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Restraining Orders in Los Angeles: Why Courtroom Balance Shapes Outcomes
Sep 10, 2025
Restraining orders A recent profile of Judge Melanie Ochoa in the Daily Journal brought this reality into focus. The judge’s approach to preparation and balance highlights why judicial temperament is so important in cases where emotions often run high. Recognizing our firm’s prominence in the restraining order court, the Daily Journal reached out to our office for comment. In that feature, senior partner Dawn Dunbar’s reflections on efficiency and patience underscored why these values are...
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Non-CLETS Settlement Agreements in California: What You Need to Know
Aug 31, 2025
When you are facing a dispute involving This blog explains non-CLETS agreements in plain English, outlines how they differ from standard restraining orders, and shows how they may impact your rights in California. What Does CLETS Mean in California? To understand a non-CLETS settlement agreement, you first need to know what CLETS is. CLETS stands for California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System. It is a statewide database that law enforcement officers use to track: Criminal...
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Street Takeovers in Los Angeles Highlighted in PSA Warning of Deadly Consequences
Aug 19, 2025
Street takeovers have quickly become the norm in Los Angeles, with participants blocking an intersection to perform donuts and other maneuvers at high speeds. While these may seem harmless compared to other crimes, they can lead to devastating consequences, as was the case with our client, Dante Terrel Chapple-Young. While taking part in a street takeover, Mr. Chapple-Young struck and killed a bystander. He was arrested and charged with Thanks to our creative approach,...
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Can Law Enforcement Seize Your Guns? Understanding Search and Seizure Laws in CA
Jul 18, 2025
If you're a In this blog, we’ll walk you through the circumstances under which police can confiscate firearms, your constitutional protections under the Fourth Amendment, and When Can Police Seize Your Firearms in California? In California, law enforcement may seize firearms under a few specific conditions. These include: 1. Search Warrant or Arrest Warrant If police have a valid warrant that specifies your firearms (or if the weapons are discovered in plain view during...
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What Happens If You're Accused of Selling Guns Without a License in California?
Jul 3, 2025
Selling guns without a license in California is a serious offense that can lead to criminal charges, hefty fines, and even prison time. If you've been accused of this crime, it's critical to understand the charges, the laws that apply, and how a skilled California California takes unlicensed gun sales seriously, and the penalties reflect that. The law is complex, especially when it comes to private sales, inherited firearms, and online transactions. Let’s break...
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What to Do if the Police Recommend a Restraining Order or if You’re Served with One
Jun 27, 2025
A In this guide, we provide helpful insight into the steps you should take, including how an experienced Types of Restraining Orders in Los Angeles, California In California, the most common types of protective orders include: Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs) Apply when the person causing harm is a spouse, ex-spouse, dating partner, parent of your child, close family member, or someone you live or lived with. These orders protect against physical abuse,...
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Arrested at a Los Angeles Protest? Know Your Rights and Legal Options
Jun 13, 2025
The Los Angeles protests A criminal conviction can upend your entire life. The Legal Right to Protest vs. Grounds for Arrest The First Amendment protects your right to peacefully protest in traditionally public spaces, including streets, parks, sidewalks, and outside of government buildings. The key word, however, is Looting Blocking traffic or access to private property, including government buildings Failing to disperse following an order Resisting arrest Attempting to free someone who had...
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Charged With Petty Theft in California? What Proposition 36 Could Mean For You
May 30, 2025
If you were recently arrested for In this guide, we offer a helpful overview explaining What is Petty Theft in California? Petty theft — also sometimes called retail theft — refers to property or assets Took items without paying for them Concealed merchandise and left the store without paying for them Changed the price tag of an item to pay less for it Did not have permission from the property owner to...
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How Does California Define “Intimate Partner” in Domestic Violence Cases?
May 28, 2025
If you're facing In this guide, we’ll break down how California What Is an “Intimate Partner” Under California Domestic Violence Law? California law takes domestic violence very seriously. But In California, an intimate partner includes: A current or former spouse A fiancé or former fiancé A current or former cohabitant (someone you live with) Someone you are currently dating Someone you previously dated The parent of your child, even if you never...
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SB 554 “Survivor’s Protection Act” – Why It Matters If You’ve Been Served (Or May Be Served) With a California Restraining Order
May 27, 2025
If the sheriff or a process server has just handed you a restraining order packet—or you sense one may be coming—read this before you act. California’s new On September 27, 2024 Governor Newsom signed Border-less Filing: The Petitioner Now Chooses the Playing Field • Why This Matters for You as a Respondent • A Defense Attorney's Checklist Under the New Law • Bottom Line The Survivor’s Protection Act removes...
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