Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog

April 4, 2026

The 2026 Vessel Accountability Act: New Risks for Broward Boaters — and How to Protect Yourself

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Fort Lauderdale is one of the premier boating destinations in the world. On any given weekend, the Intracoastal Waterway, the New River, and the waters off Port Everglades are alive with vessels of every kind. But as Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers can explain, a significant shift in Florida law — one that has been unfolding in phases since mid-2025 and is now fully in effect in 2026 — means that those same waters are more legally consequential than ever before. If you own, operate, or spend time on a vessel in Broward County, understanding what has changed is not optional. It is essential.

What the New Vessel Accountability Law Actually Does

Senate Bill 164, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis and implemented in two phases — July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026 — represents the most comprehensive overhaul of Florida’s derelict and at-risk vessel framework in years. The legislation amends Florida Statute § 327.30 and related provisions, and was designed to address problems with derelict vessels that may threaten seagrass beds, endanger navigation, and create serious environmental hazards.

The provisions most relevant to active Broward boaters fall into two areas of heightened concern.

Effective Means of Propulsion (EMP) Evaluations. Under the new law, vessel owners must complete an EMP evaluation upon request by law enforcement. If an FWC officer has reason to believe the vessel lacks an effective means of propulsion and the owner is present, that evaluation must be conducted immediately. If the owner is not present, it must be completed within 48 hours of receiving notice. If the vessel cannot demonstrably operate safely under its own power, there is a risk of citation, possible removal, and other escalating legal consequences.
Long-Term Anchoring Permits and Public Nuisance Declarations. As of July 1, 2026, vessels anchoring long-term in Florida waters must obtain an annual electronic permit issued by FWC. Unauthorized long-term anchoring carries fines of $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense. A vessel owner who receives three violations within a two-year period may have their vessel declared a public nuisance and removed as if it were derelict.
Escalating Criminal Penalties. The law increases penalties for repeat offenders, with charges escalating from first-degree misdemeanors to second-degree felonies for multiple derelict vessel offenses. Living aboard a vessel declared derelict by a court or administrative order is now prohibited and carries a first-degree misdemeanor charge.

An FWC Citation Is Not a “Ticket” — It Is a Criminal Matter

March 28, 2026

Federal vs. State Jurisdiction: Who Is Actually Prosecuting You If You’re Arrested with a Gun at a Florida Airport?

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

You are running late for your flight at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. You drop your bag on the conveyor belt, step through the scanner, and a moment later, everything stops. TSA officers are huddled around the X-ray monitor. Your carry-on bag contains a firearm you forgot to remove — one you legally own, one you have carried lawfully for years. Within minutes, a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy is standing in front of you.

What happens next depends on a set of interlocking legal questions that most travelers, even law-abiding gun owners, have never considered. Chief among them: who is actually prosecuting you for these alleged crimes at the airport, the State of Florida or the federal government? And what does that mean for your future?

As our Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers can explain, the answer is more nuanced than most people realize, and it changes based on exactly where inside FLL you are standing when the firearm is discovered. Understanding the distinction can be the difference between a manageable legal situation and one that permanently alters the course of your life.

The Lay of the Land at FLL: Where You Are Matters

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is a layered environment from a legal jurisdiction standpoint. The Broward County Aviation Department contracts with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to provide all law enforcement services at FLL. BSO operates an Airport District with specialized units, including a Criminal Investigations Unit that investigates all reported crimes at FLL and presents cases to the State Attorney’s Office. BSO also works in close coordination with federal agencies including the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The most important geographic line inside FLL, from a legal standpoint, is the TSA security checkpoint — the boundary between the public, non-sterile area of the terminal and the secure, sterile zone beyond it. Where you and your firearm are located relative to that line shapes virtually every aspect of what follows.

Pre-security: If you are in the ticketing area, near the check-in counters, or anywhere in the public terminal before reaching the TSA checkpoint, you are in an area to which the general public has access. Florida’s Constitutional Carry law (effective July 1, 2023) dramatically changed the landscape here. Under Florida Statute § 790.01, eligible individuals may now carry a concealed firearm without a permit so long as they otherwise satisfy the criteria established under § 790.06. A lawfully-possessed firearm in the pre-security area of a Florida airport does not, standing alone, constitute a criminal violation of Florida law. The situation changes substantially, however, once you approach the checkpoint.

