Recent Blog Posts

L.A. Arsonist Now Facing 63 More Counts

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:55:00 GMT

Police have accused a German national of setting dozens of fires that led to a three-day wave of fires in Los Angeles that caused an estimated $3 million in damages over the New Year's weekend. The man now faces another 63 criminal accounts in addition to the existing 37 counts of arson. Investigators say that the man set the fires out of rage against Americans and that he intended to harm as many residents of Los Angeles as possible.

The man was taken into custody after a tip from a member of the U.S. Department Diplomatic Security field office, and police used security camera footage showing a man of his resemblance leaving the scene of several fires to link him to the crime. Police and law enforcement authorities treat crimes of arson very seriously, and if convicted this man may face penalties such as $500,000 in fines or 16 months to 9 years in prison.

There is a wide range of consequences for arson crimes in the state of California, depending on whether the arson is classified as a misdemeanor reckless burning, felony arson or aggravated arson. Those who are under investigation for committing arson should immediately contact a Los Angeles arson lawyer who can protect their rights in court. It is likely that the German man responsible for the recent fires in Los Angeles will face maximum penalties unless he has help from a skilled Los Angeles criminal attorney.

A Closer Look at Bench Warrants

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:55:00 GMT

A bench warrant is issued by a judge when a defendant violates the rules of the court, and is used by police like an arrest warrant to bring the defendant back in front of the judge. Many times, a defendant will simply fail to show up for their court hearing and the judge will issue a bench warrant as punishment. Bench warrants differ from arrest warrants because the arrest warrant process is started by the police officer, who then brings the warrant to the judge to sign off.

It is the judge who initiates the bench warrant process and sends it to law enforcement to put the warrant in action. Bench warrants are an instrument commonly used by judges to fight contempt of court or a willful disregard of a court order. Most judges do not like dealing with the paperwork of issuing bench warrants for people who fail to appear for jury duty, but they will take the time to issue a bench warrant when someone fails to show up for a scheduled court date.

If there is a bench warrant out for your arrest, it is important that you understand the gravity of your situation. If you are picked up by law enforcement officers, you will be put directly in jail until you get in for another hearing because you will be deemed a flight risk by the court. It is wise to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer the moment you hear about your bench warrant to protect your rights. In some cases, the warrant may have been issued in error and you can avoid all of the hassle with the help of a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Bench warrants may result in additional penalties such as probation or more jail time, so take legal action to combat your bench warrant today!

Juvenile Crime and High School Dropouts

Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:56:00 GMT

A new study confirms the assumption that juvenile crime rates are directly linked to high school dropout rates. The California Dropout Research Project found that California high school students who don't complete their educations cost the state around $1.1 billion every year in law enforcement costs. As many as one in every five students in Los Angeles drop out of high school, and cutting the statewide dropout rate in half could possibly prevent 30,000 juvenile crimes from being committed by minors every year.

The state of California has enacted harsh juvenile penalties in order to deter juvenile crime. When a juvenile is convicted of a crime, their ability to get a job, successfully apply for college and apply for loans is significantly affected. If you have been accused of a crime and you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to have the help of a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to defend your rights. When you contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at our firm, we will immediately go into action to avoid referral of your case to the adult court system and to have your charges reduced or dismissed.

Threats, Intimidation and Domestic Violence

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:42:00 GMT

In any domestic relationship, it is expected that there will be disagreements. It is the nature of living together in close proximity and dealing with human emotions. When, however, do these arguments boil to the point of becoming an issue that the law needs to be involved with? Should verbal threats be made, these could be tried as domestic violence.

According to §13700 of the California Penal Code, domestic violence is legally defined as abusive behavior that is committed against someone with whom the defendant has a personal relationship – such as a spouse, cohabitant or someone with whom they are dating. This can be in the form of physical abuse, verbal abuse, neglect and even sexual abuse.

Criminal threats are a serious matter and can be a gateway to more serious charges. Should law enforcement get involved and determine that the verbal threats were severe enough to cause the alleged victim to be afraid for serious bodily injury, the defendant could even be facing felony charges.

