The Constitution may protect you from unreasonable search and seizure, but many people have no idea how complex search warrant laws are. For example, the police cannot search your cell phone without a warrant, but they can search your car without a warrant if they have “reasonable suspicion.” In fact, they can do many things […]
Refusing to Speak to the Police is Not Obstruction of Justice
If you watch police dramas, you’ve almost certainly seen one of the cop characters threaten someone by telling them that if they don’t cooperate with an investigation, they’ll be charged with obstruction of justice. But refusing to talk to the police isn’t just your right, it’s also your best course of action when being questioned […]
Can a Diary be Used as Evidence? Are Diaries Admissible in Court?
Diaries and journals can be written for many reasons, but one thing most of these writers have in common is the expectation that their private thoughts and observations will be kept confidential. Unfortunately, the US legal system doesn’t hold diaries as a protected source of speech that can’t be used against their writer later on. […]
Better Understanding Double Jeopardy in Vista, California
The concept of double jeopardy as it applies to the law is one of those things that many people know about but few people understand. Here’s what double jeopardy actually means to someone already charged with a crime. What is Double Jeopardy Under the Law? Most people grasp the basic idea of double jeopardy -that […]
Here’s How to Legally Film California Police
Between all the recent cases where police have been accused of sexual abuse, racism, and brutality, it’s hardly surprising that more and more people in California are choosing to film their interactions with the police. Criminal attorney Peter M. Liss offers these tips for those who want to record their experiences with law enforcement officers […]
Vista and San Diego Unlawful Assembly Defense Lawyer
Unlawful assembly is a little-understood charge that many peaceful protesters face at one point or another. If you are accused of unlawful assembly in Vista or the rest of San Diego County, your criminal defense attorney can help you fight the accusations and protect your First Amendment rights. What is Unlawful Assembly? In California, unlawful […]
Sometimes Ignorance of the Law May be an Excuse
You’ve no doubt heard the expression that “ignorance of the law is no excuse,” and while that’s true in most cases, it’s not the full story. For one thing, there are a handful of laws that are only crimes if the defendant knew they were breaking the law -for example, it is illegal to bring […]
