Orange County Criminal Defense Blog

You don’t have to watch TV shows to hear about grand political scandals. Orange County jail troubles seem to be popping out of everywhere lately. In the latest addition to the never-ending saga, public defender Scott Sanders recently sat down with OC Weekly to discuss one of the biggest criminal justice scandals in OC history. Read the rest »

Social media has become an integral part of many people’s lives today, for better or worse. While some people love how it connects them to their communities (or to the Kardashians and other celebrity favorites), others see it as one of society’s biggest disappointments. It’s a polarizing topic for sure, especially when you think about the implications it has on our culture. Read the rest »

Driving while drugged or drunk is extremely dangerous. But which is worse? That answer seems to change each year. In fact, a recent Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) report asserts that drugged driving surpassed drunk driving in driver deaths. Still, researchers say that more research is needed in this field.

In the legal world, drugged and drunk driving both fall under “driving under the influence.” Although they are related, they are not the same. Knowing the differences can be useful in fighting DUI charges, so let’s explore them. Read the rest »

It’s been a high-profile year for the Law Office of Michael S. Guisti. Read the rest »

The OC Register recently chronicled the role that excessive force plays in Orange County and Southern California jails. The issue mostly relates to how jailers hold the inmates.

The technique is called “chicken winging.” It’s slang that refers to a hold in which the prisoner’s arms are held behind his back and pushed up towards the shoulders. This method can cause severe pain, sprain ligaments, and even break bones. Read the rest »

Toward the end of August, two brothers barricaded themselves inside Harvest Orange County, the famed home church of Pastor Greg Laurie. The East Bay Times reports that the men entered the church at night and began to vandalize the grounds. They smashed a glass door and caused minor damage to other rooms. The men also brought a replica rifle, but their reasoning is unclear. Read the rest »

On July 20, a music teacher in Orange County was charged with committing lewd acts on two young female students. Randal Letcher Scott, owner of Music Town—a music education business with locations in Cypress and Irvine—allegedly victimized two young girls in a sexual manner. Read the rest »

The OC Register recently reported that a US Marine Corps sergeant was arrested after a sexual assault allegation. The assault was said to have occurred during his stint as a volunteer for Marina High School’s track and field team.

A young woman (who was 17 years old at the time) alleges that Gonzalo Castro, a San Clemente resident, took advantage of their “coach–athlete relationship” and assaulted her on an off-campus run. Castro was on active duty at the time and also worked as a Marine recruiter at Ocean View High school. Read the rest »

Tina Wu, sister of Danny Pham, with her attorney Michael Guisti, talks with the media in Santa Ana, California, on Monday, July 24, 2017. Danny Pham, who was serving a 180-day sentence for car theft, was killed in his jail cell on July 3.
(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Danny Pham was a skinny, 27-year-old cosmetology student who grew up in Westminster, California.

Described as “just a sweet kid,” Danny had a good family, direction, goals. Then he messed up. He took a car that wasn’t his and went “joyriding” one night. He was caught, pled guilty, and surrendered to serve six months in the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.

Danny Pham is dead. Read the rest »

As you may know, California differentiates theft into two categories: petty and grand. Petty theft is usually theft of property under $950 (with specific exceptions to this rule) and grand usually refers to theft over $950.

Petty theft may sound small, but the consequences are not. In fact, there are different scenarios when the penalties are increased. Let’s take a look at different California codes and how they punish petty theft violations. Read the rest »