Many crimes occur on the Fourth of July. Just like Superbowl Sunday, the Fourth entices with way too much beer at too many parties and way too much driving automobiles in between.

Spring is here and summer nears. We should all have a lot of fun at the beaches, lakes, mountains and deserts near Ventura. But be careful. Drunkenly and recklessly causing any injury of significance could easily elevate too much sun and wine into a prison case. California criminal law is full of pitfalls for the unwary.

Spring is here and summer nears. We should all have a lot of fun at the beaches, lakes, mountains and deserts near Ventura. But be careful. Drunkenly and recklessly causing any injury of significance could easily elevate too much sun and wine into a prison case. California criminal law is full of pitfalls for the unwary.

The State of Virgina recently hit an all time low in criminalizing a woman's constitutional right to obtain an abortion.

Criminal defense lawyers are worth their weight in gold depending upon their weight and the price of gold at any given moment.

Almost if not all licensed drivers in the State of California and Ventura have committed a variety of minor Vehicle Code infractions. These violations range from illegal lane changes, speeding a few miles over the speed limit, rolling through a stop sign in the fabled “California stop,” to violations such as failure to yield, passing unlawfully and a big fine violation of blocking an intersection while making a left hand turn. Ordinarily, if one is guilty of these offenses, one pays a fine and suffers a few points added to his or her license for DMV purposes. There is no probation, jail or criminal fine above that for the ticket itself. These offenses are infractions of interest to DMV, your insurer, your employer if you drive as part of your job.

All this is possible because the Prosecution has police chemists who routinely testify that a driver’s blood alcohol is above .08 and the driver is therefore impaired or Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

I just read in the paper 254 folks were arrested for DUI over the past 17 days in Ventura County. I’m sorry to hear that the New Year now necessarily will include quickly contacting, especially within the first ten (10) days of your arrest, a criminal defense lawyer experienced in DUI and vehicular crimes defense. Schwartz & Powell is the firm to call to ease your pain.

This New Years weekend don’t be surprised to have a police officer stop you at a roadblock to chat with you about your recreational activities.