Category: Weapons Offenses

Weapons Offenses | No Cuffs

Superior Court Of California, County of Sacramento

Posted by Brianna Wilkins on May 4, 2012

If you have been arrested for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs in the state of California, it is important to know the location of the courthouse where your arraignment will be held. If there are multiple courthouses in the county, please contact a skilled Sacramento DUI / DWI attorney for more information.

Gordon D. Schaber Downtown Courthouse
720 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

William R Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse
3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95826

Carol Miller Justice Center
301 Bicentennial Circle, Sacramento, CA 95826

Juvenile Courthouse
9605 Kiefer Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95827

Lorenzo Patino Hall of Justice (Sacramento County Main Jail)
651 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

» Sacramento County Superior Court of California website.

Getting arrested on suspicion of DUI / DWI can be a frightening experience. Suspected drunk drivers face a legal labyrinth that can seem daunting. A drunk driving case generates two separate cases – in criminal court, and at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). A California attorney with experience defending drinking and driving cases can help drivers navigate through both the DMV hearing and the court case.

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Firearm Laws and Firearm Offenses

Posted by Brianna Wilkins on May 4, 2012

The list of weapons that are not allowed to be possessed, manufactured, imported or sold in California are numerous, and are all mentioned in the Penal Code. The list is as follows: “Any cane gun or wallet gun, any undetectable firearm, any firearm which is not immediately recognizable as a firearm, any camouflaging firearm container, any ammunition which contains or consists of any flechette dart, any bullet containing or carrying an explosive agent, any ballistic knife, any multiburst trigger activator, any nunchaku, any short-barreled shotgun, any short-barreled rifle, any metal knuckles, any belt buckle knife, any leaded cane, any zip gun, any shuriken, any unconventional pistol, any lipstick case knife, any cane sword, any shobi-zue, any air gauge knife, any writing pen knife, any metal military practice hand grenade or metal replica hand grenade, or any instrument or weapon of the kind commonly known as a blackjack, slungshot, billy, sandclub, sap, or sandbag.”

There are some exceptions to these rules. For example, short-barrel shotguns may be manufactured for use by a police agency. Nunchaku can be possessed at a licensed school for self-defense. There is also allowance for the possession of antique weapons. The law has common sense protections, and a qualified attorney, who is knowledgeable in the field of criminal defense, can help classify the exceptions for a client being charged with possession of firearms.

When a person has been previously convicted of murder or voluntary manslaughter, mayhem, rape, sodomy by force, oral copulation by force, lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, kidnapping, robbery, or almost any other felony, that person is guilty of a felony and has this on his or her record. Furthermore, if a person has a previous conviction and is found in possession of a firearm, they will be facing an automatic six months in county jail as a condition of probation or of a suspended sentence.

A person who has been convicted of domestic violence, or who has a restraining order against him or her, may not possess any firearms. If a person does own firearms, they must be sold or turned in to the authorities for a predetermined period of years. It is important for an individual who is accused of domestic violence or who is the potential subject of a restraining order, to seek competent legal counsel to defend against such actions and avoid the frustrations of being subject to extra restrictions.

In Los Angeles, one often hears of individuals discharging firearms from their vehicles. The legislature has reacted to the fear that these violent acts instilled in people, and subsequently added additional stiff penalties for those who discharge a weapon from a vehicle in the state of California. Any person who has the intent to inflict great bodily injury or death, and any person who does inflict great bodily injury or death by firing a weapon from a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony or attempted felony, shall be punished by an additional and consecutive term of imprisonment in state prison for 5, 6, or 10 years.

If you or someone you know has been arrested on charges related to firearms crimes, do not hesitate in seeking a free consultation and case evaluation from the experienced attorneys at The Kavinoky Law Firm.

California Vehicle Code VC 13350 – Required Revocation

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 13350 – Required Revocation

13350. (a) The department immediately shall revoke the privilege of any person to drive a motor vehicle upon receipt of a duly certified abstract of the record of any court showing that the person has been convicted of any of the following crimes or offenses:

Failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury or death to any person to stop or otherwise comply with Section 20001.
Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used, except as provided in Section 13351, 13352, or 13357.
Reckless driving causing bodily injury.

