If the police charge you with a crime, they need evidence to back up their claims. That could be verbal evidence given by an eyewitness, or physical evidence, such as a gun used to shoot someone. Finding a way to challenge the validity of that evidence may be crucial...
Criminal Defense
Can you legally pick up a prescription for a friend?
Imagine being stopped by the police with a bottle of pills on your passenger seat. The officer asks who they’re for, and you say they’re for a friend. They check the bottle, and it’s not in your name despite being a controlled substance. Can they arrest you? Will you...
Here is what Florida law says about aggravated assault
When you are facing criminal charges, it is often not clear what the charges imply and the potential consequences you could face. One thing for sure, however, is battery or felony charges attract stiff penalties in Florida. And the potential penalties for aggravated...
Common white-collar crimes committed in Florida
Many terms have come to be associated with white-collar crime. Some of these include “crimes of the powerful,” "economic crime," "upper world crime" and “abuse of power.” In a digital age where information flows all around us, white-collar crime is often more...
Is it possible to erase a record of arrest?
Even if you’re not convicted of a crime, there will be a record that you were arrested. On basic background checks, the arrest will come up, which may impact your ability to get hired for a job you want or to clear a check for other purposes. Helpfully, it is possible...
What will happen with your nursing license if you are arrested for a crime?
Nursing school is notoriously difficult to complete. Graduates then have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before becoming eligible for a professional license. The Florida Board of Nursing, of course, has the ultimate...
Can you legally buy alcohol for a minor?
You’re old enough to legally buy alcohol. When you have a social gathering at your house, you go out and buy the drinks first. You don’t think anything of it. You’ve been doing this for years. At the gathering, though, someone shows up who is under 21 years of age....
What’s considered during sentencing after a conviction?
One of the primary concerns for some defendants is what type of sentence they will face if they get convicted. While it’s impossible to predict the exact sentence that will be handed down, there are some factors that might clue you in to what may happen. Judges don’t...
Why do so many people with a criminal record re-offend?
Recidivism or committing a crime after a previous arrest is a concern for the modern criminal justice system. It is so common for people to re-offend after a first criminal offense that some people refer to prisons as having revolving doors. Once a person spends time...
Having child pornography on your phone does not make you guilty
Few things could be more devastating than accusations of child pornography offenses. Pornography websites continue to find new ways to bombard innocent people with images they do not want. You can end up seeing, receiving or downloading inappropriate photos of...