For American citizens, misdemeanors are considered to be relatively minor. Convictions tend to come with modest fines and fees, while prison sentences are usually under a year in length. A misdemeanor is seen differently when you’re an immigrant to the United States....
What do different blood alcohol levels mean for a California DUI?
Driving under the influence (DUI) charges vary in severity depending on a number of factors. For example, the number of previous charges that you have will likely impact what consequences you face. Whether or not you caused a crash and whether there were minor...
Defending against a DUI for lack of reasonable suspicion
If you are facing DUI charges for the first time, it's likely that you'll be worried about your future. Being convicted of a DUI can ruin your reputation in your community, affect your career and can limit your freedom since you'll be without the ability to drive for...
What immigrants need to know about marijuana in California
California was one of the states that pioneered the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use. If you’re an adult over 21 years of age or hold a medical marijuana card, you can largely buy, keep and consume marijuana legally from any...
DUI checkpoint leads to 17 arrests
When the police use DUI checkpoints, they often target times when they believe there may be an increase in impaired driving, such as the weekend. That's what they did with a recent checkpoint in California, which started late on a Friday night and ran into Saturday...
Useful topics new immigrants need to consider
If you're immigrating to the United States, it's likely going to be a big change for you and your family. This can be a positive change in many ways, of course, but it can also feel a bit overwhelming. You may not even be sure what you need to know, and you certainly...
Understanding the different types of criminal warrants
If you find yourself involved in a criminal case, an arrest or any other part of this process, it may all be brand new to you. You have no experience, it feels overwhelming and somewhat foreign, and it's hard for you to navigate this entire process on your own. One...
When do you get your license back after a DUI?
If you are convicted of DUI, you're going to lose your license. In fact, the officer will probably confiscate it when you are arrested. When do you get it back? First of all, you may not be guilty of DUI. That's why it's a bit problematic that they can take your...
Should you affirm you were drinking as part of your DUI defense?
When most people are pulled over by a police officer, they tend to worry immediately. Even if the officer just issues a ticket, it could mean fines or other penalties, which are annoying in the least. Of course, an officer could also suspect that you are driving under...
How long can you stay on a student visa?
You were not sure if you wanted to immigrate to the United States, but you got into a good college. You applied for a student visa and decided you'd make up your mind when the program ended. It would give you a chance to find out more about the realities of living in...
