Creating a will is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your wishes are carried out after your death. While many people assume they need a lawyer to draft a will, Oregon law allows individuals to make their own valid wills — and for many, a do-it-yourself (DIY) will is a simple and affordable option. Here’s what you need to know to make your own will in Oregon. What Is a
Debt can be a heavy burden for many individuals, and dealing with creditors can often exacerbate stress and anxiety. While creditors have the legal right to collect debts, certain practices are prohibited to protect consumers from harassment. Many states have enacted additional regulations aimed at preventing creditor harassment, ensuring that individuals facing financial difficulties are treated with dignity and respect. The Fair Debt Collections Practice Act (FDCPA) is federal law that provides a national standard
What is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? The FDCPA, also known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, was enacted in 1978 by Congress because of a finding of “abundant evidence of the use of abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors” 15 U.S.C. § 1692. In broad terms the FDCPA was put into place in order to protect debtors from being harassed by debt collectors. The FDCPA lays out
If you’ve hit a financial rough patch and are struggling to keep up with your payments, it’s easy for your accounts to fall behind. Eventually, your debts may be sent to collections, and you might face a legal situation. This could lead to a summons, and soon, you’ll find yourself being sued by your creditors. If they win, a significant portion of your paycheck may start going directly to them. Chances are, this all began
A defendant embedding a copyrighted image on a webpage without hosting it on their servers may infringe the copyright holder’s display rights, according to a recent court ruling. Two freelancers who wrote articles for a publicly accessible website dedicated to science fiction movies included embedded links to Star Wars-related photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz. The Utah federal district court found them guilty of direct infringement of Leibovitz’s copyrights for using the photos merely as illustrations.
The copyright division of The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates celebrated its 10th anniversary today. The division, launched in 2014, represents a wide range of copyright holders and assists with copyright registration, enforcement, contract negotiation, and business management. “Thank you to the artists, agencies, and publishers who trust us to help protect their work. Thank you to employees past and present who helped us recover nearly $100 million for those whose work plays an
Higbee & Associates won a significant legal victory for photographer Tamara Williams in the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. Ms. Williams filed a lawsuit against JW Sanders PLLC, a prominent medspa in Austin, Texas operating as Rejuvenate Austin, and its owner, Jessica Sanders, for using two of Ms. Williams’ copyrighted beauty portrait photographs without permission to promote Rejuvenate Austin’s services on its Instagram and Facebook pages. The Court found the defendants liable for direct
LOS ANGELES – On December 15, 2022, following a three-day trial, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California returned a verdict of $1.175 million in damages in favor of a photographer represented by The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates. The defendant, Bird B Gone Inc, is a manufacturer of bird deterrent products, which includes its flagship bird spike product meant to repel birds from landing on buildings or
Higbee & Associates scored another win on summary judgment. This time for its client Incredible Features, Inc against an online publisher, Back China. The case involved the use of several of the plaintiff’s photos on a news site. The defendant’s business is based in Texas, but its advertising agreements with companies in California allowed for venue and jurisdiction in California. The case is litigated in the Central District of California in the courtroom of the
American XO filed a copyright case against Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Khalid, and Halsey over the 2018 hit “Eastside”. The complaint alleges that the megahit infringed on American XO’s 2015 song Loveless. The complaint was filed May 24, 2021 in the Central District of California. American XO is represented by The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates and The Law Firm of Lowe & Associates. Excerpts from the complaint: Both the Loveless Riff and the
Lois et al v. Levin et al | Kotsa Lois and Shane Williams v. Benny Blanco et al. Click the video link below to listen to the songs.
Higbee & Associates secures significant victory in appellate court decision concerning client’s application for relief under PC 1203.4 and PC 17, and protective against a $370,000 untimely restitution judgment. This is firm’s ninth appellate win involving PC 1203.4. This week, the California Fourth District Court of Appel issued another favorable decision for a client of Higbee & Associates. The case—People of the State of California v. James Tolliver III (4TH App. Dist. Ct #E073678)—concerns eligibility for relief under California’s Penal Code sections 1203.4 and 17,
Higbee & Associates has won an appeal at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of one of the firm’s photographer clients. The case may make it easier for photographers to fend off motions to dismiss based on the three-year statute of limitations. The appeal stems from a dispute regarding whether the use of a reverse image search to discover photography infringements bars a copyright holder from being able to sue on infringements that
A stock photography agency represented by Higbee & Associates received over $450,000 in a recent copyright case. The litigation settled after the defendant accepted the mediator’s recommendation that the parties agree to resolve all claims for a payment of over $450,000. Higbee & Associates represented the agency in the claim. The claim involved the use of approximately 70 images by a regional grocery store chain. The exact terms of the settlement and the name of the defendant are withheld
Attorney Naomi Sarega was named on of the “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers. Sarega is the supervising attorney for the intellectual property division at Higbee & Associates. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. This selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Sarega has earned an outstanding reputation for her work in and out
The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates is expanding its copyright enforcement services to 16 new countries. The firm expects that the international expansion will provide a significant increase in the revenue its clients receive from copyright enforcement.
