Important info

Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita
Valley Criminal Defense Attorney

You’ve just been arrested for a criminal charge in the Los Angeles area. Or maybe it’s a loved one, a son or daughter, or spouse who has been arrested. As would be expected, there are many unanswered questions and concerns. The most important question is: Who can help us resolve the challenges we are facing? The answer: Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan, a local defense attorney who focuses his attention on helping clients and their families with cases in Los Angeles area courts.

News of an arrest can be an unsettling event, but it is reassuring to know that there is help available. You need the criminal defense lawyer who understands the challenges you face, and takes the time to evaluate your individual situation to determine the most effective strategies for you. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan understands the impact that criminal charges can have on a person and his family. He has helped hundreds of clients effectively resolve their criminal cases in local Los Angeles County Courts.
As a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer, Gregory Caplan provides answers to his clients’ questions, and works towards resolving their criminal charges by utilizing comprehensive approaches in the local courts. His unique strategies are the product of his extensive background in criminal law, which included a period of nine years as a California prosecutor. Mr. Caplan emphasizes his practice on helping clients in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley (including Burbank Court), as well as in the Santa Clarita Valley. Gregory Caplan was the Prosecutor in the Burbank Courthouse for the Burbank City Prosecutor from 2000-2006.  During that time, and thereafter, he successfully handled 1000s of cases in the various courtrooms of the Burbank Superior Court, as a Burbank Criminal Lawyer.
What is it that differentiates Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan from other attorneys? Mr. Caplan evaluates each case, as well as his client’s needs, to effectively and efficiently guide them through the challenges of the local courts, and provides to them a clear understanding of the courtroom process. Unlike many criminal defense lawyers, Mr. Caplan understands the local procedures and practices of the courthouses in which his clients’ cases are heard, and can provide the benefit of the “local advantage.”

One important example of the “Local Advantage” would be Mr. Caplan’s significant familiarity with “City Attorney Diversion” programs, which quietly exist in the local City Attorneys’ Offices, as well as some area courtrooms, giving persons charged with crimes, an opportunity to earn dismissals of their charges upon successful completion of program requirements. Criminal defense lawyers in Los Angeles who are unfamiliar with these possibilities simply cannot advise you of the alternatives which exist for your case.
You can reach Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan directly at (213) 400-5355 or 818-536-3630 to discuss your immediate concerns, and find out what he can do now to help.

Background of Gregory Caplan-
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

Mr. Caplan has a substantial background in criminal law, beginning with 12+ years working for law enforcement and prosecution agencies in California. Mr. Caplan’s legal career started in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in 1995. He learned the prosecution systems, as well as courtroom protocol of the district attorney, and worked directly with numerous deputy district attorneys who are still employed in the local courtrooms. Mr. Caplan understands as a Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer, time is a critical factor in effectively resolving his clients charges. Mr. Caplan makes productive efforts to provide important information to the prosecutor before charges are initiated. (See the Case Results Page for Details.) When Mr. Caplan works on a client’s matter, he uses his extensive background to help clients resolve their situation. His comprehensive system provides his clients a huge benefit in their cases. (For examples, go to the Los Angeles webpage).

Mr. Caplan was the Courtroom Prosecutor for the city of Burbank for a period of six years. In addition to his extensive courtroom responsibility, he also implemented many practices and procedures which are used today in the Burbank Court. His understanding of this court, the bench officers, deputy city attorneys and deputy district attorneys, as well as court personnel, provides his clients with an opportunity to receive effective representation from a Burbank Criminal Defense Attorney. Mr. Caplan has developed an effective criminal defense practice in the Santa Clarita Courthouse, as well. The Santa Clarita Courthouse, also known as the Newhall Courthouse or Valencia Courthouse, is well-known its hard-line treatment of criminal charges, such as DUIs/Drunk Driving, Hit and Run, Drug or Alcohol-Related Charges, Petty Theft/Shoplifting, as well as traffic violations. Gregory Caplan understands effective Santa Clarita Criminal Defense Attorney strategies for each of the three criminal courtrooms, the bench officers, and court personnel, at the Santa Clarita Courthouse, and efficiently handles criminal cases there for his clients. (See our Santa Clarita webpage for details.)  

Mr. Caplan is a successful San Fernando Valley criminal defense attorney in Van Nuys, San Fernando, Burbank, and Glendale. He is available to help you with your charges in any of these courts. (See the San Fernando Valley webpage for information.)

Los Angeles Criminal Defense in the Local Communities

It is well known in the local communities in and around Los Angeles, that extraordinary resources are focused on proactive law enforcement, as well as strict prosecution for offenses committed within each of the city limits. The Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press, Crescenta Valley Sun, La Canada Valley Sun,  Antelope Valley Press, Daily Pilot, Coastline Pilot, and Huntington Beach Independent,  which are the area newspapers and sources of online news in Los Angeles and neighboring cities, present wide-ranging columns regularly updating detailed examples of local cities’ strict enforcement practices. The CSUN Daily Sundial, the local college news source, regularly reports on related enforcement practices, which can have severe consequences on area college students. Seemingly insignificant violations, which have been reported in the above news resources, such as open-container offenses, are regularly prosecuted as misdemeanor charges. It is important, as you can see from the law and order focus of the Los Angeles community, that it is crucial to hire a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer to help you with your case, who knows the court system and effective strategies for your case. (See the Burbank webpage for details.)

