Los Angeles Criminal Attorney Blog

We have all probably seen cops on movies or television shows telling a suspected criminal that they have the right to remain silent, and anything they say or do can be used against them in a court of law. But where did that come from? If a police officer doesn’t say that phrase to a suspect, can the charges be dismissed?

In 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case called Miranda v. Arizona that suspected criminals have the right not to incriminate themselves and also have the right to obtain legal counsel. Because of this landmark case, the warnings police give suspects today are called Miranda warnings or rights.

Miranda warnings consist of telling a suspect that they have the right to remain silent, because anything they say can be used against them in court. Miranda warnings also tell suspects that they have the right to an attorney, and if they can’t afford one, one will be appointed for them. If a suspect tells the police that they want a lawyer, all questioning must stop.

In general, police are required to give suspects Miranda rights before questioning them. A suspect can be arrested without being read their Miranda warnings. Anything that the suspect tells the police, if he or she was not properly read those Miranda rights, can be inadmissible in court. However, the original arrest could still be valid.

Have you been charged with a crime in California? If so, before speaking with the police, you should obtain an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Call the lawyers at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today at 866-390-7373 for a free consultation about your case.

California drug charges can have extremely serious consequences for your life. Some of the punishments for drug offenses include prison time, fines, court-ordered rehab, the loss of professional licenses, and more.

If you have been charged with a California drug crime, such as possession of cocaine or methamphetamine, manufacture of cocaine or methamphetamine, or sales of illegal drugs, you need to hire a very skilled lawyer. It is best to hire an attorney who focuses solely on criminal law, rather than a general practitioner who dabbles in criminal law on the side.

You should look at an attorney’s reputation. If you have worked with other lawyers, call them to ask for recommendations for a criminal attorney. Ask friends or family members for recommendations. You could also look at websites that provide reviews from clients to see what former clients think of their experiences with an attorney.

California criminal defense attorneys also need significant experience in drug offenses. A lawyer may have years of experience in white collar crimes or violent crimes, but has never handled a drug crime before. It’s best to locate an attorney with a significant amount of experience defending against drug charges.

Once you have gotten a few names, check out the websites of the attorneys. Do their websites show a lot of up to date knowledge and experience with drug charges? Consider calling the attorneys to see if they would consult with you before you select one. Do you feel comfortable with the attorney? Do they inspire confidence? Do your personalities mesh well together?

If you are searching for a Los Angeles drug crimes attorney, contact the knowledgeable lawyers at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf. Contact us today at 866-390-7373.

For the first time since the late 1960s, Los Angeles has had fewer than 300 murders in the city in 2010, according to latimes.com. In the early 90s, there were over 1,000 murders in the city for three consecutive years.

The statistics are promising, not only because of the huge decrease in murders in the city, but also because a large number of the murders, as well as other violent crimes, are viewed as “repressible.” Repressible crimes are those which can be prevented with an increase in the police force, or improvements in the nature of police work. Crimes which are not repressible are crimes that no amount of police work could prevent, such as domestic violence.

About 50 percent of the murders that occurred this year were gang crimes. Gang crimes are repressible in large part. Gang crimes are considered repressible because Los Angeles has seen a big decrease in gang crime due to efforts such as community programs and early intervention.

Have you been charged with a violent Los Angeles crime, such as homicide or murder? If so, you may receive 25 years to life in prison, or even the death penalty, under California’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Whether or not a crime is considered a violent crime depends on whether or not a weapon was used, whether or not the crime was intentional, and how seriously the victim was injured.

If you have been charged with a violent crime, contact the Los Angeles violent crime defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf by calling 866-390-7373. We have extensive experience in defending against a variety of criminal charges.