Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog

If you're charged with assault, it doesn't necessarily mean it will result in a conviction. With the right defense strategy, you're able to protect your legal rights in California, and avoid a conviction and the consequences associated with it.

There are several common assault defenses, with these often considered above the rest:

• Self-defense: This is the most commonly employed defense strategy in an assault and battery case. To successfully use this defense, it's critical to prove that there was a threat of force or harm against you, such as the other individual threatening you with a weapon.
• Defense of someone else: This is similar to self-defense in many ways, with the primary difference being that you're defending another person instead of yourself. For example, if a person attacks your spouse or children, you have reasonable grounds for defending them.
• Consent: It's not as common as other defense strategies, but consent is something to consider. This is used if an individual has voluntarily agreed to a specific act of violence. However, in the event that the behavior exceeds the permission given by the individual, this defense may not be best.
• Defense of property: This comes into play if you were defending property that was illegally invaded or withheld. For example, if a person or group of people attacks you in an attempt to steal your car or jewelry, you have the legal right to defend yourself.

People who are arrested for and eventually convicted of criminal offenses know that their futures will likely be impacted by the experience. However, they also deserve to believe that they can successfully move beyond their criminal past and rebuild their lives. Integral to doing this is getting a job so they can support themselves and their families. People who have spent time in jail or even in prison should not automatically assume they have no hope of doing this as it is very possible to find employment even with a criminal background.

According to PrisonFellowship.org, the United States Department of Labor indicates that more than nine out of every 10 employers will consider hiring a candidate who has previously been convicted of a crime.

Generally, you should not speak to California or federal employees without a thorough understanding of the law. Talking to police officers, in particular, is often one of the best things you can do for the prosecution in your criminal defense case.

There is a reason that the Miranda Rights specify that anything you say or do could be used as evidence against you. At Kosnett Law Firm, we have seen many cases damaged considerably by seemingly innocent statements by the defendant.

A conviction resulting from a DUI can heavily burden your life. Without your driving privileges, getting to work can be a challenge, not to mention the problems you face with transporting your kids to school if you are a parent. The good news is that California law does provide for a hardship license for people who qualify. To receive the limited driving privileges offered by a hardship license, California law supplies a number of criteria that one must meet. 

Per FindLaw, California may grant you a hardship license if the DUI you were convicted of was your only offense in the last ten years. This applies to any offense related to a DUI. You also must have been at least 21 years old at the time you were arrested. Younger applicants will not be considered eligible. Breathalyzer results are also a factor. If you were driving a noncommercial vehicle, your BAC level must be 0.08 percent or higher. However, the BAC level must be 0.04 percent or higher if you happened to be driving a commercial vehicle.