At or beyond the checkpoint: This is where the legal exposure becomes serious and immediate. Federal law, specifically 49 U.S.C. § 46314, expressly prohibits knowingly and willfully entering a secure area of an airport while in violation of security requirements — which include the prohibition on bringing a firearm through a TSA checkpoint. Florida law mirrors this prohibition. Under Florida Statute § 790.06(12), carrying a concealed firearm into any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law is itself a criminal offense. Airport security checkpoints are unambiguously within that prohibition. It makes no difference whether signs were posted at the checkpoint informing you of the restriction.

What Happens the Moment TSA Finds Your Firearm

March 20, 2026

HB 277 and the Surge in Electronic Monitoring: What Domestic Violence Defendants Need to Know

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

A domestic violence allegation is one of the most serious and disorienting experiences a person can face. In a matter of hours, you can go from living your normal life to standing before a judge, subject to a no-contact order, separated from your home, and — under Florida’s sweeping new legislation — potentially facing a GPS ankle monitor strapped to your leg before you have ever been convicted of anything. If you or someone you care about is navigating this, you need to understand what has changed, why it matters, and what a skilled Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer can do to protect you.

What Is HB 277 and What Does It Actually Do?

House Bill 277, passed unanimously by both chambers of the Florida Legislature in March 2026 and is set to take effect July 1, 2026. It is one of the most comprehensive overhauls of Florida’s domestic violence statutes in recent memory. Formally titled the “Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions” Act, the bill enhances criminal penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders, reclassifying offenses to higher-degree crimes when a prior conviction exists. It expands the statewide injunction verification system maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It increases relocation assistance for victims from $1,500 to $2,500 per claim. And, most significantly for the person facing a fresh accusation, it dramatically expands the use of GPS electronic monitoring.

Under HB 277, courts are now authorized, and in certain circumstances required, to order electronic monitoring supervision when a person is found guilty of, or has adjudication withheld on, a domestic violence offense under Florida Statute § 741.281. The bill also establishes a pilot electronic monitoring program in Pinellas County for misdemeanor domestic violence offenders placed on probation with a no-contact order, and a separate pilot in the Sixth Judicial Circuit for felony offenders — both programs running from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. When a court orders electronic monitoring, it must establish GPS exclusion zones and, critically, the respondent is responsible for paying for the monitoring services.

The law also further expands the factors a judge may consider when determining whether to grant a domestic violence injunction, adding threatening to harm or kill a family pet and the existence of a military protective order to the list of relevant circumstances a court may weigh.

The Electronic Monitoring Reality: What It Means for You

In practice, having a GPS ankle monitor means that every geographical movement you make is recorded and transmitted in real time. It means there are exclusion zones, which are geographic areas you are forbidden to enter. These can include your own neighborhood, your child’s school, or your place of work. It means monitoring fees paid out of your own pocket, often ranging from $5 to $15 per day. It means the constant, visible reminder on your ankle of a legal proceeding that has not yet resulted in a conviction.

For many people, the practical consequences of GPS monitoring can be as devastating as the charge itself. Employers notice. Colleagues ask questions. Professional licenses are scrutinized. The presumption of innocence, a cornerstone of our legal system, feels hollow when you are physically tethered to a monitoring device while awaiting trial.

This is why the first conversation with a Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer matters so much — and why that conversation needs to happen immediately.

The Law Has Not Stripped You of Rights: Understanding “Least Restrictive Means”

One important point to make here is that a Fort Lauderdale no-contact order does not automatically mean GPS monitoring. A Broward County domestic violence charge does not automatically mean the most restrictive conditions of release. The law still requires courts to impose the least restrictive conditions that will reasonably accomplish the legitimate goals of the pretrial system. Continue reading

March 4, 2026

“Trenton’s Law” and the New Reality of DUI Refusals in Florida

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Historically, if you were stopped on suspicion of of DUI in Fort Lauderdale and declined to submit to a breath or urine test, the consequence was automatic driver’s license suspension, regardless of what happened with the DUI charge. Now, under Florida’s “Trenton’s Law,” effective October 1, 2025, what was once an administrative inconvenience is now a criminal offense. Understanding what this law means — and, critically, how it can be challenged — is essential for anyone who needs a Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer in their corner today.

