Cell Site Simulators ("Stingrays") and Your Privacy Rights in Florida Criminal Cases If you carry a cellphone—and almost everyone does—you are constantly sending signals so your phone can connect to nearby towers. Most people assume those signals are handled only by their wireless provider. What many people in Miami and throughout Florida do not realize is that law enforcement [...]
Deepfake Evidence in Criminal Cases If you're facing criminal accusations in Miami today, you're dealing with a world where videos, texts, and audio recordings play an outsized role in shaping a case. Prosecutors rely on digital material more than ever, and jurors tend to give visual evidence enormous weight. But deepfake technology has changed that entire dynamic, and not [...]
Cooperation Agreements and 5K1.1 Motions: What You Should Know Before You Talk to the Feds When you or someone close to you is facing a federal investigation, you'll likely hear terms such as cooperation agreement, substantial assistance, and 5K1.1 motion. These concepts shape how federal cases are negotiated and how sentences are ultimately decided, yet many people misunderstand how [...]
Compassionate Release Under the First Step Act When your family is dealing with a loved one in federal prison, you're often forced to face problems you never imagined. Medical issues, changes in family circumstances, or a sudden emergency can turn an already difficult situation into something that feels unmanageable. That's where compassionate release under the First Step Act comes [...]
Discovery in a Federal Criminal Case: What Every Defendant Should Know When you’re facing federal charges, one of the first questions you’ll ask is, “What evidence does the government have against me?” In the federal system, the answer comes through a process called discovery. If you or someone close to you is involved in a federal investigation, understanding this [...]
What Happens at a Federal Detention Hearing? Your Guide to Pretrial Release in Miami When you—or someone close to you—gets arrested on federal charges, the first question that usually comes up is straightforward: “Am I going home?” In federal court, the answer depends almost entirely on what happens during the federal detention hearing. This hearing determines whether you’ll be [...]
Is a Withhold of Adjudication a Conviction in Florida? Short Answer: Under Florida state law, a withhold of adjudication is not a conviction. Long Answer: Whether a withhold counts as a “conviction” depends on who is asking. Under federal law, immigration law, certain professional licensing schemes, and many private background check systems, a withhold can be [...]
Early Termination of Federal Supervised Release: Are You Eligible? If you're on federal supervised release here in Miami—or anywhere in the Southern District of Florida—you already understand how restrictive this phase can be. Even after serving your prison sentence, supervised release can feel like a lingering shadow: travel approvals, employment limits, random drug testing, financial disclosures, and regular check-ins [...]
Federal Sentencing Departures and Variances: Getting Below the Guidelines If you or a loved one is facing federal charges in Miami—or anywhere in the Southern District of Florida—you’ve probably already heard about the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. For many people, seeing that initial guideline calculation is one of the most intimidating moments in the case. The numbers can feel overwhelming, [...]
Understanding the Federal Sentencing Guidelines When you’re facing a federal criminal charge—whether it’s fraud, drug trafficking, firearm possession, or anything else in the federal system—you quickly find out that the process looks nothing like state court. One of the biggest differences? The Federal Sentencing Guidelines. If you or someone you care about is under investigation or has been indicted, [...]