When dealing with something of this severity, it is extremely important that immediate steps are taken to get the involvement of an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer. At our firm, we know how quickly situations can spiral out of control – we know that a simple argument can escalate and when provoked, even the calmest of people can say things that they don't mean.

Unfortunately, we also know that in domestic violence cases, even the smallest of details will be used against you to build a case. For this reason, we encourage you to call us. We have extensive experience handling criminal cases – you can trust that we will fight tooth and nail to help you defend your legal rights. So do not waste another moment! Contact Takakjian & Sitkoff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Explanation of Arson Charges in California

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:50:00 GMT

Being criminally charged with something such as arson is extremely serious – if convicted, you will be facing severe and life-altering consequences. In the state of California, both law enforcement and prosecutors take this crime seriously and treat it with the utmost gravity. Under the 2010 California Penal Code, §451, arson is considered the willful and malicious burning of a building, structure or piece of property.

Should the criminal act result in the physical injury of a victim, this can be criminally tried as a felony and will be punishable by up to nine years of incarceration. If the structure that is burned is inhabited, this is yet again tried as a felony and can be punished by three, five or eight years of imprisonment. Should the defendant have committed arson while serving a sentence of imprisonment, the incarceration that is imposed as a penalty will be added on to the sentence in which they are already serving.

If you have recently been criminally charged with arson, it is highly encouraged that you contact an experienced and hard-hitting Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at soon as possible. At Takakjian & Sitkoff, we have extensive experience dealing with criminal charges of this nature. We know what is on the line when we take on a case such as this and we will stop at nothing in our efforts to help our clients fight to protect their rights.

Contact a Los Angeles arson defense attorney from our firm today to learn more about how we can help. Regardless of the circumstances, you will be able to be confident knowing that we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to help you obtain the just outcome that you are looking for. We will stop at nothing in our pursuit to defend your freedom – call us today to schedule your initial case analysis.

LAPD Ups Security at Dodger Stadium; Results in No Arrests

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:20:00 GMT

With previous games resulting in serious injury from disorderly fans at the Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Police Department were widely alert and ready to squash any rowdy and disruptive behavior at the game on Thursday, April 14. This act is largely attributed to the event two weeks ago, in which a paramedic became the unwitting victim of an assault simply for rooting for the opposing team. The assault left him in a coma.

For this reason, at this game, the LAPD were prepared. Over a hundred deputies were on hand and comprehensive new security measures - such as a police helicopter - were taken to ensure that the safety of all visitors was ensured. The deputies served to quietly patrol exits and the parking lots as the game ended. On foot, bicycle, horse and motorcycle, they were noticeable and many fans felt the difference - even in the usually rambunctious parking lots.

At this game, after the new security measures were taken, the result was promising. No arrests were made and only 46 were cited for misconduct such as possessing an open container of alcohol. The behavior of previous games was not repeated and even fans made note of the much more tranquil behavior.

If you have been at previous events where tempers and confusion made it easy to make a mix-up, you could unfortunately have found yourself facing an arrest or criminal charge. If you have, you need to be confident that you have an aggressive Los Angeles criminal lawyer on your side who is willing to go the distance in their efforts to defend your legal rights.

At Takakjian & Sitkoff, we know how easy it can be for a sporting event to get out of hand. We also know how easy it can be to get carried away, or, worse, provoked into a situation where you acted in self-defense. If you feel that you are facing a wrongful accusation or a charge that is more severe than you deserve, we urge you to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney from our firm.

We have seen these cases frontwards and backwards - we know the steps that we can take to help you obtain the just and desirable outcome that you deserve. We have seen all too often how an undeserving fan can find themselves facing a criminal charge that they do not deserve, all for something that happened in the heat of the moment or due to the actions of someone else.

For this reason, we will meticulously go over your case to help build your defense. Even if we do not think that we can get the charges dropped, we will do everything that we can to get them reduced, the penalties lowered or a successful verdict won.

Los Angeles Crime Rates Are Down 7% from 2009

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 05:49:00 GMT

In a recent report that was sent out by the Los Angeles Police Department, crime rates are shown to be steadily decreasing. In fact, to find a comparable year, one might even have to go back several decades. While the most noticeable drop is in violent crimes (over a 20% decline in just two years), the crimes are shown to be reducing across the entire board.

