Wrongful Conviction: Junk Science Podcast Highlights The Use of Flawed Forensic Evidence in American Courtrooms In 2009, the National Academy of Science published a warning to criminal justice stakeholders concerning the widespread use of junk science in American courtrooms.1 In its landmark publication, the NAS underscored the need to establish greater quality controls and standards within the scientific…
Coronavirus Update – March 24, 2020 The California Courts post regular coronavirus updates at courts.ca.gov. On March 24, 2020, California Chief Justice Tanias Cantil-Sakauye suspended all criminal and civil jury trials across California’s 58 counties for 60 days. Effective March 20, 2020, the Ventura County Superior Court ordered limited operations through April 17, 2020. A copy…
Coronavirus Update From Attorney William Haney My law office will be closed for in-person meetings on a temporary basis. We made this decision for the safety of our staff. The Ventura County Superior Court is assessing the present public health emergency on a day-to-day basis. All court matters are cancelled from Monday March 16h through…
California Expungement Documents (Ventura County) Note: Any person seeking to expunge a criminal conviction should first consult with a qualified criminal defense lawyer. This article does not constitute legal advice. Misdemeanor Expungement Petitions To obtain an expungement in California, a petitioner, or an attorney working on the petitioner’s behalf, should lodge the following documents: (1)…
Ventura County Law Enforcement Agencies Partner with Amazon’s Ring Camera Surveillance Network The Washington Post recently revealed that approximately 400 American police agencies now engage in a public-private partnership with Ring, Amazon’s doorbell-camera firm.1 According to the Post, the relationship allows police to access the vast network of homeowner-installed doorbell cameras within a specific time and…
Penal Code Section 181 – Slavery California law punishes the crime of “Slavery.” Under Penal Code Section 181, any person who does the following is guilty of Slavery: holds or attempts to hold any person in involuntary servitude; assumes or attempts to assume the rights of ownership over any person; sells or attempts to sell…
Netflix Presents Riveting “Survivors Guide to Prison” Netflix recently released the “Survivors Guide to Prison,” a chilling explanation of how the criminal justice system can go terribly wrong in important cases. Directed by Matthew Cooke, the “Survivors Guide to Prison” is a must-see for anyone interested in criminal justice reform. More importantly, the film is an…
Penal Code Section 155.5 – Disposal of Property to Avoid Criminal Restitution Payments1 Penal Code Section 155.5 criminalizes certain attempts by criminal defendants to shield their assets from court-ordered restitution payments. Penal Code Section 155.5(a) – Misdemeanor Punishment for Specified Acts of Concealment Under Penal Code Section 155.5(a), the prosecution must prove the following elements…
California Penal Code Section 152 – Concealment of Accidental Death1 California law sets forth misdemeanor punishment for any person who conceals or attempts to conceal an accidental death. Elements of a Penal Code Section 152 Violation: The defendant knew of the accidental death of another person; The defendant actively concealed or attempted to conceal the death.2…
California Legislature Passes SB 1030 – Distracted Driving To Add a Point to Driving Record1 Senator Josh Newman (Fullerton) gained approval for Senate Bill 1030 on April 30th. If Governor Brown signs the Bill into law, insurance companies will add a point to the driving record of any person caught operating a cellular telephone while…