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What Out-of-State Drivers Should Know About DUI Charges in San Diego

By San Diego Attorney on December 30, 2025

A police officer administering a field sobriety test to a driver during a traffic stop, representing DUI charges faced by out-of-state drivers in San Diego.

Being charged with DUI while visiting another state can get complicated. If you are a non-resident facing DUI charges in San Diego, you might be wondering what happens next: Will your license be suspended back home? Will you have to return to California for court? Will your home state find out?

Posted in: DUI

What Happens to Your CDL if You Get a DUI Conviction in San Diego?

By San Diego Attorney on December 20, 2025

A judge’s gavel resting beside a car key and a glass of alcohol, symbolizing the legal consequences of a DUI conviction for commercial drivers and CDL holders in San Diego under California law.

For commercial drivers, a single driving mistake can threaten your livelihood. If you hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and you are convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), the consequences could be career ending.

Posted in: DUI

How Prior Convictions Impact Grand Theft Sentencing in California

By San Diego Attorney on December 10, 2025

A person attempting to break into a parked vehicle, illustrating allegations of theft and how prior convictions can affect grand theft sentencing under California law.

Being charged with grand theft in California is a serious matter, but for individuals with prior convictions, the stakes are even higher. Whether you have past theft offenses or more severe felony convictions, your sentencing exposure can increase significantly due to California’s sentencing guidelines and enhancement laws.

Posted in: Theft Crimes

Have You Been Charged With Hit and Run in San Diego? Here’s What to Do Next

By San Diego Attorney on December 5, 2025

A person in handcuffs standing beside a police officer near a parked vehicle, representing a hit and run arrest and the legal consequences of leaving the scene of an accident in San Diego.

In California, hit and run charges are taken seriously, and prosecutors aggressively pursue these cases. If you have been accused of leaving the scene of an accident, you could be facing jail time, heavy fines, and a permanent criminal record.

Posted in: Criminal Defense

San Diego Burglary Defense: Different Charges for Residential vs Commercial Break-In

By San Diego Attorney on November 17, 2025

Masked individual wearing black gloves attempting to pry open a window with a crowbar, symbolizing San Diego burglary defense cases and the legal differences between residential and commercial break-ins under California Penal Code 459 and 460.

When facing a burglary charge in San Diego, the outcome of your case may depend on whether the alleged offense involved a residential or commercial property. A conviction for residential burglary often carries significantly harsher penalties than commercial burglary, especially when classified as a felony.

Posted in: Theft Crimes

What Happens If San Diego Police Keep Questioning You After You Ask to Leave?

By San Diego Attorney on November 15, 2025

Woman sitting at an interrogation table looking anxious as law enforcement officers question her, representing unlawful police questioning in San Diego and the legal distinctions between custodial interrogation, Miranda rights, and unlawful detention under California law.

When the police stop you and begin asking questions, you have the right to ask: “Am I free to leave?” If the officer says “yes,” you are free to walk away. When police keep questioning you after you have asked to leave, they could be overstepping serious constitutional boundaries. This can turn the interaction into a coercive situation.

Posted in: Criminal Defense

Receiving Stolen Property in San Diego: Defenses Based on Knowledge and Value Thresholds

By San Diego Attorney on November 5, 2025

Masked person in a leather jacket and camouflage pants attempting to remove a flat-screen television, symbolizing San Diego receiving stolen property cases and legal defenses based on knowledge, item value thresholds, and California Penal Code 496 under Proposition 47.

Being charged with receiving stolen property in California can be a shock, especially if you were unaware the item in your possession was stolen. This offense can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or felony depending on the value of the property and whether the person knew or should have known the goods were stolen.

Posted in: Theft Crimes

How the Exclusionary Rule Can Dismiss Your Drug Possession Case in San Diego

By San Diego Attorney on November 1, 2025

Handcuffs, cash, syringe, and a plastic bag containing white powder arranged under red and blue lighting, representing San Diego drug possession cases where illegally obtained evidence may be suppressed under the exclusionary rule and Fourth Amendment protections.

If you were arrested for drug possession, the most important issue might be how the drugs were found. Under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, you have the right to be free from unlawful search and seizure. If police violated that right, your attorney may be able to file a motion to suppress evidence and potentially get the case dismissed.

Posted in: Drug Possession

Are You Facing Conspiracy Charges for Theft or Robbery in San Diego? Here’s What to Know.

By San Diego Attorney on October 30, 2025

Two masked burglars breaking into a house at night, shining a flashlight, symbolizing a serious crime leading to conspiracy theft charges San Diego.

Conspiracy laws in California allow prosecutors to pursue criminal charges, even if the alleged crime was never actually committed. If you are accused of being part of a theft ring or a robbery operation in San Diego, you could be looking at serious jail time.

Posted in: Theft Crimes

Can Police Search Your Cell Phone Without a Warrant in San Diego?

By San Diego Attorney on October 21, 2025

Police officer in uniform and tactical vest operating a smartphone, illustrating the legal question of a cell phone search warrant San Diego and digital privacy rights.

Your cell phone is a personal archive. From private messages and photos to browsing history and GPS data, it stores intimate details about your life. That is why one of the most pressing legal questions in modern criminal investigations is: Can the police search your cell phone without a warrant in San Diego? The short answer is generally no, but there are important exceptions.

Posted in: Criminal Defense

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