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Services

Gregory Caplan understands that efficient and effective criminal defense is important when it comes to his clients’ criminal cases.  He devotes significant effort and energy into protecting each of his clients’ rights and serves as their advocate in court.  If you are charged with a violation in any one of the Los Angeles Superior Courts, including courts in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley (as well as Burbank Court), and the Santa Clarita Valley, it is in your best interest to speak with criminal defense attorney, Gregory Caplan.  The legal penalties for a criminal conviction are far too severe to forgo the representation of a knowledgeable lawyer.  Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Caplan will defend you in court, challenge evidence presented against you, and safeguard your individual rights.  At the Law Offices of Gregory Caplan, Mr. Caplan provides clients the resources, guidance, and direction they need to be prepared for their court proceedings. 

Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley Practice Areas 
Gregory Caplan has helped many clients facing drug charges, weapons charges, and drug crime charges.  He has also assisted clients who have been charged with theft crimes.  Mr. Caplan is has defended clients charged with driving under the influence, hit and run, and serious traffic infractions.  As an extremely effective negotiator, Mr. Caplan can assist clients with their local code violations, as well.  The Law Offices of Gregory Caplan can inform you about your rights in regard to bench warrants, arrest warrants, and failure to appear.    

Contact Our Criminal Defense Law Offices
The Law Offices of Gregory Caplan are proud to provide dependable legal counsel for clients throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley.  As an attorney with years of practice experience, Gregory Caplan has helped many clients contest their serious criminal charges.  Mr. Caplan understands the life altering effects a criminal conviction can have on his clients, which is why he strives to provide them with the guidance and resources they need to be successful in court.  With convenient office locations to serve you, Gregory Caplan is prepared to effectively handle your criminal case.

What is college loan consolidation? Going to college is one of the most important steps in one’s life, but it is also one of the most expensive ones. Nowadays, nearly everybody who goes to college has to borrow money from some lender – parents, the federal government, or private institutions.
When one has multiple lenders and is heavily in loan over college loans, there is not much to be done but start repaying them one by one, or to consolidate them.
There are many programs aimed at helping present or former students to consolidate their loans. College loan consolidation has the indisputable advantage that it is easier to manage one loan than multiple ones. Also, since interest rates have fallen, consolidating many loans into a single, low-interest one is a way to decrease the gross payment for college.
When you start college loan consolidation, first examine their sources. A rule of thumb is that federal loans, which generally have lower interest rates, are never consolidated with loans from private sources.
Also, the amount of money that you owe is another issue to consider. Many loan consolidation companies do not deal with amounts less than USD 10,000, while others do not have a minimal requirement. Other companies have eligibility requirements so that only graduates can use their services.
By consolidating your college loans now, you can achieve one more thing – extend the term for payment to 15 or even 30 years. This can be a partial solution for you, if you now don’t have the money to pay it, but bear in mind that by extending the term you will pay much more interest.
With all that said, the decision whether to consolidate or not is solely up to you. Sometimes it proves that the charges for the consolidation exceed the drop in interest, so think twice before you consolidate!

When you remortgage, you are switching your mortgage to another deal, and frequently another lender.
Remortgages can be used for various reasons, most people simply switch mortgage because it will work out cheaper for them.
For example, the introductory discounted interest rate may have finished with your current lender; therefore you could get a discount, or a lower APR, with another lender.
Other individuals may use a re-mortgage to consolidate their debts, if they take out their remortgage for a larger amount than owed on the existing mortgage.
If you are looking to replace your existing mortgage for one with lower repayments please fill out our quick enquiry form.
It is possible to remortgage up to 95% of your property. If you have already paid off a large proportion of your mortgage, it may be better for you to consider an Equity Release Plan rather than a re-mortgage.

Getting a remortgage is something that almost all mortgage borrowers have to do, apart from those that make enough money to pay off all of their loan at once, or those rare borrowers who choose long-term fixed-rate mortgages. The remortgage process is relatively simple, and many borrowers remortgage once every couple of years to get the best rates. Studies have indicated that those who remortgage regularly are likely to spend less on interest over the life of their loans compared to those who allow their mortgage to revert to standard variable rates.

Why remortgage?

Whether you have a fixed-rate mortgage, a tracker mortgage or another type of discount rate, your mortgage will likely be set at a special rate for a limited period of time. Typical examples include a two-year fixed-rate mortgage or a three-year tracker mortgage. When this special period comes to an end, mortgage holders have to choose a new deal or their mortgage will revert to the lender’s standard variable rate, usually considerably higher than special deals.

How does a remortgage work?

