#San Diego criminal lawyers

[mediavizual]

San Diego Criminal Attorney https://g.co/kgs/yHNE5E

[defenselawyersandiego]

How Do I Find a Domestic Violence Lawyer San Diego?

Domestic violence is really serious stuff, as it affects a lot of people in San Diego and beyond. If you or someone you know are affected by domestic violence, it's crucial to get help from a qualified professional.

Always check with an experienced lawyer before hiring them to represent you in defending a case on domestic violence since this is a notoriously difficult and delicate area. It's important to find a lawyer who can gather all that information for you, so you don't get into any legal trouble. If you hire a seasoned lawyer, you have a better chance of winning your case. If you hire an inexperienced lawyer, it might result in losing the case.

Our law firm Kersey Law is aware of the complex nature of family violence cases and the sensitivity surrounding them. We are here to provide compassionate and aggressive representation to those who have been affected by domestic violence. Our team of experienced domestic violence lawyer San Diego has the knowledge and resources necessary to protect your rights and help you seek justice.

Domestic Violence can come in many forms and may involve physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual abuse. It is a problem that can happen to anyone regardless of whether they're old or young, male or female. If you're a victim of domestic violence, you'll want to seek legal help as soon as possible. Lawyers called 'domestic violence lawyers' know the law and your rights, and can guide you through the legal process.

We have a team of experts who are dedicated to protecting people's rights if they have been victims of domestic violence. We know all the ins and outs of the laws and procedures that go on when it comes to domestic violence cases. We will stand by you, advocate for you and help get you the justice you deserve.

We won't let you go through this experience alone. We will do everything we can to help you come out on top, and have your voice heard here in San Diego. Our support, legal guidance and attention to detail will ensure that you are treated with dignity every step of the way.

If you or someone you know is being abused, don't hesitate to reach out to us. A lot of people come here with questions about how to handle the situation and how they can change the world they live in. Our team of experienced people is ready to fight for your rights and help you seek the justice you deserve.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

SoCal Gas spent millions on astroturf ops to fight climate rules

Today (19 Aug), I'm appearing at the San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books. I'm on a 2:30PM panel called "Return From Retirement," followed by a signing:

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/festivalofbooks

It's a breathtaking fraud: SoCal Gas, the largest gas company in America, spent millions secretly paying people to oppose California environmental regulations, then illegally stuck its customers with the bill. We Californians were forced to pay to lobby against our own survival:

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article277266828.html

The criminal scheme is spelled out in eye-watering detail in a superb investigative report by Joe Rubin and Ari Plachta for the Sacramento Bee, which names the law firms and individual lawyers involved in the scam.

Here's the situation: SoCal Gas is California's private, regulated gas monopoly. They are allowed to lobby, but are legally required to charge their lobbying activities to their shareholders, and are prohibited from raising customer rates to pay for lobbying.

The company spent years secretly violating this rule, in the sleaziest way possible: working with corporate cartels like the California Restaurant Association and BizFed, the monopoly paid BigLaw white-shoe firms to procure people who posed as concerned citizens in order to oppose climate regulations that are essential to the state's very survival.

The bill topped $36 million – and it was illegally charged to its customers, the Californians whose immediate health and long-term survival these efforts opposed. SoCal Gas refuses to disclose the full extent of the spending, as do its lawyer-procurers, who cite legal confidentiality and a First Amendment right to secretly seek to influence policy in their refusal to disclose their profits from this illegal conduct.

The law firms involved are a who's-who of California's most prominent corporate fixers, including Reichman Jorgensen and Holland & Knight. The partners involved have a long rap sheet for anti-climate dirty tricking, most notably Jennifer Hernandez, notorious in climate justice history for an incident where activists claim she posed as one of them, infiltrating a campaign to force corporate despoilers to clean up their pollution in order to sabotage it, while secretly on a wealthy, prominent landowner's payroll.

Hernandez claims to care about the environment and says that her longstanding, corporate-funded, extensive campaigns and lawsuits against state environmental regulations are motivated by concern over their impact on working people. Her firm, Holland & Knight, denies serving SoCal Gas in opposing gas regulations, but it received $594k in ratepayer dollars, and submitted comments opposing the rules on its own behalf. Those comments were nearly identical to the comments submitted by SoCal Gas.

Hernandez also represents an obscure organization called The Two Hundred for Home Ownership in "a flurry of lawsuits" over California Air Resources Board rules on pollution, seeking to overturn the state's landmark climate change regulations.

Two Hundred for Home Ownership was founded by Robert Apodaca, who told the Bee that Hernandez's work for him is pro bono and not funded by SoCal Gas, but his entry into the fray occurred just as SoCalGas was founding an astroturf group called Californians for Fair and Balanced Energy (C4BES), which pretended to be an independent organization, disguising its relationship with SoCal Gas.

Apodaca is also founder of United Latinos Vote, an organization that had been largely dormant for seven years, not receiving any donations, until 2018, when the California Building Industry Association gave it $99k. The CBIA is a large-dollar recipient of donations from SoCal Gas, and its CEO insists that it was not acting on SoCal Gas's behalf when it made its unpredented donation to Apodaca.

