Prior to 2007, it was rare for the Medical Board to discipline a doctor for violations related to drug and alcohol abuse.  The Board’s diversion program allowed physicians to undergo treatment thereby avoiding any discipline to his or her license.  However, in 2007, California adopted a more aggressive approach to prosecuting doctors for alcohol or drug abuse.

A physician may be disciplined by the Board for a DUI that occurs while the physician is not working and which does not directly impact patient care.  California Business & Professions Code Section 2239 states that two DUIs constitute unprofessional conduct, even if they are totally unrelated to the doctor’s practice of medicine.  While the Medical Board typically does not initiate any formal accusations based on a single DUI offense, two incidents are deemed by statute to be “unprofessional conduct” and therefore, a basis for discipline under the Medical Practice Act.  That said, extenuating circumstances such as property damage or injuries surrounding a single DUI may cause the Board to consider the violation “related to the practice of medicine” allowing it to attempt to impose formal discipline.

Having a license to practice medicine exposes a doctor to more risks of negative collateral consequences than other drivers.  It is critical to quickly take steps to minimize any potential disciplinary action from the Medical Board.  Doing so early will pay huge dividends during the Board’s investigative process and will help minimize negative consequences to a physician’s license.

Of course, the sixteen year old girl was upset so she told her parents.  Her parents immediately reported it to local police.

The eighteen year old will regret his actions for the rest of his life.  He was arrested by the police and prosecuted for sending child pornography via the internet.  Among other consequences, he will be required to register as a sex offender forever.

It is so important to realize that before you use the internet to send any photographs, you realize that if the photographs are of a minor and they are “lewd in nature,” you can face serious criminal penalties.

If you are facing the possibility of being arrested or prosecuted for an internet or sexting crime in Southern California, you should contact The Law Offices of Gregory D. Brenner.  We have been helping persons facing internet sex offenses for many years.  We will help you.  Contact us or call (877) 273-9050.

Furthermore, the law makes changes to the way certain offenders are supervised when they are released from state prison.

The trial of Dr. Conrad Murray for the death of Michael Jackson created a lot of speculation and debate among the mainstream.  Dr. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, one of the many statutes amended by Realignment AB 109 in California.  Had he been sentenced before the law took effect on October 1, 2011, he would have received his time in state prison.  However, Dr. Murray doesn’t have to serve his time in state prison.  He is serving his time in county jail.

Many convictions can be expunged.  With an expungement, the court can set aside the guilty verdict, releasing you from all of the penalties and disabilities involved with the original conviction.

There are certain criteria you must meet to be eligible for an expungement, including:

• You must have fulfilled all of the conditions of your probation.
• You cannot be serving a sentence for any offense at the time of expungement.
• You are not currently charged with any offense.

If you were convicted of a crime anywhere in Southern California and would like to seek an expungement of the conviction, we will help you.  Please contact The Law Offices of Gregory D. Brenner at here or call (877) 273-9050 and an expungement attorney will discuss your options with you.

In a recent case, a man in his fifties but pretending  to be in his early twenties, met and began an online relationship with a fourteen year old  he met online.  At first, the girl would perform sex acts for him on video.  This led to sexual intercourse.

In another case, a man in his forties met a sixteen year old girl online.  They began an online relationship but set up a meeting to have sex.  When he arrived, he was greeted by an undercover officer who had been posing as the sixteen year old.

With so many networking sites such as Twitter, Craigslist, Myspace, and Facebook, cases like the two mentioned above are becoming a common occurrence.

Know what your kids are doing on their computers.  Make sure that you have the ability to monitor their activities so that you know who they are talking to and what they are talking about.

If you find yourself in any situation that involves an underage girl or boy, you can be charged with a sex crime and if convicted, be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life.  Your picture will be posted on the Megan’s Law website allowing anybody to know your exact whereabouts as well as the exact sex crime(s) you were convicted of.

If you are facing the possibility of being arrested and prosecuted for an internet sex crime in Southern California, you should contact The Law Offices of Gregory D. Brenner.  We have been helping persons facing Southern California internet sex offenses for many years.  We will help you.  Contact us or dial (877) 273-9050.