Stephen G. Rodriguez Criminal Law Blog

When people are arrested, they are held in jail until they post bail or they are released on their own recognizance, commonly referred to as O.R. Release, which means he or she is released from jail on their promise to appear in court at all times as ordered. Bail is generally required when a judge or prosecutor feels that a defendant might not appear in court or flee the jurisdiction. The purpose of bail is to ensure the personal attendance of the defendant at all times as required by the... Read More

The saga of Lindsay Lohan continues. For all the negative things that have been reported about Lindsay Lohan, she appears to be a very troubled 24-year-old with an addiction to alcohol and illegal drugs who also likes to party. What a surprise! She also has a problem following judges’ orders.... Read More

It appears that some folks in Hollywood and Aspen deem Charlie Sheen to be above the law. On August 2, 2010, Sheen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in exchange for the dismissal of two other more serious charges. He was sentenced to 30 days in a rehabilitation center (Promises, in Malibu), 30 days of probation and 36 hours of anger management. He is expected to avoid the rehab because he has already spent over 90 days at Promises this year. He may even be able to avoid the... Read More

According to various media sources, on January 6, 2010, actor Mel Gibson allegedly punched his girl friend Oksana Grigorieva in the face twice while she held their two-month-old child. She reported that the force of the blows chipped a tooth, dislodged a veneer and gave her a concussion. Recently, she brought the alleged abuse to the attention of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which opened a domestic violence investigation. After the investigation is complete, the... Read More