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Criminal Defense Insights
Plain-English guides from Attorney Randall T. Shrout — a former Sacramento County prosecutor who now defends the people the state comes after. No jargon, no scare tactics. Just clear answers to the questions you're asking after an arrest.
Abandoned by a Rideshare Driver? Your Rights as a Lyft or Uber Passenger
California law treats Lyft and Uber as common carriers owing the highest duty of care. What that means if you were left stranded — and the arbitration fight behind it.
Read the guide →How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Record in California?
Two records, two clocks. How long a DUI follows you on your criminal record and your DMV record — and the one step that clears it.
Read the guide →Misdemeanor vs. Felony in California: What's the Difference?
Jail vs. prison, gun rights, and the "wobbler" charges that can go either way — plus how a felony gets reduced to a misdemeanor.
Read the guide →What Happens at a DMV Hearing After a DUI?
You have 10 days to save your license. What the DMV hearing is, the step-by-step process, and how these are won.
Read the guide →Does a Criminal Charge Show Up on a Background Check in California?
What convictions, pending charges, and arrests actually show — the 7-year rule, your rights, and how to clear it.
Read the guide →How Drug Diversion (PC 1000) Works in California
For many first-time possession cases, there's a path that ends in a dismissal instead of a conviction. Who qualifies, and how it works.
Read the guide →Your First Court Date: What to Expect at a California Arraignment
What happens at your first court appearance, the one plea that protects you, and when your attorney can go instead of you.
Read the guide →What to Do After a DUI Arrest in Elk Grove, California
Arrested for DUI? You have just 10 days to protect your license — here's your first 24 hours, your rights, and how these cases get won.
Read the guide →How to Get Your Criminal Record Expunged in California
A complete walkthrough of Penal Code 1203.4 — who qualifies, the step-by-step process, what it costs, and what expungement can and can't do.
Read the guide →How Much Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Cost in Sacramento?
Honest fee ranges by charge type, flat-fee vs. hourly billing, what should be included, and how to judge an attorney's real value.
Read the guide →Every hour counts. Get a former prosecutor on your side today.
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