A cell phone can contain an extraordinary record of a person’s daily life. Text messages, photographs, emails, internet searches, location history, social media activity, financial information, contacts, and app data may all become potential sources of evidence...
To convict someone of identity theft under California Penal Code 530.5, prosecutors must prove that the person willfully obtained another person’s personal identifying information and used it for an unlawful purpose without that person’s consent. Unlike...
A traffic stop can quickly turn into something much more serious when police begin asking questions about what is inside a vehicle. Drugs, weapons, stolen property, documents, and other evidence discovered during a car search may become central to a criminal...
A truly accidental fire is not a crime in California. However, if prosecutors believe a fire started because someone acted recklessly, that person can be charged with unlawfully causing a fire under Penal Code 452. Arson under Penal Code 451 requires more: the fire...
A search warrant can give law enforcement significant authority during a criminal investigation, but that authority is not unlimited. Police generally cannot obtain a warrant simply because they suspect criminal activity. They must establish a legal basis for the...
