Recent Blog Posts
Young Florida Student Illegally Arrested For Refusing To Recite the Pledge of Allegiance
The issue of being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance (and/or the National Anthem) and civil rights issues has been an ongoing issue of late, but it recently came to a head in Florida when a middle school student (11 years old) was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for refusing to recite… Read More »
The Most Important Assets You Should Never Forget In Divorce
Divorce is already so difficult for a number of people that having to think about assets can be just another difficult step in the process. However, that moment when you and your attorney make that list of assets is such an important step, and there are usually a number of assets that people forget… Read More »
The “Alternative Facts” Issues With Our Criminal Justice System
Ten years ago, the National Academy of Sciences sounded the alarm on the shortcomings of forensic science techniques and how they have led to the wrongful conviction of a number of defendants in our criminal justice system. Since then, a number of follow-up studies have been done, revealing a consistent pattern of crime lab… Read More »
The Rise Of The “Gray Divorce”: Why Is It Happening, And What Financial Considerations Are Important?
In the last 25 years, the number of “gray divorces”—i.e. those after the age of 50—have skyrocketed. One in four people divorcing is 50 years or older, and this group has more than doubled, and more than half of these couples have been married for more than 20 years. Why is this the case?… Read More »
The Importance of Changing Financial Advisers during the Divorce Process
When you are in the midst of divorce, it can often be very difficult to think about all of the other changes that need to be made in your life, such as making changes to the financial professionals that you consult with. However, in some circumstances, making a true, “clean break” means obtaining independence… Read More »
How Do Victims Affect Domestic Violence Battery Charges In Florida?
Under Florida law, domestic battery/domestic violence battery is defined as striking or touching, or causing bodily injury to, a family member or household member, and carries with it a number of severe penalties, including serving up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a number of additional penalties, such as participating in… Read More »
“Gay and Transgender Panic Defense” Could Soon No Longer Be Available To Criminal Defendants
The “gay and transgender panic” criminal defense has been around for a long time, dating back to homosexuality being listed in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders. Extremely controversial, the defense effectively allows a murder conviction to be downgraded to manslaughter, negligent homicide, or another lesser charge if the defendant claims that they suffered… Read More »
Federal Sentencing Bill Proposes Drastic Changes to Sentencing for Drug Offenses
The First Step Act—Congress’ first attempt at prison sentencing reform for federal crimes—has passed the House, and the Senate is now being called upon to hold a vote by the end of December. The bill has been five years in the making, and has drawn criticism from some of the most conservative lawmakers, who… Read More »
The Link Between Domestic Violence and Murder
The Washington Post recently ran a story on domestic violence/family violence offenses and the fact that half of all women killed in the past decade were killed by a former intimate partner; a third of which were known to be a potential threat ahead of any attacks. According to the Post’s investigation, in a… Read More »
When Defamation & Free Speech Turns Into a Crime
While many people assume that defamation is an issue for civil court, in fact, a number of states also have laws that make defamation a criminal act, including in Florida. In Florida, any person convicted of the publication of libel is guilty of a first degree misdemeanor, and that includes the owner or editor… Read More »