The CBIA donation to United Latinos Vote was forerunner to a flood of corporate donations from the likes of Chevron, Marathon and Phillips 66. Shortly after receiving this cash, United Latinos Vote ran a full page ad in the LA Times, accusing the Sierra Club of pushing for anti-gas appliance rules that would harm working class Latino families.

This ad, in turn, featured prominently in advocacy by the SoCal Gas front group C4BES, funded with $29.1m in ratepayer money, which it then spent seeking to link clean appliance rules with anti-Latino racism. A quarter of California's carbon emissions come from home gas use.

SoCal Gas is regulated by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), which tolerated this mounting illegal conduct for many years, even as the company circulated internal memos as early as 2015 discussing its plans to oppose electrification in the state on the basis that it constituted "a significant risk to our business."

But last year, CPUC fined SoCal Gas $10m. Now, CPUC's Public Advocate office has filed a damning, extensive report on SoCal Gas's unlawful conduct, seeking $80m in rate cuts to compensate Californians for the funds misappropriated to protect the company's shareholder interests:

https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M517/K407/517407314.PDF

Additionally, the Public Advocate is demanding $233m in fines for the company's refusal to allow investigators to audit its books and discover the full extent of the fraud.

SoCal Gas is the nation's largest utility, but (incredibly), it's not the dirtiest. That prize goes to Ohio's FirstEnergy, which handed $60m in ratepayer dollars to state politicians in illegal bribes in exchange for coal and nuclear subsidies and cancellation of state climate rules. That scandal led to GOP speaker of the Ohio House Larry Householder being sentenced to 20 years in prison:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_nuclear_bribery_scandal

There is something extraordinarily sleazy about using ratepayers' own money to lobby against their interests. SoCal Gas and its Big Law enablers have funneled millions in Californian's money into campaigns to poison us and boil us alive, and they did it while using workers and racialized people as human shields.

I'm kickstarting the audiobook for "The Internet Con: How To Seize the Means of Computation," a Big Tech disassembly manual to disenshittify the web and make a new, good internet to succeed the old, good internet. It's a DRM-free book, which means Audible won't carry it, so this crowdfunder is essential. Back now to get the audio, Verso hardcover and ebook:

http://seizethemeansofcomputation.org

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/19/cooking-the-books-with-gas/#reichman-jorgensen

Image: Maryland GovPics (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdgovpics/6635539089/

Jackie (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/79874304@N00/197532792

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[haggishlyhagging]

In the 1950s and 1960s, civil libertarians joined pornographers to fight anti-obscenity laws. The pornographers who started out as the clients of civil liberties lawyers soon became their funders and friends. By the end of the 1970s, a symbiotic relationship existed between civil libertarians and pornographers that could not be ignored: the San Diego chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) showed pornographic films as fundraisers in a theater loaned by a local pornographer; the Minnesota chapter (the MCLU) was donated free office space by midwest pornography kingpins; the ACLU's reproductive rights project received substantial funding from the Playboy Foundation; and each year the ACLU's national office helped arrange and judge the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards, a Playboy public relations effort. (Not surprisingly, recipients of the awards were frequently ACLU officials.)

The contradictions embedded in the philosophy and history of civil libertarians are evident in their reaction to a law, passed by the New York State legislature in the late 1970s, that criminalized the production, distribution, and sale of child pornography. Never even considering the harm of child pornography to the civil liberties of children—in particular, the right of children to live in society free from the threat of sexual exploitation and abuse—the ACLU adopted unquestioningly the domino theory offered as a defense by the child pornographers prosecuted under the statute: prohibition of child pornography would trigger a process that would end in the censorship of masterpieces of literature. The ACLU, along with two other civil libertarian groups (the Media Coalition and American Booksellers Association), fought the child pornography statute all the way to the Supreme Court. Although the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the New York law, which became the model for a federal statute, the domino theory did not become reality. Huckleberry Finn and Ulysses remained on the bookshelves. This fact, however, did not stop the ACLU from evoking this specious argument against subsequent feminist legal efforts.

Also underlying the alliance of civil libertarians with pornographers and with sexual liberalism is the fact that these organizations were established and have always been controlled by white men. As a consequence, the philosophy and political agenda of civil libertarians have always reflected and furthered white male interests. Although civil libertarian leaders are not necessarily sex industry consumers, it is clear that they do not experience the reduction of women to sexual commodities as demeaning or exploitative. Their domino theory is never applied to the other side of the question: whether the legitimization and proliferation of pornography and prostitution destroy the civil liberties of women. The few women who have risen to positions of importance within the ACLU have shared the values of their male colleagues—indeed, it was the female director of the ACLU's San Diego chapter who arranged to have an X-rated "classic" that featured a coerced and brutalized pornography "model" shown to its members to educate them about the innocuousness of pornography.

