Blog Posts in 2011

• Posted By Scott Hughes 28-Dec-2011

  New California Laws for 2012

  With the new year brings new laws for California. We’ve highlighted a few important ones that will take effect starting January 1, 2012. AB 144 : Carrying an exposed and unloaded handgun in any public place will be a misdemeanor as of January ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 21-Sep-2011

  SB 914 Protects Your Cell Phone from Arbitrary Police Searches

  We previously blogged the People v. Diaz case where the California Supreme Court ruled that the police, when arresting you, do not need to obtain a warrant to search the personal data contained on your cell phone. The rationale behind the decision ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 20-Aug-2011

  Top 5 Iphone Apps for California Lawyers

  There are thousands of apps geared at productivity. Which are the top apps that every California lawyer should have on their iPhone? This post will introduce you to five most effective apps that every practicing California lawyer should download to ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 17-Aug-2011

  Bart Violates Passengers' First Amendment Rights

  Transit authorities at San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), fearing a demonstration over BART police’s fatal shooting of a 45-year-old man on July 3rd, blocked wireless signals at its train stations in an effort to impede planned ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 9-Jul-2011

  California Death Penalty Repeal Bill Passes Assembly Public Safety Committee

  This week, bill SB 490 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee. This bill would be the first step in changing the death penalty as we understand it in California, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 2-Jul-2011

  Supreme Court Agrees to Decide Whether GPS Tracking Constitutes a Search

  IN U.S. v. Jones, police placed a global positioning system (GPS) on Jones' vehicle without first obtaining a search warrant. The GPS allowed law enforcement to track Jones' movements, which ultimately led to the seizure of 100 kilograms of cocaine. ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 30-Jun-2011

  What happens if I am in a Car Accident and Someone Sues Me?

  The first thing you should do is to contact your insurance company or insurance agent immediately and forward and documents you received. The insurance company has lawyers that will be assigned to your case and they will defend you against any ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 9-Jun-2011

  Smartphones Create Applications for DUI Checkpoints

  While advancements in technology make it possible for us to have a wealth of information instantaneously, four Democratic Senators contend that recent Smartphone applications may have gone too far. Recently, USA Today covered the story about four ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 6-Jun-2011

  What to Do If You Are Pulled over for a DUI

  Orange County DUI Attorney Scott D. Hughes suggests that the best way to avoid a DUI arrest is not to drink and drive. However, if you do find yourself behind the wheel after having a drink and you are pulled over, Orange County DUI Attorney Scott D. ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 2-Jun-2011

  Are Your Guests Safe from a Warrantless Search and Seizure?

  Early in May, in People v. Magee, the California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District, ruled that a defendant does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a friend’s home if that defendant is only in the home as a means to ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 31-May-2011

  Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Law Restricting Hiring of Illegal Aliens

  The Supreme Court in Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting voted 5-3 and upheld an Arizona law that penalizes employers for knowingly hiring unauthorized foreign workers. Under the Legal Arizona Workers Act, the state can revoke the licenses of businesses ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 30-May-2011

  CHP DUI Warrant Taskforce

  After receiving a federal grant, the CHP intends to reduce the backlog of outstanding California DUI cases. With 330,000 misdemeanor and felony DUI arrest warrants outstanding, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) recently announced its new task force ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 18-Apr-2011

  Can Police Search Your Cell Phone without a Warrant?

  In California Supreme Court opinion of People v. Diaz, the Court held that law enforcement may open up your cell phone if it is found on your person during an arrest and may look at the contents without a warrant. In Diaz, the court reasoned that ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 13-Apr-2011

  Assembly Appropriations Committee to hear California DREAM Act

  On Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m., AB 130 and AB 131 of the California DREAM Act will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. As you may recall in our previous blog post on the DREAM Act, the DREAM Act’s passage would have ...

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• Posted By Scott Hughes 9-Apr-2011

  April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

  April 1st, 2011, marked the first day of the nation’s first Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Congress designated the month to increase awareness of efforts to target distracted driving. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has announced a ...

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