What Is Trenton’s Law?

Legislators and victim advocates pushed for Trenton’s law primarily to target repeat DUI offenders. The result was House Bill 687, now codified as an amendment to Florida’s existing DUI statutory framework.

The law has two principal components. It dramatically increases penalties for repeat DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide offenders. It also fundamentally changes how Florida treats a first-time refusal to submit to a breath or urine test following a DUI arrest. Previously, under Florida’s Implied Consent Law (F.S. § 316.1932), such a refusal carried only an administrative driver’s license suspension of one year. Only a second or subsequent refusal could be prosecuted as a criminal offense.

That is no longer the law. And it’s an important distinction not only for Floridians, but those visiting from other jurisdictions. As it stands, approximately 14 states total impose criminal sanctions for refusing a chemical breath test in connection with a lawful DUI arrest. (We say “approximately” because bills are pending in other states, and there may be legal challenges pending in others.)

The “Right to Refuse” Now Carries a Potential Jail Sentence

Under Trenton’s Law, a first-time refusal to submit to a lawful breath or urine test now triggers both a license suspension and a second-degree misdemeanor criminal charge — punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. A second or subsequent refusal remains a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail.

A second-degree misdemeanor may not sound serious, but it can carry lasting consequences: background checks, elevated insurance premiums, and professional licensing complications. For teachers, healthcare workers, licensed contractors, and others whose livelihoods depend on a clean record, this is not a minor inconvenience. It is a life-altering event.

The new refusal provision has raised legitimate constitutional concerns among Florida defense attorneys. It effectively punishes someone for declining to hand the State evidence to use against them — an uncomfortable tension with longstanding principles of individual rights that will generate significant litigation in Florida courts for years to come.

The Critical Defense: Challenging the Lawfulness of the Stop

Here is where the conversation shifts from the weight of the law to the power of a skilled defense — and why the work of an experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer begins long before any refusal is ever considered.

The foundation of every DUI case is the traffic stop itself. Under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 12 of the Florida Constitution, a law enforcement officer must possess reasonable suspicion — specific, articulable facts — before lawfully initiating a traffic stop. This principle was established in Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968), and has been consistently applied by Florida courts ever since. Continue reading

February 26, 2026

“There’s a Warrant for My Arrest in Fort Lauderdale. Now What?”

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Finding out there’s a warrant for your arrest is one of the most unsettling experiences a person can face. Your mind races. You wonder: Will they show up at my house? Will they arrest me at work? Will my name appear in public records? What happens to my job, my family, my reputation?

Take a breath. You have more options than you think. But the decisions you make in the next few hours and days matter enormously. As a Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney, I’ve guided many people through exactly this situation. Here, I’ll walk you through what a warrant means, what your rights are, and most importantly, a general guide on what you should — and should not — do.

First, What Exactly Is a Warrant?

In Florida, a warrant for your arrest is a court order authorizing law enforcement to take you into custody. Warrants are typically issued in two ways:

1. A Capiases (Capias) A capias is a court-issued directive for your arrest, most commonly issued when a person fails to appear for a scheduled court hearing (sometimes called a “failure to appear” or FTA), or when a judge finds probable cause to charge someone with a crime. The term comes from the Latin capias ad respondendum — literally, “that you take to answer.” Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.121, a capias must be directed to all law enforcement officers in the state and must include your name, offense charged, and the amount of any bail.

2. An Arrest Warrant Based on Probable Cause Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.120, a judge may issue an arrest warrant upon a sworn complaint or affidavit establishing probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and that you committed it. This is different from an indictment but serves a similar function: it gives law enforcement the legal authority to arrest you.

Both types of warrants are entered into the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), meaning law enforcement anywhere in Florida — and often nationwide — can see and act on them.

The Two Scenarios: Getting Picked Up vs. Walking In

Here’s the most important thing to understand: you have a choice in how this plays out, and that choice has real consequences.

