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California Penal Code Section 138a There's No Alternative

California Penal Code 138 a

Bribing of a witness regarding trial attendance is not only a serious criminal offense, but can result in a felony on your criminal record. Those who are found to be in violation of Penal Code 138 can lose their ability to take advantage of government assistance and may no longer be allowed to work in the same industry. Too often, those charged with crimes are believed to be guilty by family and friends regardless of whether or not they truly are.

At the Law Offices of Randy Collins, we understand that bad things can happen to good people. Their Orange County white collar attorneys can help you to better understand your charges as well as provide in-depth California penal code information. Call today to receive assistance from experienced legal professionals.

PC 138a Defined

According to California Penal Code 137a, anyone who willfully influences a witness’ trial attendance through bribery is guilty of this crime.

Bribery in the instance of PC 138a is the act of persuading a witness to not show up to a California court for money or something valuable. People who accept or offer a bribe can both be found guilty of this crime.

In order for the state to successfully prosecute your for violating CPC 138, Bribery of Witness Regarding Trial Attendance, prosecutors must be prepared to provide evidence that you intentionally offered a witness money or valuables to dishonestly manipulate their court trial attendance.

There are several scenarios that could result in a charge for bribing of a witness. The following could be considered an example:

Todd is facing charges for drug crimes. Todd believes that the prosecution’s key witness, Barry, is the only evidence that Todd is guilty of his crimes. To increase his chances of success in trial, Todd contacts Barry and offers him his car to not show up on the day of trial. Barry agrees, but later contacts police and informs them of his conversation with Todd. An investigation follows in which Todd now faces charges for violating CPC 138 in addition to his drug crime charges.

Penalties for Violating CPC 138 a

Bribery of Witness Regarding Trial Attendance is a felony, punishable by:

  • 4 Years in the California State Prison

If you are facing Bribery of Witness Regarding Trial Attendance charges for California Penal Code Section 138 a or any other white collar crime, you face an uphill battle. Dissuading a witness may influence a jury to believe that you are guilty of the crime for which you tried to influence a witness. A skilled criminal defense attorney will be able to evaluate all of the evidence in your case to formulate defense strategies that have the potential to get your case dismissed.

Regardless of whether or not you are planning to hire an attorney, call 844-285-9559 and speak with our legal professionals. With more than fifty years of combined Orange County legal experience, you can count on receiving information that will help you make informed decisions.

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At Law Offices of Randy Collins, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.

    "They are such a great team to work with."
    I was new in the US and I didn’t know anything or what to do from Day 1 from presenting my case to Randy. He reassured me that he would help me and that I shouldn’t worry. He was very supportive, responsive to every question no matter how silly it was he was very patient and comforting. He knew exactly how to address the problem and had a plan of action and after a long 2 years, he won my case I appreciate every effort Randy & Chris have done. They are such a great team to work with and I would recommend him in a heartbeat
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    "Randy is one of the best attorney's you could ever have."
    Randy is one of the best attorneys you could ever have. I’m eternally grateful to Randy and his team for his dedication and professionalism. Randy is very brilliant when it comes to felonies, probation violations, or other criminal cases... Randy is the best lawyer you can have. when other lawyers told me they couldn’t help me out... Randy always told me he can help me and there was never an impossible case to bring in his favor. He was always in touch and keeping me updated on my case, and he gave me the peace and comfort I needed during difficult times. This is the second time he has had to help me stay away from jail. I will never look into other lawyers. I’ll be a loyal client to Randy from now on. You are #1, Randy. Thank you
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    Randy worked tirelessly for over two years to have my case dismissed and I can’t thank him enough for everything that he did for me.
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    I called the office and right off the bat, I was super impressed at how much help I was receiving without even meeting in person. Chris (the guy who answered my call) is extremely nice and he explains everything so well. He told me how he used to work at the courts for many years (that gave me relief that he knew what he was talking about). Randy (the attorney) is delightful as well and put my worries to rest with his expertise and knowledge. You can tell by his demeanor and how passionate he speaks, that he is genuine and he cares about his clients. This office handles everything from DUI cases to just about anything criminal related.
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    I hired Randy after my previous attorney failed to give me proper information and caused me to violate my probation. Randy appeared in court for got the issue resolved without any head aches. He was a man of his word and I highly recommend him.
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