-Dorchen Leidholdt, “Introduction” in The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism

[offender42085]

Post 1058

John T Earnest, born 1999, California inmate BP9253, Federal Register 85152-298, incarceration intake in November 2021 at age 22, sentenced to life

Murder, Attempted Murder, Use of Weapons, Hate Crimes

The man who opened fire on a Poway California synagogue in a deadly antisemitic attack was sentenced in San Diego federal court in December 2021 to life in prison, plus 30 years. The hearing marks the final chapter in the dual prosecution of John T. Earnest and adds to the life term that was handed down to him three months earlier in state court.

Earnest, 22, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a 113-count federal indictment that charged him with civil rights, hate crimes and weapons charges stemming from the April 27, 2019, attack on the synagogue at Chabad of Poway and arson at the Dar-ul-Arqam mosque in Escondido California about a month earlier.

The shooting killed Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, and wounded the founding Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan and her uncle Almog Peretz, 34.

Earnest was also charged with state charges of murder, attempted murder and hate crimes in San Diego Superior Court. In July 2021 he pleaded guilty to those charges in a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid the death penalty and instead get a sentence of life in prison without parole.

The attacks came during a Passover service at the synagogue. Both state and federal prosecutors said Earnest, then a 19-year-old student studying to be a nurse at Cal State San Marcos who had led an unremarkable suburban life in Ranch Peñasquitos, was driven by fierce hatred of Jewish people.

Shortly before the attack, Earnest had posted an screed online full of racist and antisemitic statements that declared the “European race” must be protected. He praised the March 2019 mass shootings at New Zealand mosques, attacks that left 51 people dead, and referenced the accused gunman in an October 2018 attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 people were shot and killed.

In the “open letter” Earnest said he had planned the attack for at least a month, and also admitted he set the fire at the mosque.

In a series of hearings in both state and federal court Earnest has shown little emotion and less regret. At a preliminary hearing in state court in September 2019 he smirked and smiled during testimony about the attack, and at a lunch break in the hearing, he turned toward spectators and made a “hang-loose” gesture with one hand, thumb and little finger extended.

Yet in a sentencing memorandum filed last week, his federal defense lawyers argued Earnest has turned a corner. Lawyers wrote Earnest condemned his actions in a phone call from jail that apparently was recorded.

However those comments came two days after jail officials found a document in Earnest’s jail cell where he again advocated for violence against Jews. Defense lawyers downplayed that by saying it was written long before his apparent condemnation of violence.

The lawyers also wanted Earnest to spend his sentence in a state prison, where he would be closer to his family. They said that would help his rehabilitation. But federal prosecutors instead wanted to have Earnest imprisoned at the super-maximum security federal prison in Florence, Colorado — the same facility where notorious criminals such as Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are housed.

U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia said he would recommend that Earnest serve the sentence in federal custody, although it will be up to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to accept him. It was not immediately clear if or how state corrections officials would be included in that decision.

The lawyers said that the turnabout in Earnest’s life from a fledgling nurse to armed hatemonger could be attributed to the “rapid online radicalization” that exploited Earnest’s still-developing immature brain.

They wrote that his road to “a good, productive life was unfortunately interrupted by a young, still-growing and immature mind, the mind of a youth who was still trying to identify who he was and left Mr. Earnest to being vulnerable to peer pressure and a fear of exclusion.”

As of September 2023, Earnest was housed under the custody and control of California state authorities at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, California.

3s

[beardedmrbean]

An attorney in San Diego who once won a local "woman of the year" award is now apparently a fugitive after being charged with misappropriating hundreds of thousands in funds from her clients, reported The Daily Beast on Thursday.

"Kelly DuFord Williams, 36, was charged with a slew of crimes — including grand theft of personal property and forgery of checks, money orders, and travelers’ checks — after allegedly swindling more than $400,000 from at least eight legal clients, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Daily Beast and filed in San Diego Superior Court. Williams was also hit with an aggravated white-collar crime enhancement," reported Decca Muldowney and Pilar Melendez. "A March 20 warrant was filed for William’s arrest, but records from the San Diego Sheriff’s department show she is not in custody."

"Prosecutors say that starting in 2020, Williams and her boutique law firm, Slate Law Group, were hired in various civil matters. After successfully securing settlements for her clients, Williams allegedly would deposit their checks into 'her client trust account or business checking account,' and then 'spent the money without giving the clients their full share,'" said the report. "Fernando Roridguez, a former client of Williams’, told The Daily Beast earlier this month that the lawyer allegedly stole part of his $175,000 settlement from an unjust termination case. The complaint details Rodriguez’s case, noting that Williams only paid him $24,450. Court documents say he is still owed $15,550."

he California State Bar has recommended Williams be stripped of her license to practice law, both due to the alleged embezzlement and an incident in which she "made at least two false 911 calls in Utah, where she allegedly posed as a district attorney concerned about the welfare of a child because she was angry at a former paramour."

Attorneys ripping off their own clients have made national news in recent years.

