San Leandro Bribery Lawyer

From a legal perspective, bribery takes place when someone exchanges an object with value for influence over or action from the person receiving a bribe. If you have been accused of bribery, you may feel overwhelmed and could be facing severe penalties.

In these circumstances, you might want to speak with a San Leandro bribery lawyer. A dedicated fraud attorney could explain applicable laws, the legal procedure, and what to expect going forward.

What is Bribery?

Typically, bribery is tied to the concept of corruption. As a result, accusations of bribery are often meticulously investigated due to their potentially widespread effects.

California state law defines various forms of the act of bribery, depending on the type and the parties involved. An experienced San Leandro bribery attorney could explain the specific types of bribery involved in a particular case and how the persons involved may influence the potential penalties. A seasoned lawyer could also advocate on behalf of an individual facing bribery charges.

State Executives

According to California Penal Code §67, it is illegal to attempt to sway or persuade a state executive’s vote or other official decision with a bribe. Anyone convicted of bribing an executive could face up to four years in prison and be barred from holding public office in California.

Public Employees

CA Pen. Code §68 states that any offer, request, or exchange of a bribe by a public employee for help related to anything within his or her official capacity also constitutes a crime. Similar to bribery of a state executive, punishment for this crime could include a prison sentence of up to four years, expensive fines, loss of a public job, and a permanent restriction on holding public office.

Legislators

Like laws regarding persons holding executive office, California state law makes it illegal to attempt to influence a member of a legislative body either through bribery or other means, with special regard given to influencing the legislator’s votes or attendance at official meetings. As detailed in CA Pen. Code §85, violation of this law carries a punishment of up to four years in prison.

Boards of Supervisors, Common Councils, and Public Corporations

Finally, the court may apply a similar four-year sentence to anyone convicted of offering or giving a bribe to a member of a board of supervisors, common council, public trustees or public corporation, as outlined in CA Pen. Code §165.

Judiciary Bribery

Special regard is given to anyone who attempts to bribe an individual in a judiciary position, such as a judge or juror. CA Pen. Code §92 details the punishment for attempting to influence a judiciary member in his or her official capacity, such as attempting to alter a legal decision.

In these cases, the court could punish convicted individuals with up to four years in prison. Additionally, a conviction for bribing a judiciary official might include a fine of up to $10,000 or double the amount of the accepted bribe, as outlined in CA Pen. Code §93.

If a judicial officer requests a bribe, he or she might face a misdemeanor charge. If convicted, he or she may be removed from office and barred from holding office again, according to CA Pen. Code §94.

Is Commercial Bribery a Crime in California?

California law also covers commercial bribery. If an employee asks for, accepts, or agrees to accept anything of value to benefit a person giving a bribe, he or she may have committed commercial bribery. This violation only applies, however, if the bribe is worth at least $250, pursuant to CA Pen. Code §641.3.

For bribes exceeding $1,000, a convicted individual could face a sentence of up to three years. A bribery lawyer in San Leandro could help an individual facing charges understand the potential penalties he or she faces in a commercial bribery case.

Speak with a San Leandro Bribery Attorney Today

A conviction for a serious charge might jeopardize your freedom, reputation, and financial security. Instead of navigating the legal system alone, consider retaining a dedicated defense attorney to protect your rights.

Regardless of what type of bribery charges you are facing, it may be beneficial to reach out to a San Leandro bribery lawyer for legal help. To get answers about your charges, as well as information on how legal counsel might help, reach out today.