(b) If a person is convicted of a violation of Section 23152 punishable under Section 23546, 23550, or 23550.5, or a violation of Section 23153 punishable under Section 23550.5 or 23566, including a violation of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 192 of the Penal Code as provided in Section 193.7 of that code, the court shall, at the time of surrender of the driver’s license or temporary permit, require the defendant to sign an affidavit in a form provided by the department acknowledging his or her understanding of the revocation required by paragraph (5), (6), or (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 13352, and an acknowledgment of his or her designation as a habitual traffic offender. A copy of this affidavit shall be transmitted, with the license or temporary permit, to the department within the prescribed 10 days.

(c) The department shall not reinstate the privilege revoked under subdivision (a) until the expiration of one year after the date of revocation and until the person whose privilege was revoked gives proof of financial responsibility as defined in Section 16430.

Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 901, Stats. 1997. Effective January 1, 1998.
Amended Sec. 1.35, Ch. 118, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative July 1, 1999.
Amended Sec. 9, Ch. 22, Stats. 1999. Effective May 26, 1999. Operative July 1, 1999.
Amended Sec. 7, Ch. 545, Stats. 2002. Effective January 1, 2003.

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Note: Laws change frequently and thus the information provided should not be relied upon as legal advice. To be certain, contact a criminal defense attorney for a legal assistance.
www.NoCuffs.com is not liable for any misinformation that users obtain from using this site.

California Vehicle Code VC 13353.4 – Prohibitions: Restoration or Restricted Driving Privilege

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 13353.4 – Prohibitions: Restoration or Restricted Driving Privilege

13353.4. (a) Except as provided in Section 13353.7 or 13353.8, the driving privilege shall not be restored, and a restricted or hardship permit to operate a motor vehicle shall not be issued, to a person during the suspension or revocation period specified in Section 13353, 13353.1, or 13353.3.

(b) The privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall not be restored after a suspension or revocation pursuant to Section 13352, 13353, 13353.1, or 13353.2 until all applicable fees, including the fees prescribed in Section 14905, have been paid and the person gives proof of financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430, to the department.

Amended Sec. 12, Ch. 545, Stats. 2002. Effective January 1, 2003.
Amended Sec. 8, Ch. 952, Stats. 2004. Effective January 1, 2005. Operative September 20, 2005.

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California Vehicle Code VC 13365.2 – Driving Privilege Suspension: Failure to Appear

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 13365.2 – Driving Privilege Suspension: Failure to Appear

13365.2. (a) Upon receipt of the notice required under subdivision (c) of Section 40509.5, the department shall suspend the driving privilege of the person upon whom notice was received and shall continue that suspension until receipt of the certificate required under that subdivision.

(b) The suspension required under subdivision (a) shall become effective on the 45th day after the mailing of written notice by the department.

Added Sec. 4, Ch. 224, Stats. 1996. Effective January 1, 1997.

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California Vehicle Code VC 21201 – Equipment Requirements

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 21201 – Equipment Requirements

21201. (a) No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

(b) No person shall operate on the highway any bicycle equipped with handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate his hands above the level of his shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.

(c) No person shall operate upon any highway a bicycle which is of such a size as to prevent the operator from safely stopping the bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot on the ground, and restarting it in a safe manner.

(d) Every bicycle operated upon any highway during darkness shall be equipped (1) with a lamp emitting a white light which, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle; (2) with a red reflector on the rear which shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle; (3) with a white or yellow reflector on each pedal visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet; and (4) with a white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and with a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles which are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors. Such reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a type meeting requirements established by the department.

(e) A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light, attached to the operator and visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in lieu of the lamp required by clause (1) of subdivision (d).

Amended Ch. 723, Stats. 1979. Effective January 1, 1980.

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California Vehicle Code VC 23601 – Probation: Payment of Money

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 23601 – Probation: Payment of Money

23601. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), an order to pay any fine, restitution, or assessment, imposed as a condition of the grant of probation or as part of a judgment of conditional sentence for a violation of Section 23152 or 23153, may be enforced in the same manner provided for the enforcement of money judgments.