Mortgage holders search for the most competitive loan possible to choose where to remortgage to. Depending on the near future, different mortgage products will represent better or worse value, and it is up to the consumer to predict this or rely on an independent financial adviser.
For instance, if interest rates are to climb during the special deal period, a fixed-rate mortgage will protect the borrower from rate rises and ensure a guaranteed level of repayments. However, if interest rates are going to fall, a tracker mortgage will follow Bank of England base rate down, potentially providing cheaper mortgage repayments. Other special deals such as variable rates and discounted rates may represent good value for some borrowers.

Types of student loans

There are several types of loans available to students. The simplest categorization is into federal student loans and private loans. Federally funded loans are administered initially through the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid programs, and are usually the easiest to get student loan consolidation services for. These federal programs disburse about $60 billion a year in loans, work-study support and grants. Stafford loans are the most common form of federal loans for students, but there are a variety of other federal payment plans - among them military / ROTC plans to pay for college.

Private student loans are administered by standard lending institutions. Among the most common are Citibank student loans and the Sallie Mae Signature student loans. These lenders are basically providing unsecured (or in some cases secured) loans to you as a student, and will most often charge higher interest rates than their federal counterparts.
Private and federal loans, along with scholarships, can be combined to fund your education. However, it's important that when it comes time to consolidate student loans, you do not mix the two types together. You should always consolidate your federal loans first, then separately consolidate private student loan debt. The benefits of consolidating your federal loans include: a lower interest rate (usually, but keep in mind that interest rates change every July 1), increasing the time for loan repayment to 30 years which reduces your monthly costs, and reducing the number of lending institutions you send checks to every month. For a more complete discussion of this topic and consolidation eligibility criteria, visit our page on how to consolidate student loans. Medical student loans fall into a special class, and are discussed on our medical school loans page.

Trends for student loans

Nearly 50% of recent college graduates took out student loans, with an average borrowed around $10,000 (1). Until recently, student loan interest rates ran between 6-8%. Recently, though, rates have fallen very low. As of fall 2003, Stafford loan interest rates were in 3-4% range (2).
Students who currently have loans, either a single loan or multiple loans, have a variety of options for reducing their payments and indebtedness. Because interest rates have fallen, loans can be consolidated or in some cases refinanced. When you're considering refinancing student loans or student loan consolidation, you need to compare interest rates before you consolidate federal student loans.

Effects of student debt

Like any debt, student loans can influence your credit and your future decisions. Students who borrowed a substantial amount for college (more than $5000) are less likely to pursue higher education (1). In addition, student loan debt that exceed 8% of your income can be seen negatively when your credit gets assessed for future loans (this is especially true if you have one or more defaulted student loans).

Two ways to reduce the debt burden are: 1) reduce or eliminate the principal balance. Specific types of loans can sometimes be forgiven by service or other higher education - look into the specific student loan program you have. 2) Reduce your monthly payment. Since debt burden is measured by comparing your loan payment to your income, reducing your payment helps your credit evaluation.

Many people who have obtained structured settlements through their personal injury or workers' compensation claims wonder if they should try to sell their settlement in return for a lump sum payment. This may be a relatively modest curiosity, piqued by an advertisement announcing "It's your money!" and promising cash payment. Or it may be based upon an immediate need for funds. However, selling a structured settlement is not always possible, and it is not necessarily an economically wise decision.

The best time to decide that a structured settlement is not right for you is before you consent to such a settlement. You may wish to press for a lump sum settlement, for periodic lump sum payments in addition to smaller annual payments, or for a lump sum to be issued at a future date when you anticipate a particular need. If you work out a settlement package that is in your best interest at the outset, you will be able to maximize the value of your settlement and get the greatest tax benefit from the structured portion of any settlement.
Remember that the companies which purchase structured settlements intend to profit from the purchase of your settlement. Their profit comes out of the payments you would otherwise receive.
Recall also that if your future earning capacity is impaired as a result of your injury, you should consider your future needs when you are making any decision regarding the sale of your settlement.

Restrictions on Selling Settlements

There are laws in approximately two thirds of the states which restrict the sale of structured settlements, and additional federal regulations apply to the sale of structured settlements. You should expect to have to obtain court approval for the sale, and most states have statutes in effect which regulate the transfer process. The insurance company that issued the annuities for the structured settlement may refuse to cooperate with the sale of a settlement, citing policy language and asserting that payments cannot be assigned.

Tax Consequences

As a typical structured settlement is designed to provide significant tax advantages to the injured plaintiff, there can be significant tax consequences associated with selling part or all of a settlement. It may be that, while payments made under the settlement were not taxed, the lump sum received through the sale of the settlement will be taxed.

Shop Around For Offers

If you are approached about selling your settlement, or are looking for a buyer, don't take the first offer you receive. You will almost always benefit from consulting with different brokers or buyers in relation to your settlement. You should also take care that you are working with an established, reputable buyer.

Consult A Lawyer

It is wise to consult a lawyer in relation to the sale of your settlement before signing a contract. A lawyer can help ensure that your rights are protected, and that you will not be subject to consequences for events outside of your control, for example if the company which purchases your settlement is later unable to collect payments from the insurance company which issued the annuities in your settlement package. A lawyer will be able to tell you if the terms of the purchase agreement are reasonable, and may also be able to advise you as to whether the offer made for your settlement is adequate.