Last year, celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti — who once represented adult film star Stormy Daniels at the start of the controversy with former President Donald Trump — was sentenced to 14 years in prison for tax fraud and embezzlement of millions from clients. And this year, prosecutors argued that South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of the murder of his wife and son, committed the killings to cover up his financial crimes, including embezzling from his clients and law partners.

[handelonthelaw2nd]

Top Divorce Lawyer San Diego California

Ask Michaela Curran, Top Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence, Family Law Attorney in San Diego, California. Call Best Criminal Defense Attorney Michaela Curran Reviews and More.

Top Divorce Lawyer San Diego California

https://www.handelonthelaw.com/united-states/california/san-diego/attorney/michaela-curran

[lawyersdatascraping]

Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List

Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List

Unlock Legal Marketing Potential with Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List by Lawyersdatalab.com. In the competitive legal landscape, effective outreach and marketing strategies are critical for success. At Lawyers Data Lab, we empower law firms and legal marketing companies with our Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List, a resource designed to streamline connections with legal professionals across Alabama. Whether you're targeting solo practitioners, corporate attorneys, or specialized legal experts, our database is the key to enhancing your marketing efforts. 

What Is the Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List? 

This comprehensive database provides verified and up-to-date contact information for lawyers practicing in Alabama. Our list is meticulously curated, ensuring you access critical details like: 

- Lawyer Names 

- Email Addresses 

- Phone Numbers 

- Practice Areas 

- Law Firm Affiliations 

- Office Locations 

With this accurate and structured data, you can craft targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience. 

How Is It Useful for Legal Marketing? 

For law firms, the ability to connect with potential collaborators, referral partners, or even clients within the legal community is invaluable. A verified email list ensures your messages reach the right individuals without wastage on outdated or irrelevant contacts. Here’s how it can boost your legal marketing efforts: 

1. Targeted Outreach: Craft personalized campaigns to engage specific segments of the legal market, such as corporate lawyers, family law practitioners, or criminal defense attorneys. 

2. Cost-Effective Marketing: Save time and resources by focusing on verified, relevant contacts rather than generic lists. 

3. Lead Generation: Use the list to identify potential leads for partnerships, business development, or referrals. 

4. Enhanced Networking: Build relationships within Alabama's legal community to strengthen your brand's presence. 

How Is It Useful for Legal Marketing Agencies? 

Legal marketing agencies can use this database to provide specialized services to law firms. Whether designing email campaigns, organizing events, or promoting legal services, having access to verified lawyer contacts ensures targeted and effective efforts. 

Popular Lawyers Mailing List

Arizona Lawyers Email List

Alaska Lawyers Email List

Missouri Lawyers Email List

Montana Lawyers Email List

Nebraska Lawyers Email List

Nevada Lawyers Email List

New Jersey Lawyers Email List

Oklahoma Lawyers Email List

South Dakota Lawyers Email List

Tennessee Lawyers Email List

Best Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List in USA

Bakersfield, Long Beach, Oklahoma City, Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Miami, Portland, Omaha, Orlando, Raleigh, Seattle, Dallas, Memphis, Kansas City, Arlington, Milwaukee, Wichita, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Charlotte, Tulsa, Denver, Honolulu, Louisville, Fort Worth, Tucson, Philadelphia, Albuquerque, Columbus, Phoenix, Atlanta, San Diego, Las Vegas, Fresno, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Virginia Beach, Colorado Springs, Baltimore, Nashville, Washington D.C., El Paso, Boston, San Jose, New York, Jacksonville and Mesa.

Conclusion 

The Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List from Lawyersdatalab.com is more than a database—it’s a tool to elevate your legal marketing strategy. By leveraging accurate, structured contact information, law firms and marketing agencies can streamline outreach, strengthen connections, and achieve greater ROI on their campaigns. 

📩 Email: info@lawyersdatalab.com

🌐 Learn more: Verified Alabama Lawyers Email List

[thehlaw]

Steps to Take After an Uber or Lyft Accident

If you've been involved in an Uber or Lyft accident, you don't have to face the legal challenges alone. The H Law Group offers the specialized expertise of rideshare accident lawyers committed to advocating for your rights and securing the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a consultation, and take the first step towards securing your legal rights and financial recovery.

The H Law Group 600 W Broadway Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92101, United States +16192576655

[kglawsdapc]

How to Choose the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer in San Diego for Your Case

Dealing with criminal charges can be a significantly difficult battle in someone's life. Therefore, ensuring that you have the right criminal defense lawyer in San Diego is important. Here’s a guide to help you make an informed decision. For more details visit https://kglawsd.blogspot.com/2024/11/how-to-choose-right-criminal-defense.html

[sddefenseattorneys]

San Diego County Sex Crimes Lawyer

Collectively, our three-person team of criminal defense lawyers has been to trial nearly 100 times, fighting for a favorable resolution on behalf of our clients. We don’t back down from complex or challenging cases because we believe that everyone deserves the chance to defend their name in court. These are the qualities that you should look for in a defense lawyer.

