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…
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…