(b) A willful failure to pay any fine, restitution, or assessment during the term of probation is a violation of the terms and conditions of probation.

(c) If an order to pay a fine as a condition of probation is stayed, a writ of execution shall not be issued, and any failure to pay the fine is not willful, until the stay is removed.

Added Sec. 84, Ch. 118, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative July 1, 1999.

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California Vehicle Code VC 23614 – Breath and Chemical Testing: Advisement

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 23614 – Breath and Chemical Testing: Advisement

23614. (a) In addition to the requirements of Section 23612, a person who chooses to submit to a breath test shall be advised before or after the test that the breath-testing equipment does not retain any sample of the breath and that no breath sample will be available after the test which could be analyzed later by that person or any other person.

(b) The person shall also be advised that, because no breath sample is retained, the person will be given an opportunity to provide a blood or urine sample that will be retained at no cost to the person so that there will be something retained that may be subsequently analyzed for the alcoholic content of the person’s blood. If the person completes a breath test and wishes to provide a blood or urine sample to be retained, the sample shall be collected and retained in the same manner as if the person had chosen a blood or urine test initially.

(c) The person shall also be advised that the blood or urine sample may be tested by either party in any criminal prosecution. The failure of either party to perform this test shall place neither a duty upon the opposing party to perform the test nor affect the admissibility of any other evidence of the alcoholic content of the blood of the person arrested.

(d) No failure or omission to advise pursuant to this section shall affect the admissibility of any evidence of the alcoholic content of the blood of the person arrested.

Added Sec. 84, Ch. 118, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative July 1, 1999.

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California Vehicle Code VC 23249.50 – Legislative Intent

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 23249.50 – Legislative Intent

23249.50. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

Driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or a drug is a serious problem, constituting the largest group of misdemeanor violations in many counties.
Studies of first offenders have found that more than half of first offenders are alcoholics or problem drinkers. There are higher percentages of problem drinkers among second offenders than among first offenders.
As the link between the health and legal aspects of the problem has become recognized, the courts have sought more information on a presentence basis in determining the appropriate sentence.
Laws relating to driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or a drug allow the courts to order a presentence investigation to determine whether a person can benefit from an education, training, or treatment program. The Legislature thus finds that, to adequately assess whether an individual arrested for driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or a drug is chemically dependent, it is important to develop and implement screening programs in order to continue to address the problem of driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs in the state.

(b) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to establish an additional procedure to assist the courts in the use of presentence investigations of individuals convicted of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or a drug and to enable the courts to make appropriate dispositions in these cases. As part of this process, the courts should obtain and consider a presentence investigation report detailing the defendant’s driving and criminal record, and, where possible, an alcohol or drug problem assessment report. In all cases, an alcohol or drug problem assessment report should be completed by qualified personnel prior to the determination of an education or treatment plan and subsequent sentencing by the courts.

Repealed and Added, Ch. 160, Stats. 1988. Effective January 1, 1989.

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California Vehicle Code VC 23158 – Chemical Test Procedure

Posted by on May 4, 2012

California Vehicle Code VC 23158 – Chemical Test Procedure

23158. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, only a licensed physician and surgeon, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, duly licensed clinical laboratory scientist or clinical laboratory bioanalyst, a person who has been issued a "certified phlebotomy technician" certificate pursuant to Section 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, unlicensed laboratory personnel regulated pursuant to Sections 1242, 1242.5, and 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, or certified paramedic acting at the request of a peace officer may withdraw blood for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content therein. This limitation does not apply to the taking of breath specimens. An emergency call for paramedic services takes precedence over a peace officer’s request for a paramedic to withdraw blood for determining its alcoholic content. A certified paramedic shall not withdraw blood for this purpose unless authorized by his or her employer to do so.