SERVING SAN DIEGO AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA If you have been arrested for a serious criminal offense, you should hire a San Diego criminal defense attorney who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect your rights, freedom and future. At The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC, we believe that the mark of an effective lawyer goes far beyond their defense skills – it is about how far they are willing to go to protect your best interests.

Address: 750 B St Ste 2840, San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: (619) 304-4696

Website: https://sddefenseattorneys.com/blog/best-sex-crimes-lawyers-san-diego-county/

[defenselawyersandiego]

Guidelines in Hiring a Defense Lawyer San Diego

Defense Lawyers San Diego are the people you'll turn to in any unfortunate situation. They can provide legal advice and representation during these difficult times.

You need to know your rights and the correct way of responding to the police or in court. You should always contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible

San Diego criminal defense lawyers are always available to meet, talk about your case and let you know your rights and options. They're here to protect you, your family, property or anything else important to you.

There are many San Diego criminal defense attorneys out there and all of them have good reputations. To point you in the right direction, here's a list of things to consider when you're looking for help.

Do they specialize in criminal law?

Criminal cases are usually different from civil cases, and lawyers usually specialize in one or the other. You won't see a lawyer who handles both at the same time very often. Criminal law is way stricter than civil law. So be sure to get a lawyer who has vast knowledge in both areas.

How often do these lawyers win?

Larger or smaller doesn't matter for the basics. It all depends on the lawyer who will be in charge of your case. How often he's been winning cases lately? Do you have any faith that he can win your case and get you acquitted or settled? A good defense lawyer is a winner. He should be able to win your case with ease.

The new criminal defense lawyer doesn't know what he's doing, does he?

You want someone with experience. If somebody just handled a few cases, you don't know how good they are at representation on the job. Anyway, good lawyers can win any case no matter how short the time they spend on it. You should also ask for a mentor, an expert in your type of case, if you don't feel comfortable with the lawyer in charge.

Has the criminal defense lawyer who was successful in your similar case before, win theirs?

Every case is different from the next, even though they might seem similar at first. The defense often faces the same allegations and tactics from the opposition. The plaintiff lawyer often tries to improve their chances by changing things up a bit depending on the situation, but it's usually not too radical. If you find a lawyer that has handled a lawsuit before that's similar to yours, they can be more helpful since they know how those tend to play out.

Will the attorney be fully knowledgeable in regards to the case and criminal law?

Getting a criminal defense lawyer is crucial. The person you hire should be well-schooled to defend you in court as well as have knowledge about the case. He should know the constitution inside and out and if it's in violation of any of these articles, tell him you dispute this. He can't remember everything, but he should at least research any similar cases he's been assigned to beforehand.

Obviously, this is not something you do every day. If you are considering hiring a defense lawyer for a criminal case, these are 5 essential questions to ask before approaching the lawyer.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The Bezzle excerpt (Part V)

I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT in SAN DIEGO (Feb 22, Mysterious Galaxy). After that, it's LA (Saturday night, with Adam Conover), Seattle (Monday, with Neal Stephenson), then Portland, Phoenix and more!

I'm out on tour with my new novel, The Bezzle, a cyberpunk revenge thriller about Marty Hench, a two-fisted forensic accountant, and a guerrilla war he wages on a prison-tech provider that treats incarcerated people as assets to be strip-mined:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/22/self-censorship/#acab

As part of the promotion for the book, I've been serializing an excerpt: Chapter 14, in which Marty takes on a side-quest to recover the stolen royalties of one-time funk star Stephon Magner (AKA Steve Soul) which were stolen by his scumbag manager and then sold on to an even scummier sample-licensing clearinghouse.

Today, I bring you part five, in which Marty's simple cross-referencing project is violently altered by an encounter with the criminal gangs of the LA Sheriffs Deputy departments, a real crime-syndicate whose reign of terror continues to this day:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-17/dozens-of-lasd-deputies-ordered-to-show-suspected-gang-tattoos-reveal-others-who-have-them

I'm posting this installment en route to San Diego, where I'll be appearing tonight at Mysterious Galaxy

https://www.mystgalaxy.com/22224Doctorow

From there, it's back to LA, where I'm appearing on Saturday evening with Adam Conover at Vromans:

https://www.vromansbookstore.com/Cory-Doctorow-discusses-The-Bezzle

And then on Monday I'll be at Third Place Books with Neal Stephenson:

https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/cory-doctorow

From there, I'm off to Portland, Phoenix, Tucson and points further:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour

Here's part one of the serial:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/17/the-steve-soul-caper/#lead-singer-disease

Part two:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/19/crad-kilodney-was-an-outlier/#copyright-termination

Part three:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/20/fore/#lawyer-up

Part four:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#poacher-turned-keeper

And now, part five!

The storefront had an old break room with a first-­aid kit, and a bathroom with a sink. I sponged myself clean in the mirror, ate two expired Aleves and three 200 mg expired Tylenols out of the kit. The ass was ripped most of the way out of my pants, so I moved my wallet to my front pocket, which my massage therapist had been nagging at me to do for years.