In 2009, there were 314 reported homicide charges. This number dropped drastically in 2010 in which there were only 297. Overall, homicides showed over a 23% drop. Violent crimes as a total saw a similar decline, criminal charges relating to assault and rape included in the declining numbers.

Theft crimes and other property crimes followed the same pattern. Even arrests were down - a full 10% less arrests happening in the change from 2009 to 2010.

This, however, does not mean that there are no arrests. In fact, the numbers are still high and there are still residents within the area who are suffering under the charges. If you are one of them, you do not have a moment to lose. The criminal process is fast and unforgiving - if you do not move quickly in obtaining an experienced criminal defense lawyer, you will find that you will quickly be left behind.

At Takakjian & Sitkoff, we are former district attorneys who are now using our legal knowledge on the other side of the courtroom. With extensive experience, we have proven that we have what it takes to help you defend your freedom. We therefore encourage you to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney from our office as soon as possible. We know how high the stakes are; you can trust that we will be relentless in our efforts to help you protect your rights.

Overview of Kidnapping Criminal Charges

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:55:00 GMT

Kidnapping is viewed as an especially heinous crime. Legally speaking, it is defined as the taking, stealing, enticing, seducing or luring a person away. This can either be a child or an adult, and the purpose for the taking can have many different manifestations. One thing, however, remains the same - the person was taken for illicit reasons and for harmful conduct.

There are several situations upon which kidnapping does not apply. These include the following:

If a child, under the age of fourteen, is being taken or seduced away to help protect and defend them from any opposing harm. This only applies if the child is being harbored from harm that is determined to truly be imminent in nature.
If the person being taken is lawfully, under section 834 of the 2010 California Criminal Code, being arrested by a peace officer who is taking them into custody.
If the person is being arrested by a private person under section 837, after a public offense or following the commission of a felony that the private party has reasonable cause to believe the person committed.

Do to the severity of the crime, the penalties associated are similarly severe in nature. For the basic foundation of the penalty structure, kidnapping is punishable for three, five or eight years in state prison. If the person who was kidnapped was under fourteen years of age, the defendant could be facing up to eleven years imprisonment. If there are aggravating factors, such as holding the kidnapped for random, the defendant could be facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Criminal charges of this nature are serious and should not be treated lightly. For this reason, if you or someone that you care about has been arrested or has reason to believe that they are being investigated, no time should be wasted in contacting a knowledgeable and aggressive criminal defense lawyer. To fully combat these charges, proactive and aggressive steps need to be taken towards defending the legal rights of the defendant.

At Takakjian & Sitkoff, we understand the delicate nature of these cases as well as the importance of their outcome. For this reason, we remain hard-hitting and creative in every way possible. Regardless of the nature of the crime or the details of the circumstances that we are facing, we will constantly work to help our clients with creative answers and tailor-made solutions.

We therefore encourage you to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer from our firm as soon as you can to receive the support and guidance that you deserve in the pursuit of your just outcome. We have the experience - let us put our knowledge to work for you.

Robert Kennedy Assassin to Attend 13th Parole Hearing

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:11:00 GMT

Should the man who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy at a Los Angeles hotel just moments after the New York senator claimed his victory in the California presidential primary race be set free?

Either way, he will be attending his 13^th parole hearing today to determine if the 42 year sentence Sirhan Sirhan has served is enough.

In past parole hearings, he has been denied by the parole board for his lack of remorse and failing to accept the responsibility of Kennedy's death.

Sirhan was convicted in April 1969, and sentenced to death. However, when the death penalty laws changed in California in 1972, Sirhan's punishment was converted to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

With the laws in California's justice system changing, you need to make sure that your experienced and aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can keep up.

Do not leave your trial up to chance - contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at Takakjian & Sitkoff.

Welcome to our Criminal Defense Blog

Criminal Defense Lawyer — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:46:00 GMT

Our Attorneys are pleased to announce the launch of our Criminal Defense Blog with an RSS feed available at http://www.formerdistrictattorneys.com/Blog/Entire-Blog-Feed/RSS.xml