Despite what you may see on TV, being a police officer involves more than issuing tickets, making arrests, searching crime scenes, talking to witnesses, and interrogating suspects. One thing they leave out on the procedurals is all the paperwork officers must fill out as part of their jobs. However, a new AI technology called Draft […]
The Story of Alec Baldwin’s Rust Trial
It was a true tragedy when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Western film Rust. Whether or not it was a crime was not as immediately apparent. To determine if it was a crime, the incident was investigated by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department, New Mexico’s First Judicial District […]
Famous Domestic Violence Cases
The popular image of domestic violence usually involves a beer-swilling, shirtless husband beating his wife to vent his frustration with life. But in reality, people of all classes, genders, and orientations are accused of committing domestic violence, including actors, musicians, athletes, and more. In fact, many real-life domestic abuse cases involve individuals who are […]
Vista Lawyer Peter M. Liss: A Trusted Source for News Reporters
Reporters reach out to Peter M. Liss on a variety of topics because they know he is a respected source with an excellent understanding of the California criminal justice system.
Planting and Tampering With Evidence in California: Penal Code 141 (PC)
If someone is accused of violating Penal Code Section 141 (PC), they will normally face misdemeanor charges. But when a police officer is accused of planting or tampering with evidence, the charges will be a felony.
Fighting Evidence from Police Informants
Police often rely on outside tips to solve crimes. Occasionally, they even incentivize people who have been accused of crimes to share information they have about other criminals. While the theory is that those in the criminal underworld are likely to get closer to other criminals and, thus, have more information about their illegal acts, […]
CA Limits the Use of Mug Shots on Police Social Media Accounts
Mug shots are a valuable tool for police departments across the globe. They provide officers with an image of an individual accused of a crime, showing their height and their face from multiple angles. But just because they are useful for police records doesn’t mean that mug shots should be shared online for anyone to […]
Are Lawyers Allowed to Lie on Behalf of Their Clients?
There are probably hundreds of jokes about lawyers lying for a living, but no matter what public opinion, legal standards prohibit attorneys from knowingly telling a lie. If a lawyer lies, he is risking his law license. The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct specifically says that while they must do what […]
Bank Error in Your Favor? Monopoly’s Rules Could Leave You Busted
Monopoly may have introduced most of us to the idea of a “bank error in your favor,” but while it is an unexpectedly beneficial windfall in the board game, in real life, using this money could leave you facing criminal charges. If you find an unexpected credit on your bank statement, the best thing you […]
