The average settlement for a California lawsuit filed over back and neck injuries sustained in a car accident varies from a few thousand dollars to well over a million. The wide range is because all accidents and injuries are unique. Small discrepancies in your case make it different from other, similar ones. There is no …
Police generally start investigating a California hit and run case by visiting the scene of the accident, interviewing the victim and gathering evidence. Law enforcement then goes to identify the driver who fled the scene, usually by: piecing together the evidence they gathered, viewing surveillance camera footage (if available), bringing the case into the news, …
Nearly all sex offenders can still get a passport. However, sex offenders who committed child sex crimes will have a unique identifier placed on their passports. This identifier states that the person is a sex offender. Sex offenders covered by this requirement will have their normal passports revoked and replaced with one with the identifier. …
While plaintiffs’ lawyers generally want to settle a case quickly, there are 5 common reasons why a personal injury case can take a long time to settle: the medical treatment is still ongoing, working the case up further may increase the settlement, there are still factual or legal issues to resolve, the court is backlogged, …
The difference between sexual assault and sexual battery is that sexual assault involves nonconsensual intercourse with a victim. By contrast, sexual battery involves a nonconsensual groping or touching of a victim’s intimate parts. While both of these are treated as sex crimes, sexual assault is a more serious offense. The following table compares and contrasts …
According to most jurisdictions, the top 5 reasons why a judge may terminate your probation early are that you: complied with all the terms of your probation, avoided any new arrests or criminal charges, paid all fines, fees, court costs, and restitution, did not commit any probation violations, and would experience a hardship if you …
In California, negligence is the failure to act like a reasonable person in similar circumstances. Gross negligence is more extreme. You act with gross negligence in California if your conduct shows a reckless disregard for the safety of others. While the results of your grossly negligent behavior might not have been intentional, they are still …
The law in most states allows a prosecutor to charge the crime of child abuse as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances. Prosecutors are typically more prone to file felony charges when: the child suffers an injury, the abuse was particularly cruel or included sexual acts (for example, sexual assault), and/or …
You can sue someone for giving you herpes. The legal mechanism for this would be to bring a personal injury lawsuit. All of these lawsuits would seek financial compensation to cover the losses associated with your disease such as medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. A lawsuit can also hold the person who infected you …
In most cases, the crime of murder is prosecuted in state courts as a state crime. But there are seven scenarios when an unlawful killing violates federal law and thus is prosecuted as a federal crime. These include when: the murder is of a federal judge or a federal law enforcement official (for example, an …
Yes. Under Penal Code 198.5 PC, California law follows the Castle Doctrine. This is the legal principle that you have no duty to retreat if you confront an intruder at your own home. You are permitted to use force against intruders who break into your home or try to force their way in. The text …
Assault vs. Battery — "What's the difference?"Watch this video on YouTube In California, the main difference between the crimes of assault and battery is whether contact was made. If no contact was made, it can be assault. If contact was made, it is usually both assault and battery. Because contact was made, the penalties for …
Prostitution is illegal throughout the state of California. Both the sex worker and the “john” can be prosecuted for a misdemeanor that carries up to 6 months in jail and $1,000 in fines. These same penalties also apply to soliciting (offering to engage in) prostitution or agreeing to an offer to engage in prostitution even …
In California, consecutive sentences are prison terms that are served one after the other. Concurrent sentences are prison terms that are served at the same time. Serving consecutive sentences means more time in prison. They are a factor if you are convicted of multiple crimes. California judges have lots of discretion in which type of …
According to insurance data, the average payout across the U.S. for a pain and suffering settlement in a personal injury case is approximately $15,000. Pain and suffering is considered non-economic damages because it is difficult to put a number value on. Examples of pain and suffering include: depression and anxiety grief and anger loss of …
Legitimate escort companies are generally legal. An escort agency is essentially a business that provides its clients or customers with a companion for a certain fee. People might pay for an escort in order to have a friend or partner at: an entertainment event, a business event, or dinner. Escorts are prohibited from providing clients …
The definition of the crime of “manufacturing a controlled substance” varies between states. But all states (and the federal government) consider it to be a crime to make or produce illegal substances, not just to possess them. That said, there is disagreement among courts and in state laws about how much alteration of a substance …
The four main differences between simple battery and aggravated battery involve: the elements of the two crimes, the injuries they can inflict, the penalties, and the defenses you can raise to challenge them. You commit the crime of simple battery if you intentionally make physical contact with a person in an offensive manner, but cause …
Police barged into your California home and seized what they told you was “evidence of a crime.” But they did so without a valid search warrant. The police said they did not need one because of “exigent circumstances.” What does that mean? Below I discuss everything you need to know about the exigent circumstances. Also …
Is Lolicon (Loli) Legal in the United States?Watch this video on YouTube Child pornography laws in California do not explicitly cover loli or manga depicting minors engaging in sexual activity. California statutes prohibit the possession of child pornography. Child porn includes material that “depicts a person under the age of 18 years personally engaging in …
Robbery vs Burglary: What's the Difference?Watch this video on YouTube The main difference between robbery and burglary is that burglary involves entering a structure with the intent to commit a theft or some other crime. Robbery does not necessarily involve entering a structure. Instead, robbery is the crime of stealing someone else’s property by means …
In California, certain employees who lose wages for more than a week because of a non-work-related injury can qualify for short-term disability (SDI). However, you must have contributed to the state SDI program to be eligible for benefits. You also have to get medical treatment and file a claim for SDI benefits. Receiving benefits from …
Oral copulation is the act more commonly referred to as oral sex. For legal purposes, it is defined as any sexual contact between one person’s mouth and another person’s genitals or anus. Oral copulation is perfectly legal when done in private among consenting adults. However, it can be a criminal offense when done without the …
What is a "Suspended Sentence"?Watch this video on YouTube A suspended sentence is where a judge sentences you to jail or prison time, but then delays imposing the sentence in order to let you serve time on probation. If you complete probation successfully, the judge typically dismisses the case without placing you in custody.1 If …
What is a "No Contest" plea? Is it different from a "Guilty" plea?Watch this video on YouTube The terms “guilty plea” and a “no contest plea” are often used interchangeably. But each can have different implications if you plead to a criminal charge. Pleading guilty means you admit that you committed the crime. Pleading no …
