Teens Using Water Pistols
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
A recent arrest from Modesto, California shows how water pistols have come to the attention of law enforcement personnel. Several high school students decided to play a game of assassin (sometimes called senior assassin). It involves chasing each other in…
read moreU.S. Supreme Court: Life Without Parole For Juveniles
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Tomorrow morning the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a case that will determine whether it is unconstitutional for a state to sentence juveniles who commit murder to life in prison without parole. As reported in the…
read moreIs Red Bull The New The Gateway Drug?
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Energy Drinks in Elementary School. It does sound sinister, especially when coupled with the following headline that recently appeared in an article on Yahoo News called, “3 New Dangerous Drug Habits In Teens.” The article discusses the growing non-medical use…
read moreShould LA Juvenile Proceedings Be Open To The Public?
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Shedding more light on the juvenile criminal justice system will make it easier for lawyers to represent our clients effectively. There will be cases where it will be in our clients’ interests to protect their privacy from the media. We can handle such cases individually. But overall the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles could benefit from more public exposure. As the old saying goes, light can act as a powerful disinfectant.
read moreCriminalizing Cheating on the SATs
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Prosecutors across the country are beginning to bring criminal charges in cases where students have been accused of cheating on standardized tests. The most publicized comes out of New York State. In November 2011, two students turned themselves in after…
read moreNYT Editorial On Juvenile Justice Too Idealistic
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Sunday’s New York Times ran an editorial entitled, “Some Good News From California’s Justice System.” It praises Governor Brown’s plan to close state-run facilities operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice and transfer juveniles to county-based facilities. The editorial does a…
read morePrescription Drug Use Among Teens Can Lead to Criminal Consequences
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
Drug use among teens generally continues to decline, according to the annual survey released in December 2011 by the National Institute for Drug Abuse. The report entitled, “Monitoring The Future” shows the results of surveys completed by more than 40,000…
read moreYour Kid Got Arrested For a Schoolyard Fight, Now What?
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
One of the toughest things I see as juvenile defense attorney is kids getting arrested and charged with felonies for things that could be resolved in school. For example: A kid gets in a schoolyard fight, the school dean overreacts…
read moreSealing an “Un-sealable” Juvenile Record
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
I often get calls from frustrated adults who decades ago had a serious or violent felony criminal charge sustained against them in juvenile court and are now finding out that they are unable to get their juvenile records sealed or the cases…
read moreHow to Hire a Los Angeles Juvenile Defense Attorney
Jerod Gunsberg, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
If your child is in trouble in Los Angeles or anywhere in California, and you have begun to interview criminal defense attorneys you are likely left with a dizzying array of facts, predictions, and consequences about your child’s situation. It is important…
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