Scenario 1: Getting Picked Up (The Worst Way This Can Go)

If you ignore a warrant and do nothing, law enforcement will eventually find you — and they’ll do it on their schedule, not yours. That might mean:

A knock on your door at 6:00 a.m.
An arrest in your workplace parking lot, in front of colleagues or customers
A traffic stop that turns into an unexpected detention
An arrest in front of your children or family members

Beyond the personal humiliation, being picked up this way gives you zero control over timing, setting, or initial conditions. You won’t have had the chance to speak with an attorney. You won’t have arrangements made for bail. You’ll be processed through Broward County Jail on law enforcement’s timetable, which can mean sitting in a holding cell for 24–48 hours or longer before seeing a judge. And it will almost certainly be more traumatic than it needs to be.

Scenario 2: The “Walk-In” or Voluntary Surrender (The Smarter Option)

A voluntary surrender — sometimes called a “walk-in” or “walk-in capias” — is exactly what it sounds like: working with your attorney to arrange your surrender to the court or law enforcement in a controlled, dignified manner. This approach has significant advantages. Continue reading

February 20, 2026

What Happens After Your Child Is Arrested in Broward County? A Step-by-Step Guide to the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) Process

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The phone call no parent ever wants to receive. Your child has been arrested. Your mind races. You don’t know what to do first — call someone, drive somewhere, stay calm for your other kids, or simply take a moment to try to breathe.

Whatever you’re feeling right now — fear, confusion, anger, heartbreak — it’s valid. This is one of the hardest moments a family can face. But here’s what I want you to know before anything else: your child’s future is not defined by what happened today. The juvenile justice system in Florida exists, at least in theory, with rehabilitation in mind, not punishment. And with the right guidance, many young people who make serious mistakes go on to lead successful, fulfilling lives.

As a Fort Lauderdale juvenile criminal defense lawyer, I’ve walked many families through exactly this process. This guide is for you — the parent who just got that call and needs real, honest, plain-language information about what comes next in Broward County.

What Is the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC)?

When a juvenile is arrested in Broward County, they are not typically taken to a standard adult jail or booking facility. Instead, they are transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center, located at 3029 SW 2nd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The JAC is the entry point for every juvenile who comes into contact with the Broward County juvenile justice system.

The JAC is a collaborative, multi-agency facility. Under Florida law, specifically Chapter 985, Florida Statutes — the Juvenile Justice Code — the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is responsible for receiving and processing arrested juveniles, assessing their needs, and determining an appropriate next step. The JAC is where that process begins.

Understanding what happens at the JAC, step by step, can help you stay calm, act strategically, and protect your child’s rights from the very first moment.

Step 1: Intake at the JAC

When law enforcement brings your child to the JAC, the intake process begins. Officers will transfer custody to JAC staff, and your child will be:

Fingerprinted and photographed — yes, even as a juvenile
Searched and have personal property inventoried
Medically screened for any physical or mental health needs
Assessed using a standardized risk and needs screening tool

This intake process is governed by § 985.14, Fla. Stat., which requires the DJJ to screen each child taken into custody to assess risk to public safety and the child’s needs for services.

What you should do right now: Try to locate your child. Call the JAC directly at (954) 357-5300. Staff can confirm whether your child is there and provide basic information. Do not wait to make that call — knowing your child’s whereabouts and status is step one.

Step 2: The Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI)

One of the most consequential things that happens at the JAC is the completion of the Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI), a standardized scoring tool used statewide under § 985.245, Fla. Stat. The RAI evaluates factors including: Continue reading

February 12, 2026

Surviving a Fort Lauderdale Restraining Order (Injunction): What the 15-Day Window Means for Your Right to Stay in Your Own Home

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

If you’ve just been served with a temporary injunction in Broward County, you’re probably feeling a mixture of shock, anger, confusion, and fear — and that’s completely understandable. Being told you may have to leave your own home, that you can’t contact someone you care about, or that a judge made a serious legal decision about your life without you even being in the room is disorienting. You are not alone, and you are not without rights.

As a Fort Lauderdale defense attorney who has represented countless clients in the injunction process, I want to walk you through exactly what is happening, what the critical 15-day window means for you, and what you absolutely must — and must not — do right now.