(b) The person tested may, at his or her own expense, have a licensed physician and surgeon, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, duly licensed clinical laboratory scientist or clinical laboratory bioanalyst, person who has been issued a "certified phlebotomy technician" certificate pursuant to Section 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, unlicensed laboratory personnel regulated pursuant to Sections 1242, 1242.5, and 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, or any other person of his or her own choosing administer a test in addition to any test administered at the direction of a peace officer for the purpose of determining the amount of alcohol in the person’s blood at the time alleged as shown by chemical analysis of his or her blood, breath, or urine. The failure or inability to obtain an additional test by a person does not preclude the admissibility in evidence of the test taken at the direction of a peace officer.

(c) Upon the request of the person tested, full information concerning the test taken at the direction of the peace officer shall be made available to the person or the person’s attorney.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no licensed physician and surgeon, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, duly licensed clinical laboratory scientist or clinical laboratory bioanalyst, person who has been issued a "certified phlebotomy technician" certificate pursuant to Section 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, unlicensed laboratory personnel regulated pursuant to Sections 1242, 1242.5, and 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, or certified paramedic, or hospital, laboratory, or clinic employing or utilizing the services of the licensed physician and surgeon, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, duly licensed clinical laboratory scientist or clinical laboratory bioanalyst, person who has been issued a "certified phlebotomy technician" certificate pursuant to Section 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, unlicensed laboratory personnel regulated pursuant to Sections 1242, 1242.5, and 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, or certified paramedic, owning or leasing the premises on which tests are performed, shall incur any civil or criminal liability as a result of the administering of a blood test in a reasonable manner in a hospital, clinical laboratory, medical clinic environment, jail, or law enforcement facility, according to accepted venipuncture practices, without violence by the person administering the test, and when requested in writing by a peace officer to administer the test.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who has been issued a "certified phlebotomy technician" certificate pursuant to Section 1246 of the Business and Professions Code and who is authorized by this section to draw blood at the request and in the presence of a peace officer for purposes of determining its alcoholic content, may do so in a jail, law enforcement facility, or medical facility, with general supervision. The "certified phlebotomy technician" shall draw blood following the policies and procedures approved by a physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, appropriate to the location where the blood is being drawn and in accordance with state regulations.

(f) The Certified Phlebotomy Technician I or II shall carry a current, valid identification card issued by the State Department of Health Services, attesting to the technician’s name, certificate type, and effective dates of certification, when performing blood withdrawals.

(g) As used in this section, "general supervision" means that the supervisor of the technician is licensed under the Business and Professions Code as a physician and surgeon, physician assistant, clinical laboratory bioanalyst, registered nurse, or clinical laboratory scientist, and reviews the competency of the technician before the technician may perform blood withdrawals without direct supervision, and on an annual basis thereafter. The supervisor is also required to review the work of the technician at least once a month to ensure compliance with venipuncture policies, procedures, and regulations. The supervisor, or another person licensed as a physician and surgeon, physician assistant, clinical laboratory bioanalyst, registered nurse, or clinical laboratory scientist, shall be accessible to the location where the technician is working to provide onsite, telephone, or electronic consultation, within 30 minutes when needed.

(h) Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the certified phlebotomy technician who is authorized to withdraw blood by this section at the request and in the presence of a peace officer for purposes of determining alcoholic content to be associated with a clinical laboratory or to be directly supervised after competency has been established.

(i) If the test given under Section 23612 is a chemical test of urine, the person tested shall be given such privacy in the taking of the urine specimen as will ensure the accuracy of the specimen and, at the same time, maintain the dignity of the individual involved.

(j) The department, in cooperation with the State Department of Health Services or any other appropriate agency, shall adopt uniform standards for the withdrawal, handling, and preservation of blood samples prior to analysis.

(k) As used in this section, "certified paramedic" does not include any employee of a fire department.

(l) Consent, waiver of liability, or the offering to, acceptance by, or refusal of consent or waiver of liability by the person on whom a test is administered, is not an issue or relevant to the immunity from liability for medical or law enforcement personnel orother facilities designated under subdivision (d).

Amended Sec. 30, Ch. 118, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999.
Amended Sec. 2, Ch. 14, Stats. 2004. Effective February 11, 2004

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