Attorney Mathew Higbee was interviewed by Lawyer Monthly magazine to discuss his insights regarding copyright law.
Agence France-Presse is the world’s oldest and largest news agencies in the world. They have partnered with Higbee & Associates to provide copyright enforcement.
After one of our client’s cases was denied under the administrative appeals law for filing several years after a denial of a firearm application, we decided to fight back. We went to the higher court in Chicago and appealed the case against the Cook County State’s Attorney and the Illinois State Police. The Appellate Court was convinced by our arguments and reversed the prior gun rights denial, holding that the administrative appeals law does not restrict firearm rights restoration petitions made in Illinois courts.
The Foundation for Continuing Justice and the RecordGone.com division of The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates are pleased to announce the results of its second annual Criminal Record Policy Essay Competition.
The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates became a proud sponsor of the Digital Media Licensing Association, also known as the DMLA. The DMLA has been an advocate for copyright protection for more than 60 years. “The stated vision of the DMLA, ‘To promote and protect the interests of the media licensing community through advocacy, education and communication,’ aligns with every pillar that the Higbee & Associates Copyright Division was founded on,” said law firm
People who have had their criminal record sealed by Ohio courts may have an easier time finding jobs thanks to a recently implemented state program. This first in the nation service gives former offenders the option to pay $45 to have their record removed faster from background check company databases, through a service with Higbee & Associates, thus increasing their chances that they will pass a background check. Once records are sealed or expunged they
Mathew Higbee has been interviewed for an article in the magazine Fast Company entitled “Here Come The Copyright Bots For Hire, With Lawyers In Tow.” The article highlights the prolific copyright settlements achieved by the Copyright Division of Higbee & Associates, being one of the top 10 firms filing cases in the U.S. last year. The article discusses how easy it is for bots to crawl the internet and find images that may infringe on
Lex Machina, an industry leader in law firm analytics, named the Law Firm of Higbee & Associates as one of the top 100 most active copyright litigation law firms in 2016. Lex Machina helps clients find top law firms in various legal fields by analyzing a wide range of data. The Higbee & Associates Copyright Division helps protect the copyrights of a wide range of artists, including, but not limited to, photographers, authors, musicians, and
This holiday season, the Higbee & Associates team joined together to bring Christmas to a family in need, made sure our furry friends were warm, and helped feed our community through donations. Higbee & Associates brought joy to a family for the holidays by donating and delivering gifts. The team worked in with the South County Outreach organization, who connected the family with the firm. The volunteer-based organization accepts 250 to 1,500 volunteers throughout the
On Friday, June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges and three related cases, effectively legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. This signifies that any couple in any state can legally marry and enjoy the same benefits as a heterosexual couple. The rights extend to Social Security, taxes, employee benefits for federal workers, and health coverage to name a few. Immigration Rights for Same Sex Couples The ruling also
Attorney Mathew Higbee was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Fight Grows to Stop Expunged Criminal Records Living On in Background Checks,” which illustrates the often overlooked problem of background check companies and websites that continue to report arrests and criminal convictions after a court has granted an expungement. It is unfortunately a widespread concern, which many people may not realize until it has personally affected them. The article highlights the problem by
Attorney Mathew Higbee of Higbee & Associates gave a presentation at an event for veterans at The California Endowment Conference Center in Los Angeles on the 27th of January. The daylong event, entitled “The Fundamentals of Providing Legal Services to Veterans and Military Members,” was sponsored by the Veterans Legal Institute and the University of Southern California (USC). Higbee, along with co-presenter Professor Brittany Stringfellow, Director of Pepperdine Legal Aid Clinic, spoke before a distinguished group of social
Recordgone.com, a division of the Law Firm of Higbee and Associates, recently defended an appeal of a granted California expungement. The question in the case was whether a conviction for an attempted violation of section 288(a) could be expunged under Penal Code section 1203.4. The trial court granted the expungement motion in 2012, and the District Attorney appealed. Oral arguments were recently heard at the Sixth District Court of Appeal, and the Court unanimously upheld
Canada is working to improve border security by proposing the implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) requirement. Under this proposal citizens from countries other than the United States that do not currently require a visa to enter Canada will need to obtain online authorization before flying to Canada. The eTA requirement is expected to take effect as of April 2015. In addition to improving border security, the eTA is expected to benefit the nearly
