Court six times, five of which she won. She went on to become the second woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court of the...
Supreme Court’s Holding in “Bridgegate” Clarifies the Use of the Federal Fraud Statutes to Address Political Corruption
New Jersey may be the home of The Boss and Bon Jovi, but the Garden State is notorious for another reason: its history of political corruption. Maybe that’s why people weren’t surprised when then-governor Chris Christie’s administration was thrust into the national...
COVID-19, Compassionate Release, and the CARES Act: Prison Release in the Pandemic
At first glance, Death Row Records co-founder Michael Harris, notorious “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, and Ponzi scheme king Bernie Madoff may not seem to have much in common. However, all three men recently sought to reduce their lengthy federal prison sentences...
Schemes, Scams and Swindles: Legal Challenges During the COVID Crisis (Law.com, The Recorder)
This article was originally published in the May 14, 2020 issue of Law.com's The Recorder, available here. Keith Middlebrook promised investors he was developing a cure to the coronavirus, and he claimed it was coming soon. He created a phony company, Quantum...
What Does the Ninth Circuit’s Holding in Miller Mean for Wire Fraud Prosecutions?
On March 20, 2020, the Ninth Circuit ruled in United States v. Miller, 2020 WL 1317275 (9th Cir.) that wire fraud requires the intent to deceive and to cheat, i.e., to deprive a victim of money or property by means of deception, overruling United States v....
California Court of Appeal Strikes Down Law Requiring DNA Collection from Anyone Arrested for a Felony
The California First District Court of Appeal last week struck down a state law that required the collection of DNA from anyone arrested on suspicion of committing a felony. The Court concluded that the state Constitution’s ban on unreasonable search and seizure...
New Holder Memo on Drug Sentencing and Policies
September 24, 2014 Holder Memo on § 851 Enhancements in Plea Negotiations. Notable lines: "An § 851 enhancement should not be used in plea negotiations for the sole or predominant purpose of inducing a defendant to plead guilty." Holder is making sure his message on...
An Anonymous Phone Call Can Give Police Reasonable Suspicion to Detain a Person
In United States v. Edwards, 2014 WL 3747130 (9th Cir. July 31, 2014) the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed two issues: the first one was whether the stop of Edwards was only an investigatory stop or a de facto arrest and the second was...
“Straw purchasers” of firearms must identify themselves as such
The Supreme Court of the United States in Abramski v. U.S., 134 S.Ct. 2259 (2014) held that misrepresenting oneself as an actual firearms purchaser versus a “straw purchaser” was a material misrepresentation. Abramski was convicted of making a false statement that was...