Legal Guides
Plain-English answers to the questions people bring to this office: police misconduct, protest and press rights, California public records, government claims, and the rights of unhoused people. Each guide cites the statute or opinion it relies on and carries the date it was last reviewed.
How to File a Government Claim Against the City or County of Los Angeles After Police Misconduct
Before suing the City or County of Los Angeles over police conduct, California requires a written claim: the six-month deadline, contents, and where to file.
Is It Legal to Film the Police in California?
It is legal to film police performing their duties in public in California. What the First Amendment and Penal Code § 148(g) protect, and your options if you were arrested for recording.
How to Get Police Body Camera Footage in California: A CPRA Guide
Using the California Public Records Act, SB 1421, SB 16, and AB 748 to obtain police body camera footage and misconduct records — and what to do when agencies refuse.
Police Used Force Against You at a Protest in Los Angeles? What to Do Next
Steps to take after police used force against you or arrested you at a protest in LA: preserve evidence, understand the six-month government claim deadline, and know your § 1983 and Bane Act claims.