As of January 2014, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will once again be able to sponsor foreign parents or grandparents for permanent residency under the Parent and Grandparent stream of the Family Sponsorship program. In order to deal with a massive backlog of applications, and the resulting wait time of eight years, the federal government had previously placed a moratorium on the Parent and Grandparent Program in 2011. Over that 2- year period Citizenship and
ImmigrateFast.com is the immigration division of Higbee & Associates. The national law firm has offered its full spectrum of immigration services in English and Spanish since its inception. Now, the reputable firm is pleased to announce that it has expanded its language base to include yet a second foreign language–Mandarin Chinese–with the mission of reaching out to another community that has extensive needs for immigration-related legal services. With the addition of the Chinese language,
Immigration attorney Isabel Cueva discusses immigration policies, immigration reform, and her own journey from undocumented immigrant to a US citizen on KFI AM 60 August 29, 2013. Cueva, an attorney with the law firm of Higbee & Associates, talked immigration law during a prime-time interview on California’s most listened to radio station, KFI AM 60, Los Angeles. On the show, attorney Cueva shared her own personal story of going from undocumented immigrant to successful attorney.
Should you patiently wait for some type of legalizing reform? Or pursue benefits through DACA now? Many potential DREAMers are asking whether it would be wise to wait for the Immigration reform to pass and seek legalization, or to apply for DACA now. In recent weeks the Senate introduced their immigration bill, NO. S.744. This bill is not yet law. That means that the most straightforward answer to the posed question is: pursue DACA now.
Higbee & Associates attorney, Natasha Buchanan, was extensively quoted in a USA Today article entitled, “FDIC Quietly Changes Rules That Cost Thousands Their Jobs,” which highlights the FDIC regulation change that was likely inspired by the story of Richard Eggers. Mr. Eggers, a 69 year old Wells Fargo Employee, was terminated after a background check revealed he had been convicted in 1963 for putting a cardboard cutout of a dime in a washing machine, nearly 50 years after
Since the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, commonly known as DOMA, many same-sex couples have reacted by taking advantage of the new immigration benefits that became available overnight. Others have been skeptical and somehow led to believe that DOMA only applied to certain individuals who were already married in a marriage equality state. Despite statements by the Obama administration, articles by constitutional lawyers, and wide-ranging reports from the media, some still refuse
Generally, the case for asylum for nationals of Mexico is all but unavailable. There are rare circumstances for native ethnic minorities and LGBT petitioners, but largely Mexicans are not granted asylum. This has remained the case even though drug violence has raged in the country for the past half decade. The suffering and the violence could not be linked to race, religion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group or political opinion. This week,
On Thursday, June 27, 2013 below an irreverent gallery bustling with anticipation, the United States Senate held a vote on its version of immigration reform. Vice President Joe Biden presided over the traditionally formatted vote that required each Senator to declare “aye” in the affirmative or “no” in opposition. In the end, the sitting President of the Senate announced the final tally of 68 to 32 in favor of the bill as chants of “Yes
A whole new world of opportunity has opened up for LGBT immigrants after yesterday’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This unprecedented ruling will give immigrants, and their families, new options. Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that the 17 year-old Defense of Marriage Act, commonly known as DOMA, is unconstitutional, and struck it down. As a result, the federal government must now recognize all marriages determined to be valid
An estimated 11 million illegal immigrants may have the opportunity to lawfully secure permanent residency in the US within eight years, according to the drafted immigration bill entitled “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” in The White House. This approach towards immigration reform can cause detrimental consequences to immigrants who have a criminal record. If the bill is enacted, President Barack Obama’s proposal will “target convicted [immigrant] criminals in federal or state correctional facilities,” according to The White
Higbee and Associates, is now serving Indiana and will begin offering record clearing services. The current services that will be offered include expungement, restricted access, felony reduction, firearm rights restoration, etc. This will be the fourteenth state that the national law firm offers record clearing services in. If you have a criminal record in Indiana please visit www.recordgone.com and take our free eligibility test to see if you are eligible to remove the record. If
In support of Senator Roderick Wright’s bill, Attorney Mathew Higbee has been the lead contributor to expand benefits towards California’s current expungement law. SB 530, the bill, is expected to be approved by the committee. Higbee said, “In many ways, California is very progressive and innovative when it comes to helping former offenders. We provide drug treatment, continuing education, job training and even tattoo removal. But California does not remove the one thing that many
