Matthew J. Ruff Criminal Law Blog

In the city of Torrance and throughout the county of Los Angeles, it is a felony or misdemeanor for any person to  actively participate in a criminal street gang. The offense carries a potential prison term in county jail for up to one year, or by imprisonment in state prison for 16 months, or two or three years. See the applicable code section PC §186.22(a). According to a Criminal Attorney in Torrance CA, Matthew J. Ruff, there are three elements that must be proved to find a violati... Read More

In California and Los Angeles a criminal defendant’s guilty or no-contest plea is valid only if it is voluntarily and knowingly made. It is well settled that before accepting the plea or an admission of charged enhancements, the trial court must expressly advise the defendant and obtain his or her waiver of the constitutional rights to trial by jury, to confront and cross-examine witnesses, and against self-incrimination. The record must show explicit advisements and waivers of these const... Read More

When a loved one has been arrested the world seems to stop and the worry and stress seems to be almost impossible to deal with.  Hiring a criminal defense attorney can help to alleviate the situation.  But the question presents itself- How do I go about the task of hiring a criminal defense attorney?... Read More

In California if a person is in jail on a criminal case and has another case pending against him, he may request a speedy resolution of that case. Penal Code §1381 provides that a defendant who is incarcerated on a misdemeanor or felony conviction may request the speedy resolution of any pending “indictment, information, or any criminal proceeding wherein the defendant remains to be sentenced.” According to one Long Beach Criminal Defense Attorney When a defendant is placed on p... Read More

For years local attorneys have been complaining of the need for a new courthouse in Long Beach.  There have been countless delays in getting open courts to try criminal matters, the parking has always been a major source of concern as well, all that is going to change with the new building. ... Read More

In Burbank, the police are allowed by law to detain a suspect for up to 72 hours after the arrest. When the person is arrested on the weekend, he or she can be held for an additional day. Here is a hypothetical: a person is taken in on a Thursday before a holiday weekend, the person can spend up to four or five days before they will appear before a Burbank Court Judge. ... Read More

Crime is up in all states.  In these tough economic times, property theft crimes go up and many otherwise good people find themselves charged with this life-changing criminal offense. Shoplifting, oftentimes referred to as petty theft is a misdemeanor status crime in California that occurs when someone steals or simply removes property offered for sale from a merchant.... Read More

Trouble for the great actor seems to never end.  Mel Gibson apparently arranged a plea agreement with Los Angeles prosecutors who plan to file a misdemeanor battery charge against the Oscar winner over a fight last year with his then-girlfriend, a person with knowledge of the case said Wednesday... Read More

Nothing is more heart breaking than a story of a child that has been abused, particularly at the hands of parents.  With that in mind however, there are instances where parents are falsely accused of child abuse and the consequences can be devastating.... Read More

Rock star Christina Aguilera was arrested in Hollywood for drunk in public... Read More