California’s “three strikes” law has drawn widespread attention, much of it centered on its perceived inequities. But it is the law and, consequently, has a significant impact on those charged with a strikeable offense.

Generally, any violent or serious crime can count as a strike. So for the individual who already has one strike and is convicted of a subsequent felony, any sentence must be at least twice the normal punishment for the new felony. If the sentence for the new felony, for example, is 6 years in state prison, the court sentence must be 12 years.

What makes the law so controversial – and presents such a peril to those convicted under the law – is that the second felony doesn’t even have to be what’s considered a strikeable offense. And for someone with two strikes who is convicted of a third felony (again, not necessarily a strikeable offense), the punishment can be 25 years to life.

The vagaries of this California law have opened the way to a variety of legal maneuvers. In previous cases, for example, strikes have been stricken from an individual’s record for what has been considered the “furtherance of justice.” The Law Office of Ronald G. Brower are experts in “three strikes” cases and will take aggressive steps to defend you or a love one affected by this law.