On Wednesday April 16, 2013, eight senators known as the “Gang of 8” presented the awaited Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. The Gang of 8 is composed of Senators: Marco Rubio (R-FL), John McCain (R-AZ), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is the principal drafter of the Bill. The proposed Act is the result of a bipartisan effort
President Obama recently stated the United States is in an “epidemic of gun violence,” at a White House proposal meeting regarding gun control. Many Americans who have been convicted of crimes are concerned about the possibility of losing Second Amendment rights due to the President’s proposal. President Obama’s proposed legislation arises in response to incidents such as the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, as well as other shootings associated with the mishandling of
Today, The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates successfully won an appeal for a client who was wrongfully denied a firearm purchase by the N, commonly known as NICS. The client had previously sought record clear clearing relief in the state of California and had a felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor pursuant to Cal. Penal Code § 17(b). After the client’s case was granted, he no longer had a felony on his record and
Higbee and Associates has been mentioned in several blogs and publications for a recent victory in the California Court of Appeals. Higbee and Associates filed suit against non-attorneys engaging in the unauthorized practice of law by offering expungement related services. The decision in the California appeals case was published and makes clear that attorneys can, in some instances, sue non-attorneys for unauthorized practice of law. The California Court of Appeals published its ruling in Law
Higbee and Associates was mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle for a recent victory in the California Court of Appeals. The suit was against non-attorneys engaging in the unauthorized practice of law by offering expungement related services. The victory comes in the form of a published California appeals case that makes clear that attorneys can, in some instances, sue non-attorneys for unauthorized practice of law. The California Court of Appeals published its ruling in Law
The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates scored a major victory today, both as attorney and plaintiff, when the California Court of Appeals published its ruling in Law Offices of Mathew Higbee v. Expungement Assistance Services. The case provides important clarification about California’s Unfair Competition Law (Business & Professions Code section 17200) and will increase opportunities for businesses to sue competitors who are gaining an unfair advantage by violating the law. Attorney Mathew Higbee
RecordGone.com, the expungement and criminal record clearing division of Higbee & Associates, had its 10,000th criminal record cleared on behalf of its clients today. The landmark number was obtained when a Los Angeles court granted an expungement of a petty theft case. “We are always excited when we succeed for our clients,” said Jennifer Strange, supervising attorney for the division. “However, succeeding for the 10,000th time is particularly exciting.” Mathew Higbee, the attorney who founded
On January 30th President Obama flew into Las Vegas, Nevada to announce his plan to change our broken immigration system. Mat Higbee and I were invited to Vegas to hear President Obama’s vision for immigration reform. The 20-minute address was met with enthusiasm and hope from immigrants and non-immigrants alike. The crowd responded by chanting “Si Se Puede!” just as they had at Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaign rallies. “I’m here because most
Following the recent shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, New York became one of the first states in the nation to toughen its existing gun laws. On January 15, 2013, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed new legislation known as the “New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013 (“NY SAFE ACT”) (1). Some of the major things that the NY SAFE ACT does are: It makes NY the state
On December 18, 2012, the FDIC issued a notice in the Federal Register of the two significant revisions to the FDIC’s definition of de minimis offenses, which will now allow more individuals to apply for bank employment without being subject to falling under Section 19 of the FDIA. After receiving a number of Section 19 individual waiver applications where the applicant did not meet one of the de minimis factors in particular with respect to
Under Texas state law, a person who was convicted of a felony and placed on probation (now called “community supervision” in TX) may, after successfully completing the probation/supervision, be given something called “judicial clemency” by the trial court. This judicial clemency relief is embedded in Article 42.12, Section 20(a), of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which provides that: At any time after the defendant has satisfactorily completed one-third of the original community supervision
The American Bar Association published attorney Ray Ngo’s article on federal gun prohibition. The article discusses the many federal prohibition on gun ownership that remain after the landmark Supreme Court decision of D.C. v. Heller. Mr. Ngo writes, “…Heller was a significant decision in its broad proclamation that there is an individual component to the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. However, Heller did not abolish “longstanding” and “presumptively lawful” gun restrictions. Federal law
