From the Court of conviction a convicted first offender in most California counties, where no aggravating or mitigating facts are present, should expect to receive three years of probation, six days of community service, fines and court fees of approximately $2000.00, and participation in a drinking driver program.  From the DMV, a first offender, under the same circumstances, will face a four month license suspension or a thirty day suspension with five months of restricted driving thereafter.

Of particular note in the sentencing equation are those instances where an upward departure is indicated because of particular facts, or even required by statute, because particular facts that have been alleged as sentencing enhancements.  An example of considerations that could  result in enhanced penalties are in instances where an offender was involved in an accident, produced a high blood alcohol content result, engaged in excessively inappropriate driving, was particularly uncooperative with police, was driving without a valid license, or where the police report reveals the existence of other uncharged law violations.

In many instances there are facts presented where the law requires an enhanced penalty for a first time offender.  Pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 23572 a jail sentence of an additional 48 hours is required where a first time offender had a passenger under the age of 14 at the time of arrest.  Pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 23578 an aggravated sentence shall be considered by the Judge where a first offender produced a blood alcohol result of .15% or higher.  The same section also requires that a Judge shall consider a higher sentence where a first offender refused to take a blood alcohol test.  And California Vehicle Code section 23582 requires that an additional jail sentence of 60 days be imposed where a first offender drives 30 miles per hour over the speed limit on a freeway, or 20 miles per hour over the speed limit on any street or highway while under the influence.

If you or a loved one have been arrested for driving under the influence, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, contact San Jose DUI Lawyer Bernard P. Bray at (408) 292-9700 and learn your options before you go to court.  It can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

This writer certainly shares the measure’s opponents concerns about recreational drug use and abuse, and opposes same, but as a practicing criminal defense attorney, I also know that there is a terrible disparity in society’s enforcement of its drug laws along racial and ethnic lines.  And, our society has spent billions of dollars, has ruined perhaps an many as millions of lives, and has the highest incarceration rate in the world, because of our so called war on drugs.

Our scheme of drug laws in archaic, doesn’t work, and is to expensive to enforce in our current economic times.  Along with its predecessors, Proposition 215, the 1996 initiative allowing for the medicinal use of marijuana, and Proposition 36, the 2000 initiative allowing an opportunity for first and second time drug possession offenders to be placed in treatment, rather than incarcerated, Proposition 19 appears to be another step in the right direction.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for a drug crime in Santa Clara County, contact the San Jose drug lawyers at the Law Offices of Bernard P. Bray.

Statistics also show that the general jump cuts across all socio-economic lines.  Even in high end Los Gatos – Monte Sereno there was a year over year, 2008 to 2009, increase in domestic violence related case arrests of 32 percent. 

Unquestionably, the economic stress associated with the recession has pushed some families to the economic brink, and the consequences can be sometimes awful.  But any arrest, let alone one for domestic violence, can ruin a life, and even an entire family.  

Domestic violence is a serious social problem with awful consequences for everyone.  Attorney Bernard P. Bray has many years of experience successfully dealing with domestic violence issues, and assisting clients and their families in minimizing the impact of an arrest for a domestic violence related offense.    Should you have questions regarding domestic violence, or should you or a loved one need effective representation because of a domestic violence related arrest please call San Jose Criminal Defense Lawyer Bernard P. Bray at (408) 292-9700.

The reason for this enhancement is justified by statistics.  Most drivers who have consumed alcohol have low blood alcohol concentrations, and few of these drivers are involved in fatal crashes.  On the hand, while only a relatively few number of drivers have blood alcohol concentrations higher than .15%, a much higher proportion of those drivers have fatal crashes.

If you have questions regarding California DUI law, or should you or a loved have had the misfortune of a DUI arrest, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, call San Jose DUI Lawyer Bernard P. Bray.

An Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California Berkeley recently reported that California DUI check points generated an estimated $40 million in towing costs and administrative fees from seizing cars from unlicensed drivers in 2009, money that was shared by local governments and towing firms.

The law provides that responsibility for paying storage, towing and administrative charges is the responsibility of all registered owners of the cars that are seized as the result of having been driven by unlicensed drivers.  The administrative charges assessed by local governments significantly run up the bill.  And, all Cities, Counties, and the State, are all entitled to access these fees pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 22850.5.

Currently sobriety checkpoints that the California Highway Patrol operates do not result in administrative fees being accessed on seized vehicles that are driven by unlicensed drivers, but it appears only to be a matter of time before the State of California gets on board, and edges in on the extra income generating scheme.

If you have questions regarding California DUI sobriety check points, or should you or a loved have had the misfortune of a DUI arrest, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, call San Jose DUI Lawyer Bernard P. Bray.

Prostitution is an agreement between consenting people to provide sexual activity in exchange for money. The crime requires activity toward accomplishing the agreement. The activity can be any step taken toward a sexual act. Whether sex actually occurs or not, is not essential to establish the crime.

All communities in the south bay area of San Francisco take prostitution crimes very seriously. And, prostitution charges are vigorously prosecuted in Santa Clara County. The San Jose Police Department, Sunnyvale Police Department, and many other Police Departments in Santa Clara County even have specialized units of experienced police officers focused solely on eradicating prostitution.

Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean immigrants, in particular, are oftentimes the target of prostitution investigations in Santa Clara County, and as immigrants, they face potentially serous immigration consequences upon conviction for prostitution.

