Blog

Under California Penal Code § 648, it is a criminal offense to manufacture, issue, or put into circulation any paper, bill, check, ticket, certificate, or promissory note designed to pass as money without federal authorization. Dating back to California's early statehood, before federal central b...

In California, lingering or wandering on private property is not inherently illegal. However, under California Penal Code § 647h PC, loitering becomes a misdemeanor disorderly conduct offense when a person delays, lingers, or prowls on another person's property without a lawful purpose and with t...

California enforces strict statutes against animal fighting and cruelty. Under California Penal Code § 597b PC (often referenced alongside general animal cruelty provisions under PC 597), it is a criminal offense to cause roosters or cocks to fight, injure one another, or target other creatures f...

California enforces strict animal protection laws to prevent heatstroke, injury, and death caused by confining pets in enclosed automobiles. Under California Penal Code § 597.7 PC, it is a violation of state law to leave or confine any animal in an unattended motor vehicle under conditions that e...

California enforces some of the most aggressive animal welfare and anti-cruelty statutes in the United States. Under California Penal Code § 597.5 PC, virtually all activities associated with dogfighting are strictly outlawed. The reach of PC 597.5 extends beyond those who breed or fight dogs dir...

In California, animal welfare statutes are strictly enforced, and intentional cruelty or harm to animals carries severe legal penalties. Under California Penal Code § 596 PC, it is a criminal offense to willfully administer poison to any animal that belongs to another person, or to expose a poiso...

California Penal Code § 245 prohibits assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury. Depending on the circumstances, a violation can result in felony charges. For CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and corporate directors, an assault allegation can also trigger internal investigations...

Under California Penal Code § 407, a peaceful protest can become an unlawful assembly when a gathering turns violent or involves plans to commit a crime. Still, the actions of a few individuals do not necessarily make everyone in attendance criminally responsible. During large demonstrations, po...

California Business and Professions Code § 2052 makes it a crime to practice medicine without a license or to assist another person in unlawfully practicing medicine. Combined with California's corporate practice of medicine restrictions under Business and Professions Code § 2400, these laws can ...

California Penal Code § 667.61, known as the One Strike Law, imposes sentences of 15 years to life, 25 years to life, or longer for certain sexual offenses involving specified aggravating circumstances. For CEOs, investment fund principals, physicians, and corporate board members, defeating a One...

California Penal Code § 288(b)(2) California Penal Code § 288(b)(2) makes it a felony for a caretaker to commit a lewd act upon a dependent person through force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate unlawful bodily injury. The law also applies to care facility owners and administrators ...

California Penal Code § 32 makes it a crime to knowingly harbor, conceal, or aid a person who committed a felony. In a corporate investigation, prosecutors may apply that theory to executives accused of using company authority, money, records, or internal processes to protect another officer or e...

California Penal Code § 187(a) defines murder as the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought. Under People v. Watson, prosecutors can use this law to charge a driver with second-degree murder following a fatal DUI collision if they believe the driver knowingly disregarded a da...

When a prank, social media stunt, or minor accident involving fire spreads to a building, brushland, or structure, a teenager can suddenly face life-altering criminal allegations. In California, prosecutors often initially characterize juvenile fire incidents as severe felony arson under Penal Co...

California Penal Code §§ 484e and 484f prohibit certain forms of credit card theft and forgery, including retaining another person's card information with fraudulent intent and signing their name on credit card transaction documents without authorization. During high-asset divorces and inheritan...

California Vehicle Code § 20002(a) makes it a misdemeanor to leave the scene of an accident involving property damage without fulfilling specific duties to stop and identify yourself. For CEOs, corporate executives, and public figures, a collision followed by a security-related departure can lead...

California Vehicle Code § 23152(f) prohibits driving while impaired by drugs, including prescription medication. When a parent or caregiver is accused of driving under the influence with a child in the vehicle, prosecutors may also pursue child endangerment charges under Penal Code § 273a. A rout...

California Penal Code § 417(a)(1) criminalizes brandishing a deadly weapon, including certain construction tools, in a rude, angry, or threatening manner. Penal Code § 417.4 addresses threatening displays of imitation firearms, while Penal Code § 602 prohibits several forms of trespass. These ch...

California Penal Code § 653f(a) makes it a crime to intentionally solicit another person to commit certain offenses, including bribery, grand theft, burglary, and extortion. For chief financial officers (CFOs), these allegations may arise from disputed buyouts, confidential settlement negotiatio...

Under California criminal law, property owners and industrial operators have specific statutory protections against unauthorized entry. California Penal Code 555 PC makes it a criminal offense to enter or remain on designated, sign-posted property without obtaining prior written permission from t...

Business owners in the healthcare sector—including clinic operators, lab directors, pharmacy owners, and executives of management services organizations (MSOs)—can face personal civil and criminal liability during a federal healthcare fraud investigation. Federal enforcement agencies, including ...

Criminal prosecutions of attorneys are statistically rare given the hundreds of thousands of lawyers practicing across the United States. While any attorney can face charges for non-professional misconduct—such as operating a vehicle under the influence, tax evasion, or personal financial crimes—...

Management Services Organizations have become popular business vehicles and investment tools across the healthcare industry. By handling non-clinical administrative obligations—including billing, revenue cycle management, scheduling, regulatory compliance, and human resources—MSOs allow medical p...

Federal healthcare fraud investigations usually involve several regulatory agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). While these agencies focus on financial crimes like upcoding or false bil...

California Penal Code 647(j) prohibits several forms of invasion of privacy involving hidden cameras, voyeurism, under-clothing photography or recording, and the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images. The statute can apply to secretly recording an identifiable person who is undressed in a...