I opened the door more carefully this time and limped out into the parking lot. My rental—­a little red Civic—­was the only car left in the parking lot, except for a rusted junker with no tires that was the perennial sentry of its farthest corner.

I bipped the doors open with my fob, checked the back seat, then slid inside. I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror and winced, which pulled at my bruises and set blood oozing from my lip and cheekbone again, which made me wince harder. I was already halfway to Quasimodo and I tried to remember if there was a 7-­Eleven on the route home where I could buy a couple of bags of frozen peas for the swelling.

I reset the mirror and backed out of my spot. The pain was increasing. They’d have Advil at the 7-­Eleven, and I’d remembered where there was one on the way back to my Airbnb.

As I waited for a red light at Eagle Rock and Colorado Boulevard, I watched as a homeless man labored across the road with his shopping cart. I was still watching him when I realized the light had been green for some time and had just toggled yellow. I made the turn and headed up Colorado, but I was barely a hundred yards down the road when I heard a siren blat and saw the police lights. I checked my mirrors and saw the LASD cruiser directly behind me, racing right up to my bumper, slowing only at the very last moment. The cruiser’s high beams blinked insistently and the siren whooped.

I pulled over.

I waited while the officer slowly got out of his car and walked to my driver’s-­side window. I kept my hands at ten and two. The officer tapped my window and made a roll-­down motion, so I hit the button, moving slowly, putting my hand back.

I got a light in my face, squinting and thus reopening my cheekbone and lip.

“Everything all right, sir?”

“Yes,” I said, feeling the blood ooze down my chin. “I was beaten up,” I said, stating the obvious.

“That is unfortunate,” the officer said. “License and registration.”

I got my driver’s license out of my wallet and found the rental papers in the glove box and handed them over. He crunched back to his cruiser and I watched him in the side mirror. He’d left his cruiser’s headlights on and in the glare it was hard to tell, but it looked like there was another cop in the car whom he was conferring with. After a long delay, he came back.

“Step out of the car, please.”

I did. He turned me around and had me plant my hands on the hood, kicked my feet apart, and roughly frisked me, getting his hand inside the rent in the seat of my pants and patting my boxer shorts and giving my balls a hard squeeze.

“Sir, do you know why I stopped you?”

“I don’t,” I said.

“You proceeded unsafely through a traffic signal. Have you been drinking, sir?”

“I haven’t.”

“Have you consumed any cannabis or other drugs?”

“I haven’t.”

He turned me around and shone his light in my eyes. “If I search your car, am I gonna find any drugs?”

“No, sir.”

“Because I am gonna search that car and if I do find drugs and you’ve been lying to me, this is gonna be a lot worse than it needs to be.”

I didn’t dignify that with a response. My head hurt. My face hurt. My back hurt. This was a bullshit stop.

I expected the deputy’s partner to get out of the cruiser while my tormentor tossed the rental car, but he stayed put. I did, too. Obviously. I wasn’t going to take off on foot. I’m a forensic accountant, not a gang kid getting fifteen minutes of fame on Cops.

He spent long enough on the rental that I started to worry. Who knew what some previous driver might have shoved between the seats? But after pulling out the floor mats and tossing them onto the grassy verge beside the car, he finally stood up.

“All right, sir. I’m going to go and get a breathalyzer test. You can refuse it and I will then suspend your license for twenty-­ four hours. I will arrest you for a suspected DUI and bring you in for a blood test. If you fail that test, you will be subject to additional criminal penalties. Do you understand me?”

He had old coffee on his breath. My face hurt. “I’ll take a test.”

Back to the cruiser. It had been half an hour at least. Once the breathalyzer was done—­fifteen minutes, if memory served—­I could go to the 7-­Eleven for painkillers and frozen peas. I decided I’d add a six-­pack, I was so tired. My face hurt. I knew that mouthing off to this cop wouldn’t make things go faster, quite the opposite, but as he took his leisurely time coming back to me, I was hard-­pressed not to.

I blew. “May I sit down?” I asked. “My face hurts.”

He didn’t bother to look up from his phone. “Stay where you are, sir.”

I stood. My face hurt. Time crawled. Finally, the breathalyzer beeped. He held it up and squinted at it, then used his phone to light up its face.

When he did, his sleeve rode up and revealed the “998” tattoo on his forearm. Suddenly, I didn’t care so much about the pain in my face.

The cop looked at me. He was an older guy, but quite a silver fox, in a Clooneyoid sort of way. Had the same smile lines at the corners of his lips and eyes. But on him, they looked mean. Dangerous. A man who would smile at you while he beat your face in.

“All right, sir,” he said. “I’m going to write you a citation for reckless driving and you will be free to go.” He smiled. “Thank you for your cooperation.” It sounded like “fuck you.”

Back to the cruiser again. When he was done writing, he switched off his headlights, and the bubble light inside the car lit up his partner. Heavyset. Smiling. Excellent teeth. He gave me the same look as he had just before kicking me in the ribs. I gasped involuntarily and my ribs burned. His smile got bigger.

