Los Angeles Criminal Defense and Restraining Order Lawyer Blog

California Restraining Order Forms The need for a restraining order often comes up during exceptionally challenging times. For this reason, it is common for those seeking the protection of a California restraining order to feel overwhelmed by the process. However, if you believe you need a restraining order, it is imperative that you do not…

How California Inmates Can Effectively Leverage the Newly-Passed AB 600 in Hopes of Obtaining a Resentencing Hearing On October 8, 2023, Governor Newsome officially approved Assembly Bill 600 (“AB 600”), which is the latest criminal justice reform measure in California. Like many of the other recent changes in the state’s criminal justice system, AB 600…

Recently, the California criminal defense and appeal lawyers at Power Trial Lawyers, P.C. watched as a client who was formally sentenced to 35 years to life in prison walked free after serving only 20 years  of that sentence in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This marks yet another inmate who was freed as…

In the ever-changing landscape that is the California criminal justice system, the concept of pretrial diversion stands as a means of getting all charges dismissed before trial. Pretrial diversion is a legal mechanism that allows certain individuals to bypass the traditional prosecutorial process in favor of rehabilitative programs. Often times, if completed successfully, a judicial…

California criminal law is known across the country for its use of sentencing enhancements, which first started to become law back in the 1990s. However, since then, critics of California’s sentencing enhancements have pointed out that they have led to over-incarceration, especially among racial minorities. Among the most notorious of all enhancements are the firearm…

California’s felony sentencing guidelines are established by the California Penal Code and the California Rules of Court. Additionally, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) provides guidance on the implementation of sentencing laws through various policies and regulations. Generally, felony sentencing guidelines in California are determined by several factors, including: These guidelines are designed to…

Power Trial Lawyers, P.C. successfully argued a client’s case in the California Appellate Court, Second District, forcing the case back to the Los Angeles County Superior Court for an evidentiary hearing. On December 1, 2022, after nearly 20 months of review, the California Appellate Court, Second District issued an order in a Power Trial Lawyers, P.C.,…

The Power Trial Lawyers, P.C. attorneys and staff are celebrating another major win for their client! Another Power Trial Lawyers, P.C. Client is resentenced and will be home for the holidays after the firm successfully reached a stipulation with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office pursuant to Penal Code § 1172.6. The Los Angeles County…

What Is AB 256? Senate Bill 256 is a bill introduced by State Assemblymember Ash Kalra of the 27th Assembly District. The bill builds upon a prior law, the California Racial Justice Act, which precludes the government from making any prosecutorial or sentencing decisions based on the race, ethnicity or national origin of the accused. While…

On August 8, 2022, the California Supreme Court decided a long-awaited case that affects SB 1437 Petitions for individuals convicted of Special Circumstance Murder when they ruled in the case of People v. Christopher Strong. Specifically, the Supreme Court ruled that some special circumstance findings do not automatically preclude defendants from SB 1437 relief. Background Regarding SB 1437…