If your criminal case is dismissed “without prejudice” in California, you will probably breathe a big sigh of relief. But you may not be totally out of the woods yet. A dismissal without prejudice means that while your case has been dismissed, the prosecutor can still refile the charges against you – but only within …
In California, transporting a controlled substance is a crime defined as knowingly moving a usable amount of the drug for its eventual sale. Doing so is a felony punishable by up to 9 years in prison, and even longer if it is a large quantity. You do not have to move the drug a significant …
If you know that you have been falsely accused of a sex crime, you should: get an experienced criminal defense lawyer, understand the allegations being made, gather evidence of the alleged incident, and prepare a legal defense. You should NOT ignore the claims simply because you know they are wrong. You should also avoid contact …
In California, pedestrians have legal rights. These include protections while they are in a crosswalk and the right to due care from drivers. Drivers who violate these rights and hurt a pedestrian can be held liable for the victim’s injuries. Pedestrians also have legal obligations. Violating those obligations can make the pedestrian liable or partially responsible …
California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to reimburse their workers for business expenses. Those business expenses include anything you spend in the discharge of your job duties or to follow your employer’s instructions. If you are not reimbursed for these expenses then you can recover them, as well as attorneys’ fees, in a wage …
In California, the difference between petty theft and grand theft is typically whether the value of the stolen property is worth more or less than $950. If the value is $950 or less, then it is petty theft. If it is over $950, then it is grand theft. It can also be grand theft to …
As a general rule, employers may not take away or reduce any commissions that an employee has already earned. There are often terms in the commission agreement that allows an employer to deduct commission in certain situations. Those situations, however, are limited by state commission-based pay law and must be clearly written in the commission …
In California, a split shift is a work day that is interrupted by unpaid time off work that is not a meal break. You have a split shift if you work in the morning, are given several hours off, then work again in the evening. You may be entitled to a shift split premium of …
Tip pooling is legal in California so long as the pool does not include managers who have the authority to hire or fire you. The only time managers can join in the tip pool is if they do the same work as you. Here are four key things to know: Employers must distribute funds in the …
In California, you are considered a full-time employee if you work 40 or more hours in a week. This entitles you to certain workplace benefits. However, some federal laws define “full-time work” in a way that requires fewer hours on the job. Under these laws, you could be entitled to healthcare or retirement benefits without …
10 of the most important rights that you have under California employment law include: overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, anti-discrimination rights, protection from sexual harassment, family and medical leave (FMLA), minimum wages, protection from workplace retaliation, workplace safety, sick leave, and protection from wrongful termination. All of these protections apply if you are a …
As a victim in an Uber accident, you can bring a claim to seek compensation for all of your legal damages. That compensation can be worth anywhere between a few thousand dollars to over $1,000,000, depending on the nature and severity of the injuries. You will rarely see your compensation reduced for your share of …
Personal injury protection insurance (PIP) is a type of no-fault car insurance available in 21 states but not in California. Instead, California drivers can purchase MedPay, an optional no-fault insurance policy that: covers the accident-related medical bills and funeral costs of you and your passengers (like PIP insurance), but does not cover lost wages (unlike …
In California, employers are legally required to include certain information on the pay stub they issue to workers. This is to ensure that wages, deductions and payee information is correct and complies with state law. If some of the information is missing or incorrect, it can lead to a wage and hour lawsuit. Workers also …
In California, the term “financial responsibility law” refers to the requirement that you carry proof of your ability to cover damages you may inflict in the event of a traffic accident. This usually means proof of auto insurance. The law is largely found in Vehicle Code Sections 1600-16078 VC and is sometimes called “California’s Compulsory Financial Responsibility …
A bodily injury is a physical injury to a person. Five common examples of bodily injury are: broken bones, nerve damage, pain, brain damage, and internal injuries. However, some losses are not bodily injuries. Five examples of what is not considered bodily injury are: emotional distress, property damage, loss of consortium, lost wages, and reputational …
Most nurses do get paid overtime. As a nurse, you are entitled to 1.5 times your regular rate of pay for every hour you work past 40 hours in a 7-day period. However, some nurses – especially registered nurses – may be considered exempt employees. As an exempt employee, you are generally not entitled to overtime …
A full-time exempt employee is someone who works full-time hours and is exempt from certain state and federal wage and hour requirements, such as overtime and the minimum wage. To be full-time, you must work at least a certain number of hours. To be an exempt employee, you must meet job duties and salary requirements …
In California, the minimum wage for servers in 2025 is $16.50 per hour. In some cities and counties, the minimum wage is higher. Unlike in some other states, servers and other workers in California are entitled to minimum wage in addition to the tips they earn. Do California’s minimum wage laws apply to servers? Yes, …
In California, you can expunge a felony conviction by: completing the necessary expungement application forms, filing them in the court that heard your case, and appearing before a judge at the expungement hearing. Many felony convictions are eligible for expungement, though some sex crimes are not. Expungements are more difficult if you served prison time. …
As of January 1, 2025, to be considered an exempt employee in the U.S., a worker must be paid a minimum salary of $684 per week, or $35,568 per year. Exempt workers in California, meanwhile, must be paid a salary that is at least twice the state’s minimum wage. The 2025 California minimum wage is $16.50 …
The main difference between first-party insurance and third-party insurance is who gets paid by the insurer. First-party insurance pays the policyholder for his or her covered losses. Third-party insurance, also called liability insurance, pays the victim who has been hurt by the policyholder’s negligence. Nearly all states require vehicle owners to carry at least some …
Commission-based pay is workplace compensation based on an employee’s sales productivity. It can be tied to the overall quantity of sales or the value of the things sold. How your particular commission pay is generally calculated is set out in the commission agreement. State and federal laws regulate commission-based pay. Four key things to know are: …
5 key things to know about California’s payroll laws are that they apply to all non-exempt workers, forbid work off the clock, require meal or rest breaks, set the minimum wage, and make employers pay most discharged workers at the time of termination. Together, these laws are very friendly for workers. Violations can lead to …
In California, employers are required to fully reimburse you when you use your personal vehicles for business purposes. In total, there are 4 ways to calculate your reimbursement: lump-sum payments, Actual mileage, Actual expenses, or A mixture of fixed and variable rates. Many employers adopt the IRS’s reimbursement rates, which go by actual mileage: Purpose …