The Clooneyoid deputy returned with my ticket. I looked at it and then I realized he’d said “reckless driving”—­not “dangerous driving.” This was a summons, not a citation. For a misdemeanor. Two points off my license and I’d have to go to court. Depending on the judge, I could be in for fines or even a jail sentence.

Clooneyoid saw me figuring this out and he smiled, too. Everyone was having a great time tonight except for poor old Marty Hench.

“See you in court, sir,” he said.

I exercised extreme care on the drive to the 7-­Eleven, even backing out of my parking spot and reparking so that I was perfectly centered between the white lines. The clerk didn’t bat an eye at my hamburger face. I gave myself five minutes to bury my bruises in the frozen peas before I backed out and drove the rest of the way to my Airbnb.

I drove five under the limit the whole way, and when I got out of my rental, I looked long and hard up and down the street for an LA Sheriff’s Department cruiser.

ETA: Here's part six!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/22/self-censorship/#acab

[skowd1]

SEO Services for Lawyers: Boost Your Legal Practice's Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having a robust online presence is essential for any legal practice to succeed. With an increasing number of people turning to the internet to find legal services, law firms must adopt a strong online marketing strategy to stay competitive. That’s where SEO services for lawyers come into play. By optimizing your law firm's website, you can attract potential clients and improve your search engine rankings. In this blog, we'll explore how SEO can significantly impact the legal industry and provide insights into some strategies that can elevate your practice's visibility online.

Why SEO is Essential for Lawyers

Legal services are highly competitive, and your potential clients are likely searching for attorneys online rather than through traditional methods like yellow pages. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ensures that your website is visible to users who are looking for legal assistance. When your website appears in the top results for relevant searches, the chances of attracting high-quality leads increase dramatically. Here are some key reasons why SEO is vital for law firms:

Enhanced Online Visibility By implementing targeted SEO strategies, your law firm can appear on the first page of search engines, making it easier for clients to find you.

Attracting Local Clients SEO can help your law firm get noticed by local clients who are searching for legal services in your area. Local SEO techniques such as optimizing for "attorney near me" or "lawyers in [your city]" can draw more foot traffic to your firm.

Building Trust and Credibility Being featured prominently on search engine results builds trust and credibility. Potential clients are more likely to consider your services if your website appears at the top of the search rankings.

Generating High-Quality Leads Unlike traditional advertising, SEO helps in attracting potential clients who are actively searching for legal services, thus increasing the quality of leads generated.

Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy SEO provides a long-term solution to drive organic traffic to your website, making it more cost-effective compared to paid advertising.

How SEO Services Can Help Your Law Firm

SEO for law firms isn’t just about ranking for any keyword; it’s about targeting terms that potential clients are likely to use when searching for legal assistance. Here's how SEO services for lawyers can optimize your legal website:

Keyword Research and Optimization SEO experts identify the keywords most relevant to your legal practice. For instance, if you specialize in personal injury law, keywords like "personal injury attorney," "accident lawyer," or "injury law firm" can be targeted.

On-Page SEO Techniques This includes optimizing your website's content, meta descriptions, title tags, and images to ensure they are search-engine friendly. Each page on your website should be focused on a specific keyword, such as "criminal defense attorney" or "family law services."

Content Marketing for Law Firms Creating valuable content such as blog posts, legal guides, and case studies can help your site rank for a variety of legal queries. Regularly publishing content related to legal issues, such as "understanding DUI laws" or "how to file for divorce," can also attract more visitors.

Local SEO Strategies Local SEO involves optimizing your Google Business Profile and other local directories to ensure that your law firm shows up in local search results. For example, searches like "lawyers in San Diego" or "legal services near me" can bring local traffic to your website.

Link Building and Backlinks High-quality backlinks from reputable legal websites and directories can significantly improve your site's authority. This helps in boosting your search rankings, leading to more organic traffic.

Mobile Optimization Since many users search for legal services on their mobile devices, ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly is crucial. Mobile optimization includes having a responsive design, fast loading speeds, and easy-to-navigate menus.

The Role of SEO in Legal Practice Growth

SEO services for lawyers can have a considerable impact on your legal practice's growth. Let's take a closer look at how these strategies can benefit law firms of all sizes:

Increasing Client Acquisition Effective SEO can significantly boost your client base by increasing your online visibility. More visibility means more potential clients will find your practice.

Improving Your Website’s Usability SEO is not just about search engines; it’s also about improving the user experience. A well-optimized website makes it easier for visitors to find information and contact your firm.

Staying Ahead of the Competition In the legal industry, competitors may already be utilizing SEO strategies to rank higher on search engines. By investing in SEO, you can stay ahead of the competition and potentially attract clients who might have chosen another firm.

Driving Long-Term Growth SEO provides ongoing benefits as your content continues to attract organic traffic. Unlike short-term advertising campaigns, SEO efforts can lead to sustained growth in your online presence.

SEO Strategies Specific to the Legal Industry

To achieve the best results, law firms should consider some industry-specific SEO strategies:

Target Long-Tail Keywords These are more specific phrases such as "personal injury attorney in Los Angeles" or "divorce lawyer for military families." Long-tail keywords often have less competition and can attract highly relevant traffic.

