Domestic Violence: It is Not Always What It Appears to Be

Domestic violence is a serious issue. The news media routinely reports on allegations of domestic violence that have been made against professional football players, famous athletes or actors. The public becomes outraged and decides the one charged must be guilty without waiting for a trial or resolution of the issue. There generally are serious consequences … Read more

Conspiracy to Sell Drugs: What Does it Mean

You may be sitting around talking with your friend or friends. You all agree to sell a certain amount of a controlled substance. Under Florida law, you have just committed the criminal offense of conspiracy. In real life, state prosecutors likely will wait until one of you has done something to further the conspiracy. Such an … Read more

Does my child / Juvenile need a lawyer?

Receiving a phone call informing you that your child is in police custody is generally life-changing. Although your first impulse might be to let your child suffer the consequences of the bad behavior that led to the arrest and detention, you need to ignore that reaction. There are serious implications for a juvenile arrest, detention … Read more

Stand Your Ground or Self-Defense: What is the Difference?

If you are facing an assault or manslaughter one of the first things your criminal defense attorney will attempt to determine is whether the charges were as a result of self-defense. Florida also has a stand your ground defense and it is imperative you understand the difference between the two defenses. What is Considered Self-Defense? … Read more

Can Police Force You To Give Blood In A Routine DUI Case?

If you are stopped for a suspected DUI in Florida, the police may  tell you that you must submit to a blood test or risk losing your driver’s license. While Florida’s implied consent laws mean that if you refuse a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer test,  you risk loss of your license; you do … Read more

What is Considered Domestic Violence in FL?

Domestic violence is a classification of charges versus a direct charge. Under Florida law, a domestic violence charge may be lodged if specific persons feel threatened. FL Statutes 2002 Section 741.28 defines domestic violence as “any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal … Read more

Dealing with DUI Checkpoints in Jacksonville

DUI checkpoints can be very nerve-wracking and it is important to understand what can and cannot be done by law enforcement officers. At a minimum, you must provide officers with a copy of your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance. There are some things that you must know about these checkpoints that can prove … Read more

Can my social media accounts be used against me?

More than 1.2 billion users regularly log into their Facebook accounts and more than 1 billion log into Twitter accounts. In many cases, users will “check in” and let friends and family members know where they are and what they are doing; seldom giving any thought to these check-ins.  However,  if you have been arrested … Read more