A recent California appellate court decision has greatly expanded the ability of licensed securities brokers to expunge complaints and adverse actions from their Broker Check report, which is maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). This memo provides background about FINRA, the court’s decision and expungement of information made public by FINRA. Higbee & Associates has helped hundreds of licensed professionals (doctors, lawyers, nurses, real estate agents, etc) expunge their record. We are now
Inc. Magazine included the Law Firm of Higbee & Associates on its annual list of the 5,000 fastest growing companies in America. The law firm, which was founded in 2006, was ranked number 1,632 in the nation and number 104 among consumer service providers. This is the first year Higbee & Associates made the Inc 5,000 list. The magazine listed the law firm’s growth rate at 180 percent over the past three years with
Higbee & Associates attorney Natasha Buchanan was extensively quoted in USA Today article about bank employees being fired for decades old misdemeanor offenses. The article focused on the case of a 68-year-old Wells Fargo employee who was fired because he pled guilty to putting a cardboard slug in a washing machine in 1963— it was his first and only offense. Ms. Buchanan is an expert on FDIC regulation as it pertains to employee eligibility
More than 1.7 million young, undocumented immigrants will become eligible to apply for immigration benefits today as President Obama’s deferred action plan goes into effect. This action is the biggest expansion of immigration in decades. In June of this year, President Obama announced the start of a program that would halt the deportation of qualified, undocumented individuals under the age of 31. Since the announcement, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has
Young, undocumented immigrants across the nation are smiling today, and for good reason. Effective immediately, otherwise undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 who were brought to the United States as children and who meet other specialized criteria will no longer be subject to deportation or removal and will be eligible for work authorization. The change in policy announced today by President Barack Obama is effective immediately. While this policy is intended to provide
In the last week, Higbee & Associates helped two clients get back to work by winning FDIC’s Section 19 Approval to work at FDIC insured institutions. Both individuals had been working in the banking industry for several years and had established distinguished careers in this industry. However, in the summer of last year both individuals were terminated as a result of breach of trust convictions that had occurred over 10 and 20 years ago, respectively.
Inc. Magazine, one of the country’s most prominent business magazines, published a profile of Higbee & Associates as part of its series of profiles on the fastest growing companies in 2012. Higbee & Associates is being considered for inclusion on Inc Magazine’s annual list of 5,000 of the fastest growing companies (Inc 5000). The article focuses on how the law firm’s growth has been driven by the strategic use of technology in
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced an important new change of policy regarding criminal inadmissibility. As of March 21, 2012 certain individuals who have been considered to be criminally inadmissible will be eligible for a one-time fee waiver when applying for a temporary resident permit (TRP). The government website reports that in line with Canada’s Federal Tourism Strategy, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency, “ Want to help make
The Law Firm of Higbee & Associates, the nation’s leading criminal record clearing law firm, has partnered with The Foundation for Continuing Justice, a non-profit law firm, to prevent the dispersion of outdated records, save members of society countless dollars and allow rehabilitated former offenders to progress in society the way the judicial system intended. Almost every state allows for some form of criminal record clearing providing offenders meet legal requirements and can demonstrate
Attorneys from Higbee & Associates, Mathew K. Higbee and Natasha Buchanan, have again been invited to present information about strategies for reintegration of former offenders at the California Gang Intervention Conference on May 30, 2012. The event, which was sponsored by the University of Southern California (USC) and the Orange County Department of Education, will be attended by more than 500 leaders in the effort to help at-risk youth avoid joining gangs or help them
Higbee & Associates will be speaking at a criminal record expungement workshop at the Buena Park One-Stop Center on Tuesday, February 14, 2012, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The event is designed to help people that are unable to obtain employment due to criminal convictions and are unable to afford representation. For expungement services: Please visit RecordGone.com. Criminal expungement, probation termination, and online mugshot removal are just a few of the services RecordGone provides.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pennsylvania’s second largest newspaper and the nation’s 35th largest newspaper, featured an op-ed on expungement by attorney Mathew Higbee. “At a time when the federal government is spending billions of dollars bailing out banks, manufacturers and foreign governments, Pennsylvania should take the opportunity to give thousands of Pennsylvanians a second chance by modernizing the way it treats criminal records. State Sen. Tim Solobay, D-Canonsburg, has introduced Senate Bill 1220 to
