The Serious Consequences of a Fraud Conviction in Florida If you have been charged with fraud in Florida, you could be facing severe penalties that can impact your life for years to come. Fraud charges should always be taken seriously, and having an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side can be crucial. In this blog post, I'll provide [...]
Florida's Romeo and Juliet Law: Age Rules and Registration Relief An October 2023 Reason article described the case of Henry, an 18-year-old who had consensual sex with a 16-year-old he met online. According to the article, he initially received a plea deal with no jail time and seven years on the sex-offender registry. He later received a six-year prison [...]
Man Exonerated After 35 Years of Wrongful Conviction Based on Misidentification Perry Lott was exonerated on October 10, 2023, after 35 years of wrongful conviction for a rape and burglary he did not commit. He had spent 30 years in prison before his release in 2018. DNA testing of evidence from the rape kit excluded him as the perpetrator. [...]
How to Withdraw a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Florida If you have entered a guilty or no contest plea in Florida, you may be able to withdraw it under certain circumstances. Withdrawing a plea after it has been formally accepted by the court is not easy, but it can be done. This post will explain when and how [...]
Law Enforcement Use of Drones: What You Need to Know As drones become more prevalent in the commercial and recreational spheres, their use by law enforcement is also growing. While drones provide tools to aid investigations and enhance officer safety, their use also raises important questions about privacy and civil liberties. As a criminal defense lawyer representing clients whose [...]
Broward Sheriff’s Employees Charged in PPP and COVID-19 Relief Fraud Cases On October 12, 2023, federal prosecutors announced charges against 17 Broward Sheriff’s Office employees involving PPP and other pandemic relief funds. These cases show how alleged false statements in loan applications can lead to federal prosecution. For borrowers facing similar allegations, understanding the charges and possible defenses in [...]
'Witch Test' Sending Women to Prison for Murder As a criminal defense attorney, I was alarmed to read this recent investigative report by ProPublica about the lung float test being used to prosecute and imprison women for murder after experiencing stillbirths or pregnancy complications. The lung float test dates to the seventeenth century. It rests on the idea that [...]
How a Domestic Violence Charge Could Impact Your Gun and Firearm Rights A domestic violence accusation can turn someone's life upside down. Even if the charges are exaggerated or false, just being arrested and accused can threaten one's reputation, livelihood, and, critically—their Second Amendment rights. Criminal defense attorneys who regularly defend domestic violence charges know how high the stakes are [...]
Understanding the Shopkeeper's Privilege in Florida If you've ever been detained by a store owner or employee under suspicion of shoplifting, you may be wondering about your rights and the legality of the situation. This is where the concept of the "Shopkeeper's Privilege" comes into play. This post explains how the Shopkeeper's Privilege works in Florida, what it allows [...]
Loss Prevention Officers in Miami Shoplifting Cases Who Are Loss Prevention Officers, and What is Their Role? If you've been accused of shoplifting in Miami, chances are a loss prevention officer confronted you. Loss prevention officers, sometimes called LP officers or LPOs, are specially trained retail store employees whose primary responsibility is to detect and apprehend shoplifters. While regular [...]
