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The most common thing people say when they call our office is some version of: “I didn’t do anything wrong, so they had no right to do this to me.” I understand why it feels that way. But that sentence, on its own, is not what decides a police-misconduct case.

You can have a strong case against the police and still lose it before a judge ever hears the facts, not because you were wrong about what happened, but because you missed a deadline that has nothing to do with your criminal case. For many claims against a California city,

Police encounters can escalate in seconds. A routine stop turns into a search, the search turns into a struggle, and suddenly a person is injured. In those moments it is hard to know where lawful authority ends and potential misconduct begins. Many people think of search and seizure and police

You often have a real choice between California state court and federal court, and the difference is bigger than most people expect. Federal court tends to move faster, with firm scheduling orders and judges who see Fourth Amendment issues regularly. State court tends to move slower, but it can offer

Most people never think about the Fourth Amendment until an officer is standing at their car window or their front door. Then the questions come fast. Can they look in my bag? Do they need a warrant? Do I have to answer? Knowing your constitutional rights before an unexpected encounter

Yes, you can sue the police in California. Every week I talk to people who were beaten, arrested for nothing, or treated like criminals for asking a question, and most of them start the call the same way: “I didn’t think you could sue a cop.” You can. The real

Not every police case is about an officer who meant to hurt someone. Some of the worst injuries I see come from carelessness: a deputy who ran a red light with no lights or siren, officers who rushed into a mental health call and created the very danger they then

A California police officer can violate your constitutional rights and still face a claim worth barely more than a fender-bender. Or that same violation can trigger a claim that comes with mandatory attorney’s fees, a shot at enhanced damages, and a price tag a city can’t shrug off as the

Six months. For many people hurt by police in California, that is how long they have to take the first legal step, and most of them have never heard of it. Miss it, and a strong state-law case can be gone before a lawyer ever reads the file. I get

Legal terminology can be confusing, especially after an incident that could involve both a criminal case and a civil case at the same time. Understanding what each term actually means, and how the two systems interact, helps you know what to expect and whether you might have a claim of

By the deputies’ own testimony, my client was free to go to his room and go to sleep. Then he asked one question, and seconds later he was in handcuffs. No new evidence, no threat, nothing but a question about whether they suspected him of a crime and the answer

Being arrested without proper justification can shake a person’s freedom, reputation, finances, and trust in law enforcement all at once. It is natural to want accountability, and to wonder whether cop immunity means the officer will simply walk away. The truth is more complicated. Immunity can make these cases harder,

My client asked the deputies to give him a breathalyzer. They refused. He explained, calmly and more than once, that he was a welcome hotel guest simply waiting on a room key. They ignored that too, and arrested him for being too intoxicated to care for himself while looking at

Being sued, or being on the receiving end of an officer’s abuse of authority, can leave a person feeling like they have no way to fight back. Both situations raise the same underlying question: how do you prove your side of the story and hold the right party responsible? Small

My client Sky Miller was in custody for about two hours. He was never charged with a crime. The matter still resolved for $100,000. If your first reaction is that something must be missing from that story, you are asking a fair question and the honest answer is that the

Getting pulled over is stressful even when you have done nothing wrong. Red and blue lights in the rearview mirror can make it hard to remember what you are required to do, and what you are allowed to refuse. In Los Angeles, drivers are protected by the same search and

Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies told my client, on body camera, that he brought his own arrest on himself. “You ruined it.” “That’s what happens when you want to argue with everyone.” “You did it to yourself.” Those words became some of my best evidence, not that the arrest

Reasonable suspicion is the legal standard that allows a police officer to briefly stop and question you, based on specific, articulable facts suggesting that criminal activity may be occurring. It requires more than a hunch or a feeling, but it is a lower bar than what’s needed to arrest or

Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies had already agreed my client was free to go to his room and sleep. Then he asked them one lawful question: “Do you have a reasonable, articulable suspicion of a crime?” Seconds later, he was in handcuffs. The matter resolved for $100,000. I have

A search incident to a lawful arrest is one of the few exceptions that allows police to search you without a warrant. When an officer makes a valid arrest, the law allows them to immediately search your person and the area within your immediate control, without first getting a warrant

