Recent Blog Posts
Legislation Filed in Florida to Decriminalize Possession of Marijuana: This & Other Marijuana-Related Arrest & Prosecution Changes in Florida
In August, legislation was introduced in Florida to decriminalize possession of certain amounts of marijuana without the need for a medical marijuana license. The legislation reduces criminal penalties for having 20 grams or less of the substance and/or products containing 600 grams or less of THC. The bill would also make juveniles eligible for… Read More »
How Do I Go About Keeping Our Home After the Divorce?
When it comes to advising clients going through divorce in Florida, given that the family home is usually the most valuable asset for them, I spend a significant amount of time discussing whether or not the clients want and can keep the home. While, of course, for many, the home is of sentimental value,… Read More »
Florida Appeals Court Rules That Defendant Does Not Have to Turn Over Cell Phone Passcode in Response to Warrant
In June, one Florida appeals court made a very important decision in siding with a criminal defendant who refused to turn over his cell phone passcode to the police; even though they had first obtained a warrant. This is an issue with courts around the country, which are unquestionably struggling to find common legal… Read More »
The Best Way to Protect Your Money & Assets in Divorce Is Not Via Separate Bank Accounts
These days, many young people who are interested in getting married are also interested in doing things differently in their marriage, for example, keeping the finances and checking accounts separate. This could be in part because they have seen how difficult it can be to divide assets in the event of divorce, and in… Read More »
A Look at The Prosecution & Defense of Jeffrey Epstein in & Outside of Florida
The criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein has dominated news headlines of late. The billionaire is accused of engaging in sex crimes in both Florida and New York. In 2007, US Attorney’s Office in Florida allowed him to plead guilty to state prostitution instead of sexual abuse charges and serve 13 months; mostly from his… Read More »
How to Minimize Taxes After Divorce
There is no question that losing the alimony deduction has thrown a huge wrench into divorce negotiations. This deduction has, for many years, played an important part in divorce planning, allowing couples to shift taxable income and, in doing so, save on their tax bills. Therefore, the question ultimately becomes whether anything can be… Read More »
Rape Survivors & Parental Rights
For a number of women every year, worries over their rapists gaining parental rights is a very real nightmare. According to some statistics, the estimated number of rape-related pregnancies in the U.S. is between 8,000 and 32,000. For these women, concerns over how to protect their children plague them every day. This is because… Read More »
New Data Indicates That Only Two Percent of Federal Criminal Defendants Go to Trial, And Most Are Found Guilty
Recent data collected by the federal judiciary and analyzed by the Pew Research Center paints a bleak picture of a system that arguably denies justice to criminal defendants, especially when it comes to federal cases, in particular. According to the data, approximately 80,000 people were federal criminal defendants during the 2018 fiscal year, but… Read More »
Florida Makes It a Crime to Own, Distribute, Etc. “Childlike Sex Dolls”
In late May, Florida banned (i.e. makes it a crime to engage in) owning, distributing, and engaging in a number of other activities with respect to childlike sex dolls. Amongst other activities, the law prohibits someone from “knowingly having in their possession, custody, or control an obscene childlike sex doll” under the justification that… Read More »
What Judges Specifically Consider in Calculating Alimony & Child Support
We have briefly touched on how alimony and child support are calculated, but as attorneys who practice family law here in Florida, we regularly receive a number of questions about what kind of income the court specifically takes into account in determining these payments. Judges do have some leeway in making these decisions (in… Read More »
