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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill this month extending the time in which a victim of revenge porn can report the crime. The measure, Senate Bill 23, gives revenge porn victims a full year from when they discover the images (or would likely discover them) to report the crime. Before, state law only allowed victims to file charges a year from when the image was posted.
State Senator Susan Rubio framed the measure as a domestic abuse issue. She described revenge porn as a tool sometimes used by domestic abusers to control their victims. She said the measure was needed so victims had “more time to seek justice” from those who violate their privacy.
According to an analysis of the bill, California led the nation in revenge porn cases in 2013. The analysis cited a number of figures, saying 93 percent of victims suffered significant emotional distress, 51 percent had thoughts of suicide, and 49 percent said they had been stalked or harassed online by people who saw the private material.
The Alameda County’s district attorney’s office is warning the public that pandemic-related phishing scams are on the rise. According to the statement, the bad actors are sending out unsolicited emails regarding COVID-19. These emails direct you to open a link but when you do, it collects your personal information or installs malware on your computer.
The district attorney’s office says the way the phishing scam works is you will receive an email that sounds official. In this case, it might be asking for proof of a COVID vaccination, requesting information from a fake health organization, or offering medical advice.
Phishing emails are usually hastily prepared or contain minor changes from something an official organization might send out. Therefore, they suggest paying close attention to domain names and checking spelling or grammatical errors.
Now that you know how an email phishing scam operates, it is also important to know the consequences of conducting one.
This summer, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that amended the state’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act to include reproductive coercion as justification for a protective order. The measure defines reproductive coercion as using force to control the reproductive autonomy of another person.
When defining reproductive coercion, the new law describes “force” as applying unreasonable pressure, deliberate interference of access to contraception or reproductive health information, or using coercive tactics to control pregnancy outcomes.
Examples of reproductive coercion could include a boyfriend tampering with his girlfriend’s birth control pills, intentionally impregnating her without her consent, or pressuring her to have an abortion despite her protests.
Reproductive coercion is actually more common than you might think. In a 2018 study, researchers found that up to 14 percent of women who visited a family planning clinic in the U.S. reported reproductive coercion and that upwards of 30 percent of women will experience it in their lifetime.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a measure expanding California’s emergency services so that victims of domestic violence can now contact local domestic violence centers via text and chat. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 689, dubbed the Comprehensive Statewide Domestic Violence Program, without comment last month alongside a host of other bills.
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, a Democrat from Laguna Beach who filed the bill in February, said “these additional tools and technologies will give survivors more ways to get help when they desperately need it.” She explained the technical services were needed because cases of domestic violence have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the bill’s summary, the pandemic has resulted in increased levels of isolation, job loss, and stress, all of which are often factors in domestic violence cases. Additionally, the pandemic has also forced police stations to close their reception areas out of fear of spreading disease, which further limits safe spaces for domestic violence victims. Therefore, victims turn to shelters and this increase in demand has caused a financial strain on those same shelters.
If you go into a store in the state of California, steal something, and get arrested, you could be charged with either shoplifting or burglary. What you are charged with, though, depends on what elements of the crime the investigating officer can prove. In California, the crime could be either a misdemeanor or felony. So, when does shoplifting become a burglary? And, when does a burglary become a felony?
According to the California Penal Code, there are two elements to the crime of shoplifting. The first is that you must enter a commercial business during normal hours of operation with the intent to steal something. In other words, you had to plan to steal something before you entered the store. The other element is that the value of the property you take cannot cost more than $950.
If you deviate from that definition, such as steal property valued at more than $950 or enter the store before it opens or after it closes, you could be charged with burglary. However, under state law, you cannot be charged with both shoplifting and burglary for the same theft.
In 2020, there were nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft across the country. That is a 113 percent increase from the year before. If state and federal authorities were not already prioritizing investigating identity theft crimes, they most likely are now. California was actually ranked the most dangerous place for fraud and identity theft.
The Federal Trade Commission, which is tasked with leading the charge against identity theft, defines it as a type of fraud in which you use or attempt to use a person’s identifying information without permission. Like most states, California law regarding identity theft mirrors that definition. While there are many similarities between the two, state law has some specifics. So, what is identity theft in California?
Identity theft laws are concerned with the misuse of personal information, so the first important question to ask is: what is considered personal information? Well, it is a wide range of things. It could be a person’s social security number, maiden name, bank account or credit card information, passwords, or simply the person’s name.
Earlier this month, the San Jose Police Department announced they shut down a fencing operation involving the theft of high-end bicycles and construction equipment from the city’s downtown area. A “fencing operation” is a type of theft ring in which a central figure buys and sells stolen goods.
According to the SJPD’s press release, the suspect allegedly bought goods from a network of thieves for a fraction of the items’ actual value. Police executed a search warrant in May at the suspect’s house and found a cache of expensive bikes, crates of tools, stolen retail goods, and $20,000 in cash. They estimate the value of the stolen goods to be $100,000.
Given the transactional nature of the crime and the high dollar amount, what kind of crime is that exactly? At the end of it all, the suspect was arrested for receiving stolen property. In the state of California, that is considered a property crime, and it is called larceny.
Last month, the Santa Clara County District Attorney filed two separate cases in which a Bay-area woman allegedly embezzled more than $300,000 from her employer.
In one case, a San Jose woman allegedly used a company credit card to spend more than $300,000 on personal expenses over a two-year period. In the other case, a Dublin woman allegedly used a false name to gain employment at a construction company and then funneled some $480,000 to herself with company checks.
In both cases, the women allegedly used the money to pay for phone bills, rent, vacations, and more. It is a reminder that state, county, and local authorities are still investigating embezzlement and other fraud cases.
Embezzlement differs from traditional theft because, at the time of the theft, you have lawful control over the property or access to the money. However, it is also for that reason embezzlement cases can be complicated. While theft could be taking money from a register, embezzlement might involve using passwords or codes to gain access to an account. Oftentimes, embezzlement requires higher levels of trust and permission to finances.
A horrific shooting on the Costa Mesa highway has led to the announcement by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) that they may soon begin collecting road rage data that occurs on California roads. The shooting resulted in the killing of a six-year-old boy and, since the shooting, other drivers have reported multiple incidents involving the same couple who have been arrested for the boy’s murder. According to a CHP spokesperson, there are currently no vehicle code designations for road rage incidents for statistical purposes. Road rage incidents are not tracked because police say there is not a specific California law that makes road rage a crime.
The tragic incident occurred last month in the HOV lane of the 55 Freeway in Orange County at about 8 a.m. According to police, the boy’s mother was driving her son to kindergarten when another driver veered into her lane and then cut her vehicle off. As the driver sped away, she gave the mother a peace sign. A few miles later, as the mother exited the HOV lane, she drove by the driver and raised her middle finger at the driver and her male passenger.
According to studies and data collected by insurance companies, the majority of drivers – even safe ones – will be involved in three to four vehicle accidents over their driving lifetime. Even a minor accident can be traumatic but knowing what to do in the event of a crash will help ensure you are able to collect whatever damages you may be entitled to from the at-fault driver. The following steps are recommended by the Palo Alto car accident attorneys at Fuller Law Firm. For more detailed information regarding your particular situation, contact our firm directly.
California law requires all drivers who are involved in any type of accident to identify themselves to the others involved. Even if it appears no one has been injured or there is no property damage, you still need to stay at the scene. Not only could leaving the scene result in criminal charges, but it could also imply guilt of liability. Instead, pull your vehicle over in a safe area and out of traffic – if possible – and call 911 to report the crash.
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