Useful information

California Labor Code 2802 requires your employer to reimburse you for all reasonable expenses necessary for doing your job. This includes reimbursing you for any business-required use of your personal cell phone. You are entitled to a reimbursement that reflects a reasonable percentage of the actual cost of your cell phone bill. You are entitled …

10 signs you may be in a hostile work environment are if you or others are being subjected to: verbal abuse such as extreme ridicule or sarcasm, derogatory language, bigoted language or slurs (particularly if you belong to a protected class) inappropriate humor displays of offensive objects or images physical attacks or threatening statements harassment …

How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record in California? | Shouse California Law GroupWatch this video on YouTube In California, a felony conviction stays on your record forever if you do not get it expunged. You may be eligible for an expungement if you did not serve time in state prison. You can face …

Unlike some other states, California does not have a “stop and identify” statute that makes it a crime to refuse to identify yourself. This means that you do not have to show police your identification unless you are being lawfully detained or arrested. That said, you do have to show police your driver’s license if asked …

In California, you have a legal obligation to mitigate your damages in a variety of legal claims. This means you have to take reasonable steps to reduce how much you lose after an accident or a breach of contract. Losses that you do not mitigate will not be compensated in a lawsuit. The duty to …

What Does "Light Duty" Mean in a Workers’ Comp Case?Watch this video on YouTube In a workers’ compensation case, the term light duty refers to a modified job assignment that is less physically or mentally demanding than your normal duties. These jobs allow you to return to work without aggravating your injury. Depending on the state, …

If you get convicted of any felony offense, you will lose your gun rights in California. In fact, if you have a felony conviction on your criminal record, it is itself a felony offense to own, purchase, receive, or possess a firearm. Convictions carry up to three years in prison. However, there are several ways …

In California, pedestrians do not always have the right of way, though they generally do. In some cases, pedestrians can be partially or totally liable for a pedestrian accident. Pedestrians can sue for damages they sustain in an accident. However, their damages will be reduced by their degree of fault. In this article I delve …

In California, hit-and-run can be a felony if you fled the scene of an accident that produced a serious, permanent injury or fatality. Felony convictions carry higher penalties. If the accident did not hurt anyone, then prosecutors can only charge it as a misdemeanor. If the injuries were not serious and permanent, prosecutors can file …

Once you turn yourself in for a bench warrant, you will go before a judge for a hearing which should result in the warrant being recalled and quashed. Your goal at the hearing is to show that your violation of the court’s order (leading to the bench warrant) was justifiable or excusable. Depending on the …

The difference between negligence and malpractice in California lies in whose conduct caused your injuries. Both are civil claims for compensation in personal injury lawsuits. Normal people have a duty to behave like a reasonable person. Failing to do so is negligence. When working, certain professionals, like lawyers and doctors, have a duty to behave …

In California, the reasonable person standard works by comparing an allegedly negligent party’s conduct to what a hypothetical reasonable person would have done in the same or similar circumstances. If a defendant fails to act like an objectively reasonable person would have, it can amount to a breach of their duty of care towards you …

An accessory to a crime is someone who helped commit the offense without actually taking part in it. It is similar to the crime of “aiding and abetting,” though you can be an accessory even if you were not present at the scene of the crime. In this article I discuss in detail what it …

Bail bonds work by allowing you to post bail that you would not have otherwise been able to afford. The bail bondsman posts the full amount on your behalf. You pay the bail bondsman a percentage of the bail amount – usually 10 percent. This payment is nonrefundable. The bondsman usually secures the bond with …

In California, the criminal statute of limitations for child molestation can be between one year and forever. Recent changes to the law have allowed prosecutors to file charges at any time in some cases. The specific nature of the allegations will determine how long law enforcement has to initiate a particular case. Which statute of …

The castle doctrine allows you to use deadly force against intruders to defend yourself within your own home. By contrast, the stand your ground doctrine allows you to use proportional force to reasonably defend yourself at any location where you have a legal right to be. Both doctrines require no duty to retreat. Although the …

Generally speaking, an 18-year-old can date a 16-year-old provided that the relationship is not sexual. If the relationship becomes sexual, then it could be illegal depending on the state. This is because each state has its own age of consent rules and Romeo and Juliet laws, and both can have an impact on the legality …

Sex with a minor (or anyone below the state’s age of consent) is prohibited even if the sex was consensual and even if it was initiated by the minor. Potential consequences include jail or prison time, fines, probation, mandatory registration as a sex offender, civil penalties, the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction, living or workplace …

After determining what your case is worth, you should usually ask for around double that amount in your demand letter. This initiates the settlement negotiation process and gives you room to compromise. It also helps you avoid asking for too little and the insurance company agreeing to that amount. Determine what your personal injury case …

Defrauding an innkeeper is a criminal offense that can be charged if you obtain goods or services from a business without paying for them. This often involves “dining and dashing” from a restaurant, or failing to pay after you stay at a hotel or you fill up your tank at a gas station. Depending on …