What Is a Florida Restraining Order (Injunction for Protection)?

In Florida, what most people call a “restraining order” is formally known as an Injunction for Protection. These are civil orders, but make no mistake: violating one is a criminal offense under Florida law.

Florida recognizes several types of injunctions for protection, governed primarily by Chapter 741, Florida Statutes (domestic violence) and Chapter 784, Florida Statutes (repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking). The most common type encountered in Broward County is the Domestic Violence Injunction, defined under § 741.30, Fla. Stat.

When a petitioner (the person requesting the order) files a petition, a judge reviews it ex parte — meaning without you present — and decides whether to issue a Temporary Injunction. That decision can be made in minutes, based entirely on the petitioner’s account of events.

The 15-Day Window: Understanding the Timeline That Will Shape Your Future

Here is where things get critically important.

Under § 741.30(5)(c), Fla. Stat., when a court issues a temporary injunction, it must schedule a full hearing within 15 days. This hearing is your first real opportunity to appear before a judge, present your side of the story, challenge the petitioner’s allegations, and argue against the entry of a Final Injunction — which can last indefinitely.

This 15-day window is not a formality. It is the most important legal moment you will face in this process.

If you do nothing — if you fail to appear, fail to prepare, or fail to retain a Fort Lauderdale defense attorney — the court can and very likely will enter a permanent injunction against you by default. That order can:

Permanently bar you from your own home
Prohibit you from contacting your children
Prevent you from owning or possessing firearms under both Florida and federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8))
Affect your employment, professional licensing, and housing applications
Follow you on background checks for the rest of your life

Can They Really Kick Me Out of My Own Home?

Yes — at least temporarily, and potentially permanently if you don’t act.

Under § 741.30(6)(a)(2), Fla. Stat., a court issuing a temporary injunction may order the respondent (that’s you) to vacate the shared residence, regardless of who owns or leases the property. This is one of the most jarring aspects of the law for clients to accept. Even if your name is on the mortgage or the lease, the temporary injunction can require you to leave immediately.

The court can also award the petitioner temporary exclusive use and possession of the home, make temporary child custody determinations, and issue other emergency relief — all before you’ve had a chance to say a single word.

This is why what happens at that 15-day hearing is so consequential.

Your Rights as a Respondent

Despite how powerless the initial service of a temporary injunction can make you feel, you have important legal rights throughout this process: Continue reading

January 23, 2026

Arrested at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL): What Happens Next?

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

An airport arrest feels different than an arrest anywhere else. At Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), everything is faster, louder, and more public. You are surrounded by uniformed officers, TSA personnel, cameras, and crowds that keep moving while your world suddenly stops. Even when the underlying allegation is a mistake or a misunderstanding, the airport environment can turn routine travel stress into a criminal case in minutes.

If you or a family member has been arrested at FLL, the most important thing to know is this: what you do in the first few hours can shape everything that follows. That includes what you say, what you consent to, and how quickly you get experienced defense counsel involved.

Why Airport Arrests Escalate So Quickly

January 19, 2026

Why FWC Citations Can Be Harder to Fight than Traffic Tickets

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Florida’s waterways, hunting grounds, and natural preserves attract millions of residents and visitors each year. Whether you’re fishing off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, hunting in the Everglades, or enjoying a day on your boat in Broward County, encounters with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers are more common than many people realize. Unfortunately, what many people don’t understand is that FWC citations carry consequences that can be far more severe and harder to contest than typical traffic violations.

If you’ve received an FWC citation in Broward County or surrounding areas, you may be facing criminal charges, substantial fines, loss of licenses and permits, and even jail time. The stakes are high, and the legal terrain is treacherous for those who attempt to navigate it without experienced legal representation from a Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer with a track record of success in FWC violation cases.

Why FWC Officers Have Broader Authority Than You Think

Many people mistakenly believe that FWC officers operate under the same constraints as municipal police officers or that wildlife violations are similar to traffic tickets. This is not correct.