A hotel guest on Catalina Island had been drinking. He got locked out of his room, was polite with the deputies who showed up, and asked for their badge numbers. Ninety minutes later he was in handcuffs, then in a holding cell having an asthma attack, arrested for nothing more

Qualified immunity is a legal defense that can shield individual police officers from personal liability in civil rights lawsuits, even when their conduct violated the Constitution, unless the officer violated a right that was “clearly established” at the time. It does not mean an officer cannot be sued. It means

Most people think suing the police is purely a federal thing. In California there is a second, often stronger path: the Bane Act. But it turns on a hard question that decides most of these cases, whether we can prove the officer meant to violate your rights. When people picture

Almost everyone knows an officer can tell you to step out of your car. Far fewer know where that authority stops. Can they frisk you? Handcuff you? Lock you in the back of the patrol car? The line between a lawful stop and an arrest runs right through those three

A violation of constitutional rights occurs when a government actor, such as a police officer, prosecutor, or other public official, infringes on a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution or the California Constitution. That includes searching you without a valid warrant or exception, arresting you without probable cause, using excessive

Police do not need a warrant, probable cause, or even a good reason to search you, if you say yes. Consent is the easiest way around your rights, which is why officers are so good at getting it without you realizing you gave it. Of all the ways police get

False statements can damage your reputation, cost you work, strain family relationships, and follow you online or in public records long after an incident ends. When those statements come from a police officer, the harm can feel even more serious because people often assume an officer’s words are true. So,

They pulled my client over, found nothing, wrote no ticket, made no arrest, and sent him on his way in about 17 minutes. That case resolved for $295,000. Here is why a stop that “ended in nothing” can still be worth serious money. The most common thing people say when

Police pulled my client over for a dark license plate, then searched his whole car and found nothing. A traffic stop is not a search warrant. When police can actually search your vehicle without one, and when they cannot, is narrower than most people think. One of the most common

No one should have to accept abuse of power as normal. Police officers have authority, but that authority has limits. When officers use that power to unlawfully arrest someone, use excessive force, search without justification, fabricate facts, or push a case forward without probable cause, the harm can follow a

Police pulled my client over for a dark license plate. The moment they saw he had a record, the questions stopped being about the plate. The law requires something specific before police can go fishing, and your past is not part of it. There is a moment in a lot

Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures is one of the most important rights a person has when dealing with police. It protects your privacy, home, body, car, and belongings from unjustified government intrusion. In Los Angeles and across California, these protections matter during traffic stops, arrests, home searches, phone searches,

A deputy pulled my client over at 3 a.m. for a dark license plate. No ticket. No arrest. Seventeen minutes later he drove away, and a federal judge later ruled those seventeen minutes violated the Constitution. Here is exactly where the line is. I have spent years suing police officers

Verbal abuse can stay with a person long after the words are spoken. It can affect your sleep, confidence, reputation, job, and sense of safety. Still, the law does not treat every cruel comment as a lawsuit. So, how much can you sue for verbal abuse? In California, there is

Most people understand that police cannot simply search anyone, anywhere, at any time. But beyond that general idea, the rules surrounding searches and seizures can quickly become confusing. Whether it’s a traffic stop in Los Angeles, a search of a home, or the seizure of personal property, constitutional protections play

Most people agree that protecting yourself or another person from harm is sometimes necessary. The harder question is where the law draws the line. At what point is force justified, and when does it become excessive? The answer isn’t always simple. Whether the situation involves self-defense, security personnel, law enforcement,

After an accident, civil rights violation, wrongful arrest, or other legal dispute, most people focus on recovery, family responsibilities, and getting life back on track. Lawsuits are often the last thing on their minds. Unfortunately, waiting too long can create a serious problem. One of the most common questions attorneys

When a company, government agency, employer, or other organization causes harm to a large group of people, the impact often extends far beyond a single individual. In those situations, a class action lawsuit can provide a way for people to pursue justice together rather than filing dozens (or even hundreds)

Losing a loved one unexpectedly changes everything. Along with grief and emotional shock, families are often left facing financial stress, unanswered questions, and uncertainty about what comes next. One of the most common concerns people have after a fatal accident or wrongful act is: how long does it take to