Higbee & Associates is partnering with Veterans First to sponsor a criminal record expungement workshop on Thursday, November 10, in Santa Ana from 1:30 to 3:30. The event is part of Higbee & Associates annual action for veterans event which centers around Veterans Day. The workshop will cover the eligibility requirements and benefits to clear a criminal record, assist the veterans and families with completing the expungement motion, and advise the attendees on how to
The June 27, 2011 issue of the The Daily Journal featured front-page story co-authored by Higbee & Associates attorneys Mathew Higbee and Josh Malter. The story discussed the how recent legislation is causing those with careers in the banking industry to lose their jobs because of low-level misdemeanors. The article pointed out that the Secure Fair Licensing Act (Safe Act) of 2008, which has a licensing requirement that goes into affect on July 29, 2011,
On June 17, 2011, Higbee & Associates held a pro bono workshop entitled, “How to Clean Up Your Rap Sheet” at Taller San Jose in Santa Ana, California. Attorneys Mathew Higbee and Natasha Buchanan joined other employees of Higbee & Associates in helping educate over 40 individuals on how to apply for post-conviction relief such as expungement or arrest record sealing. Since 1995, Taller San Jose has helped more than 4,000 high-risk young adults to
Getting pulled over, given a field sobriety test, and getting arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) can be a very traumatizing and intimidating experience. Many people believe that once they are charged with this crime they have no options, must plead guilty, and must accept the criminal penalties that come along with DUI. The penalties for a first time offender typically includes a suspension of license, alcohol classes, community service, probation, possible
As of January 2011, more and more banks and other financial institutions have begun having their employees authorize an in depth background and character check pursuant to the Secure and Fair Enforcement (“SAFE”) for the Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008. This means that current and potential employees are having their history, both professional and criminal, scrutinized to an extent that has yet to be seen in the profession to date. The background search conducted through
Attorneys from Higbee & Associates, Mathew K. Higbee and Natasha Buchanan, were honored to present information about criminal record expungement at the California Gang Intervention Conference on April 29, 2011. The event, which was sponsored by the University of Southern California (USC) and the Orange County Department of Education, was attended by more than 500 leaders in the effort to help at-risk youth avoid joining gangs or help them leave gangs. Conference attendees included
As part of its on-going commitment to pro bono legal work, Higbee & Associates will be conducting a free expungement workshop at the Orange County One Stop Center in Irvine, California on February 18, 2011. The event is co-sponsored by Orange County One Stop Center, supported by the County of Orange and the Orange County Workforce Investment Board, and Families Forward, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation providing supportive housing programs for families in crisis. This
If you were to Google search the phrase “can I expunge an infraction in California” you would likely find a lot of results stating that you cannot. This was have been true in the past, but thanks to a change in law (CA Penal code 1203.4a) signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that became effective on the first of 2011, you may now be able to expunge an infraction. The new law will authorize courts
We have recently launched our newest addition to our growing collection self-help related websites. ApplyForPardon allows users to easily apply for a pardon. On this website users will be able to find all appropriate forms while at the same time they will be provided with step by step instructions on how to fill up their application. In addition, this website contains bonus features such as special offers on background check services, links to forums and
Mathew Higbee was quoted by the Utah news station KSL regarding new changes to Utah’s expungement law. The new law, HB21, has been said to be the most “forward thinking” expungement laws in the country. There were two major changes in place. The first change focuses primarily on allowing a mandatory waiting period to begin immediately after the sentence has been completed; while the other one allows judges to treat multiple offences as one episode
Higbee & Associates wins major appeals case and creates the first case law addressing an important section of California’s Penal Code that has gone unaddressed since being added in 1972. California’s Second District Appeals court agreed with attorneys Mathew Higbee and Melissa Clark in a published, unanimous opinion that will provide useful guidance to district courts who often struggle with the interest of justice standard of California’s expungement statute, Penal Code section 1203.4. The
Higbee & Associates won a major appeals case and creates the first case law addressing an important section of California’s Penal Code that has gone unaddressed since being added in 1972. California’s Second District Appeals court agreed with attorneys Mathew Higbee and Melissa Clark in a published, unanimous opinion that will provide useful guidance to district courts who often struggle with the interest of justice standard of California’s expungement statute, Penal Code section 1203.4.
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