Expanded Search and Seizure Powers

Unlike traditional law enforcement, FWC officers possess extraordinary search authority when it comes to enforcing fish and wildlife laws. Under Florida Statute § 379.3311, FWC officers are granted the power to:

Stop and board any vessel without a warrant to inspect for compliance with fish and wildlife regulations.
Search coolers, livewells, storage compartments, and cargo areas without your consent or probable cause.
Inspect hunting and fishing equipment, licenses, and permits at any time.
Examine any wildlife, fish, or game in your possession to verify species, size, and bag limits.
Enter private property where hunting or fishing occurs to enforce wildlife laws.

These warrantless search provisions have been upheld by Florida courts under the legal theory that individuals engaging in regulated activities like hunting and fishing have a reduced expectation of privacy. In practical terms, this means that simply being on the water or in the field gives FWC officers legal grounds to conduct searches that would be unconstitutional if performed by other law enforcement agencies.

What does this mean for you? It means that if you have undersized fish in your cooler, over-limit catches, improperly tagged game, or illegal equipment aboard your vessel, FWC officers can find it—and they don’t need your permission or a search warrant to do so.

“I Didn’t Know the Limit” Is Never a Valid Defense

January 18, 2026

Understanding the Police Lethality Assessment in Fort Lauderdale Domestic Violence Investigations

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

If you’re involved in a domestic dispute in Southeast Florida, you’ll need to understand that a number of the questions police ask at the scene are part of a risk assessment that is mandated by law. The answers could determine whether you spend the night in jail, are granted bond, and how aggressively prosecutors pursue your case. Florida Senate Bill 1224, known as the Gabby Petito Act, went into effect last year. It requires law enforcement officers conduct a standardized lethality assessments at every domestic violence scene. While these protocols are designed with victim safety in mind, they create a minefield for anyone accused of domestic violence, and most people don’t realize their answers are being scored until it’s too late.

Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers serving Broward County and surrounding areas have seen firsthand how these assessments to build stronger prosecution cases and justify harsher bond conditions. Understanding what’s at stake and when to exercise your constitutional right to remain silent could be the difference between walking away from charges and facing years of legal consequences.

What Is the Lethality Assessment Program?

The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) is a standardized screening tool that law enforcement officers use to evaluate the risk of future violence or homicide in domestic violence situations. Originally developed by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, LAP has been adopted by 33 states, including Florida, where it became mandatory statewide following its passage in 2024.

Named after Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old woman whose 2021 death brought national attention to domestic violence warning signs, the Gabby Petito Act requires all Florida law enforcement agencies to implement LAP or a similar evidence-based lethality assessment tool. The law changed how domestic violence calls are handled across the state.

The assessment consists of about a dozen standardized questions that officers ask the alleged victim at the scene. These questions are designed to identify risk factors associated with domestic violence homicide, including strangulation, threats with weapons, escalating violence, stalking behavior, and access to firearms. Based on the alleged victim’s responses, officers assign a risk score that categorizes the situation as high danger or lower risk.

While the stated purpose is victim protection, connecting high-risk victims with domestic violence advocates and resources. However, the practical effect extends far beyond support services. These assessments are documented in police reports, shared with prosecutors, and frequently referenced at bond hearings and pretrial proceedings.

Florida Lethality Assessment Questions

Understanding what police are actually assessing during these encounters is crucial. While the exact wording may vary slightly between jurisdictions, the Maryland LAP, which serves as the model for Florida’s implementation, includes questions such as:

Has the violence increased in severity or frequency over the past year?
Has the alleged abuser ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon?
Do you believe the alleged abuser is capable of killing you?
Has the alleged abuser ever tried to choke or strangle you?
Is the alleged abuser violently or constantly jealous, or does he/she control most of your daily activities?
Have you left or separated from the alleged abuser after living together?
Is the alleged abuser unemployed?
Has the alleged abuser ever tried to kill himself/herself?
Does the abuser have a gun or can he/she get one easily?
Has the abuser ever threatened or tried to kill your children?
Do you have a child with someone other than the alleged abuser?

These aren’t casual questions. Each one corresponds to validated risk factors for intimate partner homicide identified through extensive research. A yes answer to even a few of these questions can elevate the case to “high danger,” triggering immediate intervention, mandatory advocacy referrals, and, critically, documentation that will follow the accused throughout the criminal justice process.

How Lethality Scores Impact Your Case