Attorney Andrew Dósa Discusses Criminal Law in Alameda County, California While Answering Questions Often Asked By The Public

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Attorney Andrew Dósa in Alameda County, California answers the following questions regarding the criminal justice system in an interview with Attorneys.Media: Are all felonies a strike?  Are Bay Area counties reopening marijuana conviction cases under the new laws?  Are court fees mandatory in criminal cases?   Are sentencing statutes often changed given current social trends?  Are there potential upcoming changes to the felony murder rule in California?  As a criminal defense attorney, how do you evaluate a new case?  Can a criminal defense attorney ever ask for a different judge at the start of a case?  Can you negotiate a criminal charge with a strike down to a lesser sentence?  Do all felony convictions go to prison?  Do criminal court judges look at each case individually or are the cases just another number?  Does the type of crime affect how the criminal defense attorney picks a jury?  Has California followed or led the way on marijuana legalization?  Have the new marijuana laws affected how large quantities are charged as a crime?   How does the judge lift a probation hold on a new crime?  How has the legalization of marijuana affected the drug sentencing laws?  How often does a judge change the deal between the district attorney and a criminal defense attorney?  How the criminal court system is stacked against you.  If someone rear-ends my car while I am stopped, and I had one drink, who is at fault?  In a criminal case, why don’t in-chamber negotiations occur more often?  In other Bay Area counties, who makes the decisions on sentencing a defendant?  Judges or District Attorneys?  Is a DUI arrest a politically motivated crime?  Is restitution mandatory or optional in criminal cases?  Really, what is a jury of your peers?  Should a criminal defense attorney prepare a case differently depending upon the county?  Violent crime vs. Non-violent crime in serious felonies?  What are the steps for an attorney to negotiate from a serious felony strike all the way down to a dismissal?  What is a Harvey waiver and how is it used with restitution in a criminal case?  What is a homicide?  What are the crimes where someone loses their life?  Why do San Mateo County judges only make the decisions on sentencing a defendant?