Recent Posts in Criminal Defense Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 7-Sep-2017 What Crimes Require Sex Offender Registration? The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) is part of a comprehensive federal law that requires each state to maintain a system for monitoring convicted sex offenders following their release from prison. Sex offender registration is ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 31-Aug-2017 Why Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer? Being charged with a crime, whether it’s minor or major, can result in some serious penalties and consequences, such as jail time, hefty fines, a criminal record, and lost jobs, among other things. While some legal matters, like a speeding ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 28-Apr-2017 How to Fight Wrongful Domestic Violence Charges Domestic violence charges are taken extremely seriously by legislators, prosecutors, and law enforcement. As a result, it often takes little more than an accusation based on a supposed victim’s word for charges to be levied and an arrest to be ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 28-Feb-2017 What Makes Search & Seizure Lawful? The police and other authority figures exist to help keep law and order in our land, but what stops them from simply barging into your home to check and see if you are doing something illegal? The answer lies in the Fourth Amendment of the ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 27-Feb-2017 How Should I Dress for Court? Arguably the most important part of a case is thorough preparation. However, no matter how prepared an attorney may be for their client, a client can ruin the case by not preparing themselves, including how they dress and conduct themselves in the ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 14-Feb-2017 Five Tips to Remember if You Are Being Arrested Being arrested can be terrifying and overwhelming. Often times you may not know what to expect or what to do next, and may do something that could jeopardize your case or even make your potential charges worse. However, it’s important to ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 2-Dec-2016 Three Common Holiday Crimes The holiday season is no stranger to criminal activity, and certain crimes actually increase in frequency during this time. On this blog, we look at three crimes that occur more often during the holidays. Identity Theft A lot of holiday shopping has ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 23-Nov-2016 Is It Legal To Fly a Drone? The drone industry is already a billion-dollar business, and it is estimated that these devices will add over 100,000 jobs to the U.S. economy within just a few short years. We see tons of models of drones available on the market today, and they will ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark W. Girdner 5-Jan-2016 Will Cosby Accusers Testify In Criminal Trial? Last week, prosecutors filed criminal charges against Bill Cosby just days before the statute of limitations was set to expire. Like many other sexual assault cases, the physical evidence is limited; instead, both sides must rely on a heavy amount of ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark W. Girdner 16-Nov-2015 How Do Police Feel About Marijuana? A recent article from The Washington Post has gone viral, as a recent DEA survey revealed that marijuana is one of the lowest concerns of many law enforcement agencies. While this information isn’t particularly surprising, it does serve to ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark W. Girdner 3-Nov-2015 Understanding California's Sentence Enhancements When a person is convicted of a crime, the sentence they will receive generally conforms to the sentencing guidelines in the California Penal Code. Based on certain facts or conditions, however, the judge may have the power to increase your sentence. ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Mark Girdner 13-Oct-2015 Why Do I Need a Modesto Criminal Defense Lawyer? If you’ve been arrested or are facing criminal charges, you will need legal representation to defend your rights and freedom. For a wide variety of reasons, many people put off hiring an attorney until it’s absolutely necessary, and often ... Continue Reading