Owning a rental property is a great opportunity to earn extra money while also helping resolve a small portion of California’s rental housing crisis.

While there are many good things that go along with owning a rental property there are also some downsides. One such drawback is when you have a tenant who simply refuses to move out of your home.

The good news is that there are some things you can do.

California law states that you have a right to tell your tenant that they’re evicted when they’ve:

• Failed to pay their rent
• When they do something that blatantly breaks the rental contract, such as having a dog in a no-pets property
• The tenant has done so much damage to the property that it’s lowered the overall property value
• The tenant is on the property when they break the law
• T...

These days, it seems like every time you turn on the news, you encounter a story about a riot. Major cities throughout the United States are dealing with the fallout from riots. While everyone knows that riots are frightening and illegal, few of us understand what the legal ramifications are of getting caught in the middle of a riot.

If you’re upset about something, you have the right to start and/or participate in a protest. The catch is that for the protest to remain legal it has to be peaceful. You aren’t allowed to do anything that could be perceived as violent nor are you allowed to encourage others to participate in committing violence. The moment you do either of those things, you’re violating the law.

If you incite a riot in California you’re breaking California Penal Code 4...

The law is clear. If your blood alcohol level is 0.08% or higher and you’re pulled over, you’ll be charged with a DUI. What isn’t clear is what happens if you’re the drunk passenger in a vehicle that’s being operated by a drunk driver.

The good news is that you can’t be charged with a DUI. That particular law only impacts people who are physically operating the vehicle at the time.

That doesn’t mean you’re completely off the hook. It’s entirely likely that the police officer will consider other things they can charge you. It’s not uncommon for drunken passengers to be charged with public drunkenness, underage drinking, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, etc...

You love your best buddy and have no hesitation about going out of your way to help them whenever they ask, but getting asked to post bail is different from agreeing to help them move. When your best friend calls and asks you to help cover their bail, there are a few things you need to consider before you agree.

Can You Afford it?

When you post cash bail for your buddy, you’ll get all of the money back… eventually. The refund doesn’t happen until your buddy’s case has been resolved. How long it takes to resolve the case depends on if your buddy plans on fighting the charges or pleading guilty right away. If your buddy is determined to prove their innocence and the case goes before a jury, a full year could easily pass before the court returns your money.

Going through a bail bonds

If you’re confused about what your employer can and can’t require of you during this pandemic, you’re not alone. Every other day it seems like some new rules and requirements and expectations seem to intrude on our rights. In many cases, getting a straight answer feels impossible.

Finding out if you have to submit for a Covid-19 test each time you go to work is a perfect example of how many people don’t know what they can and can’t fight. Some lawyers freely admit that they’re not sure how legal this topic is. For a long time, it was common knowledge that employers couldn’t legally require employees to undergo any medical examination that didn’t directly impact their work. COVID-19 has changed things.

Based on what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has stated, it...

Getting arrested is terrifying. It’s supposed to be. The goal is to make the process scary enough that you never want to go through it again.

When most people are arrested, their biggest source of fear is that they simply don’t know what will happen. While they’ve heard of bail on television, they don’t understand how the bail process works or if they’re even eligible for it.

If you’ve been charged with a minor crime, you’ll likely find out whether you’re eligible for bail at the same time you’re booked. The booking officer will tell you that you’re being released on your own recognizance or how much bail you have to pay before you’re free to go home. Both situations are the most common.

In extreme cases, the only thing the booking officer will be able to tell you is...

You should never get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking. If you plan on drinking, you should plan on walking home or getting a ride from a sober driver.

In the past, a DUI arrest could have a huge and negative impact on your life. It still will, but thanks to Assembly Bill 3234 you may have some options that weren’t available to you before.

DUIs are one of the crimes that AB 3234 targets. Instead of getting hit with a bunch of jail time and fines, you’ll have the option to enter into a diversion program. The diversion program will consist of several different components which will include taking classes that are designed to help you identify why your driving after drinking happened and complete a great deal of community service...

One of the biggest problems the bail bonds industry runs into is that most people have learned about the bail process from television and movies. While these interpretations of the business are exciting and make for fun viewing, they aren’t an accurate representation of the industry.

When most people hear the words bail bonds agent, they immediately conjure up an image of a big, tough guy who will stop at nothing to bring them back to jail. This is not the case at all. Yes, if you fail to make your court appearance, we won’t be happy with you, but that doesn’t mean we’ll adopt a wanted dead or alive type attitude that many people seem to expect.

First, there are limits to what we can and can’t do when you fail to make a court appearance.

The first thing to consider is that we ar...

Selling real estate seems simple enough. Someone wants to sell their house. You know a few people who would be interested. You agree to act as a broker between everyone. Considering that people sell houses as “for sale by owner” all the time, what can possibly go wrong.

Yes, it’s possible that this could turn into a good deal for everyone, it can also go horribly sideways. While state laws do allow you to sell your house without the aid of a real estate agent, you’re not allowed to step in and act as a broker for another person unless you’ve been properly licensed by the state.

Getting a real estate license in California isn’t necessarily difficult, but it does require some commitment on your part...

When you get a late-night phone call from a loved one where they ask you to help out with bail, it’s natural to want to agree. Most friends and family members do. However, some people don’t find out until they’ve offered to help that the loved one was arrested in an entirely different state, making bailing them out difficult.

While helping with bail is difficult when you’re in one state and your loved one is in a different one is difficult, it’s not impossible. Everyone involved in the process has to understand that geographical distance does require some research and will slow things down a bit.

The first thing you need to do is research the area where your loved one is incarcerated. S subtle laws that can influence the bail process that you will need to familiarize yourself wi...