Criminal Defense

California Business & Professions Code 7028 BP makes it a misdemeanor to contract without a valid contractor’s license. A first-time conviction is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or $5,000 in fines. And defendants are liable to their victims for any economic losses and restitution. The full text of the statute reads as …

California Penal Code § 17235 PC defines a switchblade as a knife that resembles a pocketknife with a blade of 2 inches or longer that releases automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, a flip of the wrist, weight of the blade, or any other mechanism. It is a misdemeanor to …

Penal Code § 12020 PC is a repealed California statute that made it a crime to possess, sell, import, or manufacture certain generally prohibited weapons such as short-barreled rifles, ballistic knives, metal knuckles, and nunchucks. Although PC 12020 has been repealed, its laws have been re-codified as PC sections 16000 through 34370.1 The full text of …

Business & Professions Code § 2052 BPC prohibits the practice of medicine without being properly licensed by the Medical Board of California. The unauthorized practice of medicine can be charged as a misdemeanor carrying up to 1 year in jail and/or $1,000 in fines. Or it can be charged as a felony carrying a jail sentence …

California Vehicle Code § 22352 CVC sets the default speeding limit as 15 mph on any alley or during the last 100 feet of approaching a railway crossing or intersection. This section also sets the default speeding limit at 25 mph on any road or while passing a school or senior center. But this law …

Penal Code § 490.2 PC is the California statute that defines petty theft as stealing up to $950 worth of money, property, or labor. As a misdemeanor, petty theft is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines. The full text of the statute reads as follows: 490.2. (a) Notwithstanding …

Penal Code 602.9 PC is the California statute that defines the crime of renting out residential property without the owner’s consent. People commit this offense if they claim ownership or possession of a residential property and rent it out to another person without the property owner’s consent. A violation of the law is a misdemeanor …

Penal Code 243c2 PC makes it a crime to commit battery on a peace officer in California. This is defined as willfully and unlawfully touching a peace officer in an offensive manner. A conviction can lead to a felony charge punishable by up to three years in jail or prison. The language of the code …