Law Offices of Joseph P Smith

This weekend, we sent several teams to two (virtual) ABA for Law Students Regional Competitions. All of our competitors performed very well, especially having t...o compete remotely at 5 a.m. PST! In the end, James Dewey & Madeleine Dobson emerged as regional co-champions of the Negotiation Competition, and Chloe Loomer, Tessa Marraccino, Katie Robinson & Sara Ross as regional champions of the Arbitration Competition. Congratulations to all our competitors and coaches! See more

Irvine Police Department Arrests Sex Assault Suspect Who Tried to Flee Country Irvine, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2019) Irvine Police Department Detectives have arreste...d a sexual assault suspect who was caught trying to flee the country. Gaoyang Gary Li, 20, was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, February 22. Detectives believe he was attempting to return to China. The case against Li began on January 29, when a 16-year-old victim reported a sexual assault. The victim reported that on September 9, 2018, she met Li on the Chinese dating app Tan Tan. They had further communication on the WeChat app and agreed to meet. The victim reported that Li forced her to perform oral sex. On January 29, Li again contacted the victim via Tan Tan and demanded money under the threat that he would post a video of the sexual assault on social media and send it to the victim’s friends and family. Li is also suspected in another sexual battery case in Irvine. On February 6, 2019, Li was located on the UCI campus and arrested. He was subsequently released from custody while further investigative follow-up was conducted. When Detectives learned of his plans to travel out of the country on February 22, they located and arrested him. He is being held at Orange County Jail on $1 million bail. Irvine Police Detectives believe there may be other victims in this case. Anyone who believes they have been a victim is urged to contact Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168 or [email protected]. Victim identities will be kept confidential. IPD will provide translation services upon request. A number of resources are available to victims. Waymakers offers assistance to all Orange County residents through its hotline, 949-831-9110. UC Irvine students can seek help from the confidential services of Campus Assault Resources and Education (CARE). Call 949-824-7273 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

True then, true now...

Here you'll get in-depth information on the laws and penalties associated with public nuisance.

Learn about felony and misdemeanor crimes, how they are classified, and the laws in your state.

Marijuana laws vary from state to state. Learn whether your state takes a lenient or a harsh approach to possession and sale.

Need something fun and free to entertain your kids this Halloween? Dress them up in their Halloween costumes and bring them over tomorrow (Friday, October 30th)... to Orange County Great Park between 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. where Irvine Police Department in partnership with the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce will be handing out candy (while supplies last). Drive through the fun Halloween displays while remaining safe in your vehicle at all times and taking in the spooky views of police and fire vehicles. We look forward to showing you a scary good time with yummy treats and other giveaways. Upon arrival, tune in to FM 90.9 for important information and music! See more

Here are a few tips on how to manage your criminal defense case as courts continue to open up from the COVID-19 shutdown.

Navigating your legal case through the court system is no easy task. Here are a few tips on how to do it.

On the road again...Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta is organized for business.