America consists of three branches of government, all working together to guarantee us – even alleged criminals – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Except, of course, that it doesn’t – not at all. First of all, they aren’t supposed to work together. They...
Civil Rights
Five-Year Anniversary of Police Trampling Bay Area Citizens’ Rights, Killing Their Dogs And Burning Their House
Last Friday, Vallejo police fired tear gas into a house that they thought was inhabited by robbery suspects. They were wrong. The suspects weren’t in the house — just two little dogs. By the end of the assault, the house was on fire and one dog was dead. When I read...
Good Cops, Bad Cops
They’re not all liars. They don’t all cheat, and they’re not all ill-trained thugs or thieves. Some of them are, though – enough to make any encounter with them frightening even if you haven’t done anything wrong. And even though the majority aren’t corrupt bullies,...
The Long Leash of the Law
Police dogs have been commonplace in America for well over 100 years. Just like the police, some of these dogs have performed near-miracles while assisting victims of crime – and these dogs have sometimes been used as tools of oppression, violence, and terror against...
Recently in Police Misconduct Category
Recently in Police Misconduct Category Show Your Work September 3, 2013, by Applegate Law Office A lot of people who call to ask about representation after a DUI arrest ask me what I can do for them. It’s a good question for you to ask of a lawyer, and the answer...
Prisoners of Second-Hand Stupidity
A while ago, I suggested that that the State of California seems to want prisoners to die. Maybe I was too harsh; maybe the State of California, as a governing entity, is just so cripplingly stupid that it can’t help but kill off prisoners, like Lenny with his little...
Recently in Civil Rights Category
Recently in Civil Rights Category Prisoners of Second-Hand Stupidity July 16, 2013, by Applegate Law Office A while ago, I suggested that that the State of California seems to want prisoners to die. Maybe I was too harsh; maybe the State of California, as a governing...
You Have The Right To Remain Silent
It may not have been a big story in the news, but a recent Press Democrat article caught my eye: Satanic graffiti was found on a sign at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa. I’ve had clients who were charged with graffiti, and...
No Give-sies Back-sies, No Black Magic
There are a nearly ridiculous number of axioms in the law — pithy sayings that convey a fairly complicated idea in very few words. It seems that most of them are either in Latin (res ipsa loquitur!) or deal with something unpleasant (the law is an ass!), or both –...
Frankly, Defendant, They Don’t Give A Damn — Better Hire An Attorney Who DOES!
Why do you need to hire the best lawyer you can find? Because when it comes to your health and well-being, I almost suspect that the state of California doesn’t give a damn whether you live or die. Wait — that’s not true. Based on the way that the California...