You should always have an attorney. If you truly cannot afford one (and you'll never know if you can or not unless you meet to discuss your case,...

I was caught shoplifting. It was under $20. I went to jail & got a civil demands letter.

It's not a civil "fine" - it's a civil demand letter. California law allows a merchant to demand up to $500 following a theft incident. These...

In general, a lack of prior record does help. The EXACT charge you face (or more accurately the charge you're convicted of) is what we need to...

I was convicted of 2 felonies, one in 2001, and one in 2007. Can I own a bow, crossbow, or muzzleloader?

Any answer (including mine) should be verified with the actual terms of your sentence, but *in general*, the prohibition against possession of...

Suspended Driver License

The suspension for failure to pay fines typically requires that the entire amount of the fines are paid off before the hold is lifted by the court...

I don't think filing a police report will do you a bit of good. Without a suspect to name, it will simply be a report that says what you just typed...

Will anything further happen?

You may have dodged a huge bullet. Yes, a report could be filed and forwarded to the prosecutor's office for review, but this is certainly not...

California does not have a true "expungement" statute. What we do have is a dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4. If granted, it doesn't wipe the case...

How long should I wait before contacting the DA's office to see if charges will be filed against me if a year has passed?

If this occurred in Orange County, you can run a search of your name on the court website (occourts.org) to see if there is a filed case. You can...

Can someone bail out after the parole hold drops off?

Duplicate question. Please see my other answer.