San Jose Criminal Defense Lawyer Bernard P. Bray has given special attention to  prostitution cases for over 20 years. Attorney Bernard P. Bray has been successful in asserting defenses based on many theories, including double jeopardy and outrageous police misconduct in attacking prostitution charges on technical grounds, and has an excellent track record with prostitution cases in front of juries.

Prostitution allegations should not be taken lightly. When faced with a prostitution case call San Jose Criminal Attorney Bernard P. Bray at: (408) 292-9700. Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean interpreters are available on request.

Domestic Violence has the highest repeat rate of any crime.  Many victims, although willing to make a report of Domestic Violence, legitimately or otherwise, in a rage of anger, refuse to give evidence against a partner in a criminal prosecution.

Conviction for a Domestic Violence or a Domestic Violence related offense can have very serious consequences for even the first time offender including jail time, long term formal probation, long term anger management counseling, a presumption against custody in Family Court child custody proceedings, a criminal record, and other consequences. In order to minimize the consequences of a Domestic Violence arrest contact Bernard P. Bray (408) 292-9700.

Once filed, Domestic Violence cases are aggressively prosecuted in California and you should only be represented by an experienced attorney prepared to fight your case.  I have 26 years of experience handling Domestic Violence cases.  They are difficult cases oftentimes presenting many complex issues.  However, there is a lot that an attorney can do for a client and their family brought into court facing a Domestic Violence case.

Domestic Violence and Domestic Violence related charges can result from even the simple use of any type of force on the person of a spouse, significant other, child, or one with whom an accused has been involved in a dating relationship.  If you or a loved one have been arrested for Domestic Violence, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, contact San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney Bernard P. Bray and learn your options before you go to court.  It can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

A first court appearance on a criminal charge is what is known as an arraignment.  At the time of an arraignment one accused of a crime is provided with notice of the charges, notice of their constitutional rights, and is usually expected to immediately make certain decisions as to how some logistical matters will be handled, such as if they intend to assert their right to a speedy trial, enter a plea or defer same, or make any special requests, such as a bail reduction or a release on their own recognizance.

The situation is extremely stressful, in particular for an in custody arrestee, and arrestees not represented by a lawyer.  People oftentimes go into court thinking they are going to be given the opportunity to explain what brought them to their current circumstances, only getting, at most, a brief one sided dialogue with a Judge, and then its over.  In Santa Clara County in custody arrestees on misdemeanor cases are often brought before a Superior Court Judge and offered the opportunity right at the gate, to plead guilty, and get out of jail.  Under such circumstances even factually innocent people, faced with the prospect of job loss, home loss, the further hardship to family members that incarceration entails, sometimes jump at the chance to immediately plead guilty, and get out of the horror of jail, not even realizing that they perhaps would have otherwise been entitled to a bail reduction or own recognizance release, that would have given them the opportunity to get out of jail pending trial, and adequately prepare an appropriate defense.

One has the right to be represented by an attorney at their arraignment in court, and one is best advised to take advantage of that right.  Everyone should agree that if you have been seriously injured in an accident, one is ill advised to refuse the ambulance ride to the hospital.  Similarly, if one is faced with something as potentially life compromising as the consequences of a criminal charge one should seek out the professional help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.  The San Jose Mercury News recently reported that in a recent study of 246 random resisting arrest cases in Santa Clara County, at least 47% of the persons represented by an attorney were able to avoid conviction on the charged offense, as opposed to 10% of those without an attorney.

If you or a loved one have been arrested, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, contact San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney Bernard P. Bray and learn your options before you go to court.  It can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

Inquires about arrests and detentions, that did not result in conviction, are prohibited, including convictions for certain marijuana related offenses more than two years old, inquiries about convictions that have been expunged, sealed, or eradicated, and inquires about certain misdemeanor convictions for which probation has been completed, or otherwise discharged, and the case dismissed.

Notwithstanding these laws affording employment seekers some protection from the disclosure of improper arrests, I am often contacted by persons complaining about lost employment opportunities because an employer has become aware of an otherwise, not subject not to disclosure, arrest that was dismissed or for which they successfully completed a diversion program, or for which they obtained an expungement after successfully completing probation.

While the law provides damages for an arrest background inquiry that results in actual damages, or a nominal recovery for such a violation, the costs involved in pursuing same may be prohibitive.

The problem with arrest histories is that they are publicly accessible and often times end up in court files that are also publicly accessible, notwithstanding the ultimate outcome in any particular case.  This information will get picked up in even the simplest of background checks.

The only meaningful way to protect oneself from the potentially catastrophic lifelong untoward consequences of an arrest is to vigorously defend oneself from the outset.

If you or a loved one has been arrested, protect yourself to the fullest extent possible, contact San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney Bernard P. Bray and learn your options.  It can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

Marie Shriver’s husband Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed off in 2008 on the law that requires all California drivers to use hands free mobile phones while driving.

The law is one that many, not just Governor Schwarzenegger’s wife, have more honored in the breach than in the observance.  Is a law that is more often broken than observed really a good law at all?  California drivers can do just about anything else possible, and legally, while driving.

There does not appear to be a ground swell for support for changing the law prohibiting cell phone use while driving.  Governor Schwarzenegger promised swift action in response to his wife’s law violations, and the California First lady has apologized.

If you or someone you know has questions regarding criminal justice issues please contact San Jose DUI Lawyer Bernard P. Bray.