Utilize Schema Markup for Law Firms Adding schema markup to your website helps search engines understand the content better. For law firms, schema markup can include details such as practice areas, attorney profiles, and client reviews.

Create Informational Legal Content Blog posts, legal guides, and FAQs about common legal issues can help your site rank for various search queries. Covering topics like "steps to take after a car accident" or "how to write a will" can also position your firm as a helpful resource.

Optimize for Local Search Focus on local SEO techniques to attract clients from your surrounding area. Make sure your Google Business Profile is up-to-date with accurate information, including your address, phone number, and business hours.

Obtain Online Reviews Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Avvo. Positive reviews can boost your local SEO and build trust with prospective clients.

The Benefits of Working with an SEO Agency Specializing in Legal Services

Partnering with an SEO agency that understands the legal industry can provide a competitive edge. Agencies that specialize in SEO services for lawyers know the nuances of legal marketing and can tailor strategies to meet the specific needs of your law firm.

Tailored SEO Strategies for Your Practice Area A specialized agency will know which strategies work best for different legal fields, whether it’s personal injury, family law, criminal defense, or immigration.

Compliance with Legal Marketing Guidelines Legal advertising is subject to strict rules and guidelines. An experienced SEO agency can help ensure your marketing efforts comply with these regulations.

Tracking and Reporting SEO agencies provide detailed reports on how your SEO efforts are performing. This helps you understand what is working and what needs adjustment.

Staying Up-to-Date with SEO Trends SEO is constantly evolving. Working with a specialized agency ensures that your law firm stays up-to-date with the latest SEO practices and algorithm changes.

Conclusion

Investing in SEO services for lawyers is essential for any legal practice aiming to grow its online presence and attract new clients. SEO can help law firms rank higher in search results, reach local clients, and stay ahead of the competition. By implementing effective SEO strategies tailored to the legal industry, you can significantly boost your practice's online visibility, credibility, and lead generation.

If you're ready to take your law firm's digital marketing to the next level, consider partnering with an SEO agency that specializes in legal services. With the right SEO strategies, your law firm can achieve sustainable growth and ongoing success in the competitive legal market.

[dmitrylaw]

Expert Immigration Court Representation in Los Angeles – Paniotto Law Firm

Navigating the Maze: Your Guide to Immigration Court with Paniotto Law Firm When you receive a “Notice to Appear” in immigration court, it signifies a pivotal moment in your life.

The uncertainty of your future status in the U.S. can be overwhelming, but with the right legal guidance, you can navigate this complex process with confidence.

Paniotto Law Firm in Los Angeles stands ready to support and represent you in immigration courts not only in Los Angeles but also in Adelanto, Otay Mesa, San Diego, and even out of state.

Understanding Your ‘Notice to Appear’ A “Notice to Appear” (NTA) is the government’s way of informing you that you are now part of a legal process aimed at determining your right to remain in the United States.

This document signifies that you may be facing deportation due to undocumented status or a deportable criminal offense. Receiving an NTA starts the clock on your opportunity to defend yourself.

The initial step you should take is to contact an experienced immigration lawyer. Paniotto Law Firm offers a free first consultation to discuss your case and plan the best course of action.

Why Legal Representation is Crucial in Immigration Court Immigration court is a realm where the stakes are high, and the proceedings are complex.

Unlike criminal court, there is no right to a public defender in immigration cases. You must secure private legal representation.

Paniotto Law Firm understands the intricacies of immigration law and court procedures, ensuring that every client is represented with the competence and diligence needed to challenge deportation effectively.

Beware of Unauthorized Solicitors Inside the Court It’s important to be aware that some individuals within the premises of the Los Angeles Immigration Court may attempt to solicit your business under the guise of legal help.

These solicitors often represent attorneys who are not authorized to practice in immigration court and may not have your best interests at heart.

If approached, you should immediately report these individuals to the court guards or administration. Remember, you have the freedom to choose your representation wisely and should only seek assistance from reputable and authorized immigration lawyers.

Frequently Asked Questions What happens if I do not attend the immigration court hearing? Failing to appear at your scheduled hearing can lead to a deportation order being issued against you in absentia. It is crucial to attend every hearing and inform the court if extreme circumstances prevent your attendance.

Do I need to bring an immigration lawyer to my first immigration court hearing? While it is possible to attend your first hearing without legal representation, it is highly advisable to have a lawyer. If you cannot afford one initially, inform the judge and you may be granted a continuance to secure legal counsel.

How many hearings will I need to attend? The number of hearings can vary greatly depending on the complexity of your case. Some cases are resolved within a few months, while others could take several years. Continuances for various reasons might extend the timeline.

Your Next Steps If you’re facing proceedings in immigration court, don’t navigate this challenging path alone. Contact Paniotto Law Firm today at (213) 277-9196 for your free consultation. Our expertise is your best defense against deportation and your strongest advocate for a future in the United States.