• This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Contact Us

California

Police officers waiting outside with a warrant for your arrest

What To Do When There’s a Warrant for Your Arrest

Facing the distressing situation of having a warrant for your arrest in California can be overwhelming. As a criminal defense attorney, I, Michael C. MacNeil, understand the importance of grasping the implications and taking immediate action to navigate this challenging circumstance. This quick read aims to provide clear and informative guidance to address this issue […]

Understanding the Impact of SB 731 on Criminal Record Relief

As a legal expert, I understand the profound impact that Senate Bill 731 has on criminal record relief for millions of Californians. SB 731 helps address barriers ex-offenders commonly face when seeking employment, housing, and education. The bill aims to seal conviction and arrest records for eligible individuals who successfully avoid committing additional felonies for […]

Understanding Criminal Record Expungement in California

For many individuals with a criminal past, the burden of a conviction feels like a heavy weight that’s difficult to shake off. It significantly hinders the pursuit of employment, housing, and education opportunities. The harsh reality is that the damaging effects of a felony can follow the person long after serving their time. In the […]

Bail in California: What is a PC 1275 Hold?

As a legal professional who has witnessed countless criminal cases unfold, I understand how overwhelming and intricate navigating the justice system can be. One particularly stressful aspect is the PC 1275 Hold. In this blog post, I’ll shed light on this penal code, which directly impacts the burden of proof in criminal cases and potential […]

AB 960: Expanding California Compassionate Release

As an experienced criminal justice professional from San Diego, I am passionate about advocating for more humane and empathetic incarceration methods. Recently California passed AB 960, which offers a compassionate release for inmates who suffer from infirmities or are facing the inevitabilities of old age. This article will discuss the specifics of this revolutionary bill, […]

Understanding The Safer Streets for All Act & Racial Profiling in California

Over the last few years, conversations around law enforcement and public safety have frequently centered on discriminatory profiling. As a prime example in California, the criminalization of loitering with intent to commit prostitution has disproportionately impacted communities of color, the LGBTQ, and transgender individuals. This unjustified practice has been used primarily as an instrument for […]

Criminal Justice Lawyers & California Criminal Justice Reform

As criminal justice systems across the nation continue to address mass incarceration, police brutality, and racial profiling, many people are left wondering what this means for them. In California, criminal justice reform is a hot topic, and many different voices have been clamoring for change for years. The cost of our broken system is staggering […]

Assault vs. Battery – What are the Differences in California?

Although most people use assault and battery as terms together, they are two different crimes in California. Assault falls under California Penal Code 240PC, and battery falls under Penal Code 242PC.  The differences between assault and battery are what the end result of the action looks like: did the alleged assailant go through with their […]

About Non-Violent Crimes in California

Changes to Penalties for Non-Violent Crimes  Republicans and Democrats have been arguing over proposed changes to Proposition 47, the law passed in 2014 that lessened penalties for many non-violent offenses in California.The law could be changed, with penalties increased, or it could be repealed completely.  With these changes possibly coming and affecting your sentence or […]

A Guide to Uncontested Divorce in California

When two people take their wedding vows, the last thing that they want is for their spiritual and civil union to end before “death do us part.” There’s plenty of data to suggest that marriages in the U.S. are more resilient than previously believed.  While it’s hard to pin down divorce statistics, the old 50 […]

Guide to California’s Criminal Codes and What They Mean for You

Learning about the way California processes criminal charges helps you understand the way your criminal defense case may be approached. California’s Criminal charges codes are organized into a series of acts on many different subjects, the most prominent being the Penal Code of California. From there, the text expands into legal jargon which isn’t always […]