Most U.S. states have laws that prohibit drivers from having an open container of alcohol with them while inside a vehicle. For the most part, these open container laws are straightforward: it’s illegal to have a container filled with an alcoholic beverage anywhere...
When Your Life Is On The Line
Criminal Defense
How can you defend yourself from online identity theft charges?
The internet holds immense power that can make anyone’s life better. But when used excessively, it can lead to devastating outcomes. Our increased exposure to computers and other technological devices in recent decades has opened another way for people to abuse them...
Facing forgery charges
According to Florida statutes, forgery involves falsely making, altering or counterfeiting important documents, like wills, deeds or promissory notes, with the intention of tricking someone and causing harm. Even the use of counterfeit bank notes can land you in...
Can you take back a guilty plea?
What often happens in court is that a criminal defendant will plead guilty to reduce their sentence or to avoid prison. However, there is a chance that new evidence may surface or that the defendant would change their mind. In Florida, it is possible to withdraw a...
Protecting yourself against a false stepchild abuse accusation
The public has been on high alert ever since the media put its spotlight on sexual abusers and child predators. But it is understandable given that most predators are somebody the child knows, such as their father, friend, relative, teacher or anybody else who has...
Parkland case leads to new Florida death penalty law
Florida is among the 23 states that still allow the death penalty for certain criminal offenses. In potential death penalty cases, the recommended sentence is decided by the jury separately from the verdict. Up until very recently, jurors had to vote unanimously in...
3 reasons why innocent people plead guilty
The foundation of our criminal justice system is that any person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, the reality is that approximately 97% of all criminal cases are resolved through guilty pleas and not through trial. But why...
Is it illegal to keep explicit pictures of your ex?
When you and your ex were together, he or she sent you some explicit photos. When the two of you broke up, you didn’t delete the photos. Or perhaps you deleted them off of your phone, but you still have access to them in the message thread or through a cloud backup...
2 mistakes to avoid if you’ve been falsely accused of date rape
It is many people’s worst nightmare, but it happens: you had a great weekend with the person you love. Next, they are accusing you of date rape. And before you can wrap your mind around it, everyone (from your family to friends and co-workers) knows about it. In fact,...
The minimum age to buy a gun in Florida is still 21 – for now
Laws regarding firearms stir strong feelings among a great many people. They’re among the most hotly debated laws in the country. That can make things confusing for those who want to be law-abiding gun owners. Right now, the law that raised the minimum age for...