Joel Smith

A sobriety checkpoint is a roadblock set up by law-enforcement officers to stop vehicles passing through a checkpoint. They generally check every third or every tenth vehicle that passes through the checkpoint. The checkpoint is set up to catch drivers who have been driving under the influence.Are sobriety checkpoints legal in California? Are they unconstitutional? Do the intrusive checkpoints violate individual liberties? You will know the answers to these questions in this article.Sobriety Checkpoints in the Legal ContextSobriety checkpoints...Continue Reading...

Spousal Support, commonly referred to as Alimony, is when the court makes an order for one party of a family law case, to pay the other, a monthly dollar amount to help that party support themselves after a separation. While there are many misconceptions out there about spousal support in California, mainly related to gender, the court has a pretty clear process for someone to request the court make an order for spousal support. There are clear and defined aspects the court, specifically the Judge, will consider and weight when they are tasked...Continue Reading...

‘Tis the season’ for front porch package thievery. It is the holiday season and package deliveries are at an all-time high. Despite the increase of home security camera systems, package theft continues to be widely common in many residential communities. Recently, a home surveillance system captured the moment in which a nanny caught a robbery taking place at the residence she was supervising. Video of the impactful moment showcased the moment the nanny chases after the alleged thief who seemingly attempts to make a quick getaway to...Continue Reading...

In California the Probate Courts handle both the process of Guardianship and Conservatorship. The process is essentially pretty similar with one main difference. Both processes at the court entail a Petitioner asking the court to make an order that gives them control of another person. These powers can be for the ability to make decisions for the person alone, of their “estate” (finances, personal and or real property of both persona and the estate. The easiest way to differentiate the two is the age of the person needing to be controlled....Continue Reading...

A joinder is a set of family law documents that are related to property division commonly in divorce or legal separation cases in the Santa Barbara Family Law Courts. The documents more specifically identify pension, retirement and other similar types of accounts that are part of a property division settlement or judgment. These documents are not always required in family law cases, but are common when one or both parties had some form of retirement accounts during the marriage or domestic partnership. The joinder documents can be filed before...Continue Reading...