Historically, courts have given a broad leeway to police officers when it comes to traffic stops, often granting a greater weight to public safety than to the rights of the accused. However, these powers are not limitless. If a police officer didn’t at the very least have reasonable suspicion of…
Florida voters are on the verge of determining whether marijuana should be legal in this state for medicinal purposes, as so far 21 other states and D.C. have done. It’s important to note that such a measure wouldn’t make driving while intoxicated legally acceptable under any circumstances. This is why…
The law recognizes that in any traffic stop, the balance of power is skewed in favor of the police. This is why there are very specific legal protections in place for those who are the subject of these stops. When police fail to follow the rules, it could mean that…
Colorado, one of just two states in the country to approve the use and sale of marijuana for recreational purposes, also has one of the strictest drugged driving laws in the nation, holding that the presence of 0.5 nanograms of pot in one’s system necessitates a DUI. The state’s department…
It’s not unusual in Fort Lauderdale domestic violence cases for prosecutors to offer defendants a plea “deal.” However, experienced criminal defense lawyers know that all too frequently, these offers are not advantageous to the accused – particularly when there may be grounds to have the charges significantly reduced or dismissed.…
Nearly two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement’s installation and use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking device is a “search” generally subject to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. But a federal appeals court recently decided that the failure of police to obtain a search…
A Florida appeals court has applied the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law to throw out second-degree murder charges against a man who shot two other men outside an Opa-locka Chili’s in 2008. The case exposes the trouble state judges are having in applying the controversial law, and emphasizes the need…
The Florida Department of Children and Families received a spate of calls regarding alleged abuse involving a father and his young son. Authorities dug deeper to learn the accused had recently been embroiled in a custody battle with his ex-wife over the son in question. Investigators found no evidence of…
Since pop singer Justin Bieber was arrested in South Florida for DUI recently, it has become apparent that there were some things that the singer did that may not work in his favor with regard to his criminal case. However, there are some things that his DUI defense lawyers will…
An appellate court recently denied an appeal by a defendant in a white collar criminal case, following his conviction on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft from an organization receiving federal funds, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The denial of this appeal means the nine-year…