Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog

June 15, 2014

Brandon v. Florida – Admission of Hearsay Evidence Prompts New Trial

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

A Florida man convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon will receive a new trial, following an appellate court’s finding that admission of a 911 transcript absent the testimony of the caller was erroneous.

The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in criminal cases, but it’s important to effectively challenge evidence that doesn’t meet appropriate legal standards. These are the kinds of arguments an experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer can raise on your behalf, which could ultimately result in the scales tipping in your favor.

The case of Brandon v. Florida stemmed from an alleged assault that was called into 911 dispatchers in Duval County. The woman reported she had been assaulted by the defendant, who threatened to kill her while simultaneously pointing a gun at her.
Continue reading

June 9, 2014

Smallwood v. Florida – Cell Phone Search Without a Warrant Unconstitutional

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

The Florida Supreme Court has determined that a police search of cell phone content without a warrant is unconstitutional.

The case of Smallwood v. Florida establishes an important precedent in Florida that our Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers hope will ensure greater constitutional and privacy protections for the accused.

Although prosecutors attempted to argue cell phones searched in the course of a valid arrest were no different than any other item found on a person (citing the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case of U.S. v. Robinson), the state high court rejected this theory.
Continue reading

May 23, 2014

Kunkel v. Stanford – Challenging Florida Domestic Violence Injunctions

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

A domestic violence injunction is not as bad on your permanent record as a criminal domestic abuse conviction, but the person on the receiving end can still suffer serious consequences.

As a public record, it can be viewed by anyone, even when the allegations aren’t proven. This can have a direct impact on career and educational opportunities. It can also result in the restriction of gun ownership rights and other freedoms. Sometimes referred to as “restraining orders,” injunctions can arise out of a criminal case or be requested through a civil filing. They may also significantly impact the outcome of child custody and divorce proceedings.

Hiring an experienced domestic violence defense attorney in Fort Lauderdale can help to effectively defend those facing injunctions or criminal charges. In many cases we can reduce the chances that a temporary order will be granted or that a temporary order will give way to a permanent one.
Continue reading

May 15, 2014

Violation of Florida Accident Report Privilege Sends DUI Case Back to Trial

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

A man convicted of felony DUI in Florida has been granted a new trial by Florida’s First District Court of Appeals, which ruled a violation of the state’s accident report privilege in Wetherington v. Florida was not harmless.

For Lauderdale DUI defense lawyers recognize that this decision underscores the rights of defendants in the course of a DUI investigation.

Florida Statute 316.066 holds that information given to a law enforcement officer for the purpose of completing a crash report, as required by Florida law, will be done so without prejudice to the individual reporting. That is, no such report or statement can be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal.
Continue reading

May 13, 2014

Fate of Florida DUI Offenders Rests in Lawmakers’ Hands

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

A 36-year-old with a long history of driver’s license suspensions and DUI convictions is facing yet another charge after Broward County Sheriff’s Office officials say he wrecked his motorcycle into a car while drunk in Fort Lauderdale.

Based on the statement by the judge at his first appearance, it doesn’t seem as if the court will be inclined to grant him reprieve. The judge was quoted as saying the defendant is an “extreme danger” to the community with multiple driver’s license revocations and suspensions, no insurance and a record of fleeing and eluding police and driving impaired.

DUI defense lawyers in Fort Lauderdale know that for many, ignition interlock has been the go-to deterrent for repeat offenses. However, that only works if the driver is legally allowed to drive a vehicle. Now, lawmakers have proposed a new solution that essentially amounts to forced sobriety.
Continue reading

May 11, 2014

Domestic Violence Accounts for 21 Percent of Violent Victimizations

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

A new report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that nearly a quarter of all violent victimizations in the country – including rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated and simple assault – stemmed from a domestic situation.

Analysts culled victim-offender relationship data from the National Crime Victimization Survey over the 10-year period, and determined that 15 percent were the result of intimate partner violence, 4 percent by immediate family members and 2 percent by other relatives. Casual or well-known acquaintances accounted for 32 percent of all violent incidents, while strangers accounted for nearly 40 percent.

Our Domestic violence defense attorneys in Fort Lauderdale recognize that society has an interest in protecting victims of serious crime. However, too often the pendulum has swung the other way, making it far too easy for an exaggerated report or an incident of mutual violence to result in serious charges and lifelong consequences.
Continue reading

April 29, 2014

Florida Supreme Court Clarifies Theft Charges

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

The Florida Supreme Court recently tossed appellate court rulings against individuals convicted of both grand theft and dealing in stolen property, finding that the lower courts erred in failing to apply a new Florida law barring conviction for both theft and stolen property when the charges relate to a single crime.

The findings are in line with the ruling issued last year in the case of Williams v. State .

As criminal defense lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, we recognize the importance of these rulings, as they serve to underscore the legislature’s intent in the passage of Florida Statute 812.025. Both grand theft and dealing in stolen properties are felonies of the second-degree in Florida. However, the 2012 statute indicates that when charged in connection with one scheme or course of conduct in separate counts that can be consolidated for trial, a defendant can only be found guilty of one or the other. (Both charges can be filed in the same case, but they have to be regarding separate counts.)
Continue reading

April 22, 2014

Court: DUI Blood Test Warrant Must be Substantive

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

Last spring, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Missouri v. McNeely that in all except for the rarest circumstances, police seeking to force you to submit a blood sample for the purpose of having it tested for its alcohol content must have a warrant.

This was an important clarification in terms of ensuring the Fourth Amendment protections of the accused. However, our Fort Lauderdale DUI defense attorneys know that your rights don’t end there. Any warrant that is issued has to have a strong basis in probable cause. Absent that, the search may be illegal and therefore any evidence suppressed.

This is what happened recently in Snell v. State, a case heard before the Wyoming Supreme Court. In reversing a lower court’s findings, the state supreme court found that a police affidavit used to obtain a search warrant did not contain enough information to establish the necessary probable cause.
Continue reading

April 14, 2014

Fighting for Reduced Restitution in Fort Lauderdale Criminal Cases

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

In some Fort Lauderdale felony defense cases, the defendant can be ordered to pay restitution and compensation to any victims who may be involved.

In traffic cases, if you are or were an insured driver, depending on your policy, it’s possible that your insurance company may cover your restitution costs. If you weren’t insured or if the insurance won’t cover that amount, you will be expected to pay it out-of-pocket. This is separate from any compensation you may be compelled to pay as part of any civil lawsuits brought against you by the victims.

Keep in mind that if you are found guilty in the criminal case, that information can be used against you in subsequent civil action. Another reason to invest in an experienced Fort Lauderdale defense lawyer.
Continue reading

April 5, 2014

Poor Condition of Vehicle Can be Grounds for Traffic Stop

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

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 a crime prior to initiating the traffic stop, Fort Lauderdale DUI defense lawyers know that evidence gained thereafter is subject to suppression.

Reasonable suspicion is defined in the 1968 case of Terry v. Ohio, and it holds that an officer has to be able to show specific and articulable facts which, when taken together with rational inferences, justify the intrusion.

This is a fairly broad definition, and police have a tendency to stretch it as far as they can. In some cases, when officers can’t find fault with a person’s driving, they may look to minor deficiencies in the vehicle as grounds to initiate the stop. This can be anything from a burned-out taillight to a dragging muffler.
Continue reading