714-997-4400Attorney General’s Office Opposes NIBIN
The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network allows law enforcement agencies to share ballistics intelligence across the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) runs NIBIN and is hopeful that more states will begin using the technology. However, crime labs in California are not mandated to use the life-saving network, NBC Bay […]
Expanding Firearm Restraining Order Law
Following every mass shooting, school or otherwise, society is forced to ask some pretty hard questions about gun laws. It is one of the most politicized debates in modern times; and, states’ rights and the 2nd Amendment are evoked to keep gun laws the way they are today. It is often the case that when […]
Attorney-Client Privilege Breach
Most people, even those who have never had a run-in with the law, understand that when they speak to their attorney, it is considered privileged. A lawyer cannot breach attorney-client-privilege without the permission of their client. What is more, people awaiting trial in jail expect that any phone calls with one’s attorney are confidential; such […]
AB 1810 Gives Judges Greater Power
Those who are incompetent to stand trial or ISTs are at the center of controversy in California following the signing Assembly Bill 1810. The new law, signed by Governor Jerry Brown earlier this summer dramatically changes the criminal justice system in California, it allows judges to order community mental health treatment instead of prosecution for […]
Gov Brown Signs SB 10 Ending Money Bail
Last year, the California Senate passed Senate Bill 10; the legislation aims to do away with cash bail in favor of judges’ discretion. At the end of August, Governor Jerry Brown signed the SB 10, hereby abolishing money bail, according to The Washington Post. California once again leads the way regarding criminal justice reform, Gov. […]
Stand Your Ground Law In California
The phrase “stand your ground” is something we hear quite a bit these days. Some 27 states have adopted what is known as Stand-Your-Ground Laws; and, seven states, including California, have passed stand-your-ground in practice. Criminal defense attorneys in states like Florida cite the self-defense law regularly, recent cases of note include the trial of […]
A Constitutional Challenge to the Felony Murder Rule
At this time, there are hundreds of inmates serving exceedingly long prison sentences for their participation in crimes that involved murder, even though – they – didn’t kill anyone. The reality for such prisoners is the result of a state law that allows prosecutors to charge alleged criminals with second-degree murder if they are part […]
Rolling Back Proposition 47 and Prop. 57 in 2020
California criminal justice reform is a topic that is of the utmost importance to us at the Law Office of Ronald G. Brower. We work tirelessly to stay apprised of new legislation that can impact our clients; for example, in May we wrote about an effort to upend two bills signed into law that reduced […]
Turner’s Sexual Assault Conviction Appeal
The Brock Turner case is back in the news, again, following the former Stanford swimmer’s attorney’s appeal to have the sexual assault conviction overturned. If the nature of this case was remarkable enough, from slap-on-the-wrist sentencing to the first judicial recall in more than 80-years, it just took another somewhat unbelievable turn. If you are […]