One of the smartest things a person can do if stopped by a police officer is decline consent to a search – be it of your vehicle, your home or your persons. It may not prevent the search from taking place. It may not even prevent your arrest. But clearly…
There is a tendency among criminal defendants facing serious felony charges to assume they have few options. Pressured by prosecutors and busy public defenders, defendants may be be quick to accept a less-than-advantageous plea deal, simply because they assume there is little chance of successfully fighting the charges at trial.…
For many college students, dorm life is the first taste of freedom and adulthood. But a dorm room is not exactly like a private residence when it comes to searches. What you need to understand is that while you are protected against unlawful searches and seizures from police, the school…
Outrage was spurred after a 16-year-old drunk driver received 10 years of probation following a fatal wreck in which four people were killed and two seriously injured. A psychologist at the trial testified that the teen, who lived on his own in a home purchased by his father, suffered from…
The Fourth Amendment well establishes that before a police officer can initiate a traffic stop, he or she must have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or is about to be committed. But in the case of Navarette v. California, the question is what obligation does a patrol…
Glittering lights may adorn the outside of many homes this time of year. Too often though, that facade betrays the darker reality of what is occurring behind closed doors. There is no question that the number of domestic violence charges in Browardand elsewhere spike during the holiday season. Contributing factors…
These days, people have become accustomed posting almost every element of their lives on social media. There are vacation photos, music choices and even snapshots of daily meals. But this atmosphere of over-sharing has in some cases led to the casual and sometimes bold admittance of involvement in criminal activity.…
In a move that could have sweeping effects on a broad range of criminal defendants, lawmakers in Florida are weighing a move to broaden protections for unborn children. What’s more, unlike many other similar measures, pro-choice advocates seem unlikely to fight the action, which means its chances of approval are…
Years ago, a bad break-up might linger in your mind for a few weeks or months, giving way to the occasional pang of rejection or regret only every so often. Even if forgetting wasn’t fully possible, it was easier back then to let go. Our Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers…
An argument over a pot-gobbling pooch ended with a South Florida model in handcuffs after telling deputies her boyfriend had repeatedly walked into the knife in her hand. The 26-year-old was arrested for domestic battery in Dania Beach after responding deputies took note of a couple small knife cuts to…