Courtside with Lawman & Carmen B.

10/20/2021

TODAY! Lawman Keith Staten, along with William “Skip” Bishop, are hosting a Know Your Rights webinar. The event starts at 3 pm; there is still time to register. Visit the link in bio to join.

       

07/23/2021

Nervous about your first court date? Lawman () and Carmen B. explain the process at an arraignment.

Key points:

1. The judge will ask you your true name and read the complaint, the list of charges the DA has filed against you.

2. The judge will ask you if you can afford an attorney. If you cannot afford one, the court will appoint one for you from the Public Defenders’ office.

3. In a misdemeanor case, the DA may already have an offer. Don’t take a deal without seeing the police report or talking to an attorney first! Ask for time to consult with an attorney.

4. In misdemeanor and some felony cases, your attorney may be able to appear for you. This is called a 977 waiver.

5. Don’t forget to write down your next court date.

If you need to consult with an attorney, call us (Keith Staten @ 916-443-5600 and Carmen Butler @ 916-443-5288) and talk to us about how we can help you fight your case.

07/23/2021

We’re on for another live episode tonight at 6 pm! You can email your questions to [email protected], or call/text 916-384-8204. We’ll also be answering questions in the live chat. Don’t forget to share and subscribe! YouTube link: shorturl.at/rBGWZ

07/21/2021

Never talk on a recorded jail phone. The things you say could cost you your case and your livelihood. Remain silent and wait for your attorney to contact you in person to discuss your case.

07/13/2021

Your arrest and invoking your Miranda rights

In this episode, Lawman and Carmen B. discuss what happens when you are arrested and the importance of exercising your right to remain silent. Law enforcement does not have to read you your rights until they want to interrogate you! Once you are detained, shut up and ask for an attorney. Do not ask questions or engage in conversation. Assert your 5th amendment right to remain silent. Once you ask for a lawyer, all police questioning must stop.

07/13/2021

On July 1, Attorney General Merrick Garland suspended scheduling federal ex*****ons. The Department of Justice will review its policies and procedures on capital punishment, after an unprecedented number of ex*****ons carried out by the Trump administration. Our criminal justice is flawed and many people have spent decades or executed for crimes they have not committed. A human life cannot be brought back if found innocent after ex*****on; this extreme and inhumane form of punishment should be abolished now.

*****ons

07/12/2021

Lawman () and Carmen B. discuss the Abolition Amendment, a bill that has been introduced to modify the 13th amendment's allowance of slavery as a punishment for crime. They also discuss the importance of discussing our country's history of slavery, educating young people, and preventing them from being trapped in the cycle of the criminal justice system.

07/09/2021

AB 1869: The high costs of court fees (part 3 of 3)

Did you know in Sacramento County a probation report could cost the defendant $720? These exorbitant fees hurt past offenders by keeping them in debt for years, preventing them from applying for state benefits, or denying a petition for dismissal after conviction of a crime.

07/08/2021

AB1869: What court fees will be terminated? (Part 2 of 3)

Lawman () and Carmen B. break down which California court fees will be suspended beginning July 1, 2021. This law affects both future and past cases! If you are currently paying these fees, you are no longer required to pay them after July 1.

The county in which you were convicted may contact you to inform you that you are no longer required to pay these fees. If they do not contact you, it's important to be proactive and contact your county's department of revenue and recovery and ask them to reassess the fees.

07/08/2021

AB1869: Court Administrative fees terminated (Part 1 of 3)
On July 1, 2021, a new law went into effect requiring California courts to suspend charging several court fees that have kept a number of people from successfully completing programs such as work project or ankle monitoring, or kept them in debt long after leaving the criminal judicial system. This law affects both future and past cases! If you are currently paying these fees, you are no longer required to pay them after July 1, 2021.

07/06/2021

AB 1950: What qualifies for early termination of probation? (part 2 of 2)

New California law AB 1950 reduces the length of probation given to people convicted in criminal cases. Misdemeanor probation is reduced from 3 years to 1 year, while felony probation is reduced from 5 years to 2 years. Lawman () and Carmen B. discuss some of the exceptions that may disqualify an offender for a reduced probation term.

If you are currently on probation, contact us (Keith Staten @ 916-443-5600 and Carmen Butler @ 916-443-5288) for a consultation to see how this law could change your status and your life.

07/06/2021

AB 1950: Early termination of probation (part 1 of 2)

On January 1, 2021 a new California law went into effect reducing the length of probation imposed for misdemeanor and felony cases. If you are currently on probation and qualify, you can terminate probation now and restore your 4th amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

If you are currently on probation, contact us (Keith Staten @ 916-443-5600 and Carmen Butler @ 916-443-5288) for a consultation to see how this law could change your status and your life.

07/04/2021

Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist and powerful orator. His speech, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" was a searing examination of the hypocrisy of celebrating the United States independence from Britain while still enslaving thousands of African Americans, utilizing them to build the foundation of the country.

Douglass delivered his keynote address in 1852 at an Independence Day celebration in which he asks, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.”

His words still ring true today, as the 13th amendment still allows slavery as a punishment for crime. Today we encourage you to read Douglass’ words and reflect on them as the fight for justice continues. Here is a link to the full speech: shorturl.at/mntI3

07/02/2021

Lawman and Carmen B. discuss the Supreme Court's recent ruling that officers cannot follow an individual into their home without a warrant if the pursuit does not involve a felon or felony activity.
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Got questions on criminal law? Watch us on Youtube LIVE every Friday at 6 pm. Email [email protected], or call/text 916-384-8204. We’ll also be answering questions in the live chat.

06/30/2021

Can officers testify against other officers? Another viewer question answered and explained by Lawman and Carmen B.

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Watch us on Youtube LIVE every Friday at 6 pm. If you have any general questions regarding the law, email [email protected], or call/text 916-384-8204.

06/30/2021

Can Derek Chauvin appeal? Lawman and Carmen B. answer a viewer's question regarding the Chauvin sentencing and the appeal process.

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Watch us on Youtube LIVE every Friday at 6 pm. If you have any general questions regarding the law, email [email protected], or call/text 916-384-8204.

05/19/2021