Recent Blog Posts
Discovery in Florida Divorces
June 29, 2015 The discovery process is an essential step in any litigation, including divorce, child custody, and other family law cases. During discovery, the parties obtain documents and information from each other in order to facilitate a fair and speedy trial or negotiation. In Florida, mandatory disclosure, in which several specified types of… Read More »
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
June 8, 2015 In Florida, drug possession a crime and the possession of drug paraphernalia is also unlawful. A defendant may be charged with this crime by itself, or possession of paraphernalia charges may be brought in conjunction with other drug possession or sale charges. What Is Paraphernalia? Florida law defines drug paraphernalia as… Read More »
Default Divorce in Florida
June 8, 2015 Divorce is a stressful time, and can be made even more stressful if your spouse does not cooperate in the divorce process. Fortunately, if your spouse will not respond to your petition for divorce, or if you cannot find your spouse, the court will not make you stay married to him… Read More »
Coerced Guilty Pleas in Florida
June 5, 2015 In criminal proceedings, a defendant’s plea can be taken back up until the time of sentencing. Once the defendant enters a plea and the court pronounces the sentence, the plea is final and cannot be changed. But if the defendant is coerced into pleading guilty to a crime, he or she… Read More »
Spousal Separation in Florida
June 5, 2015 Florida law does not provide for legal separation, and Florida does not recognize the status of “legally separated.” Instead, a couple that wants to physically separate without formally divorcing has to use several different Florida laws to settle their affairs. There are many reasons that a couple may not want to… Read More »
Registering as a Sexual Offender in Florida
June 3, 2015 Committing a sexual offense is a serious crime in Florida and has consequences beyond a prison sentence, fine, probation, or treatment program. Sex offenders must also register with their local sheriff’s offices, periodically report to the sheriff’s office, and keep law enforcement updated on their travel outside their counties of residence…. Read More »
Stepparent Adoption in Florida
June 3, 2015 It is common for a parent to remarry after a divorce. One important issue in remarriages involving stepchildren is the legal relationship between the child and the stepparent. In Florida, a stepparent has no parental rights over a child and has no responsibilities toward the child. Only biological or adoptive parents… Read More »
Five Substances Added to the Controlled Substances List
May 29, 2015 Five dangerous synthetic cannabinoids have been added to Florida’s list of controlled substances. House Bill 897 passed the Florida legislature unanimously and was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott. It classifies the five drugs as Schedule I controlled substances, effective immediately. Schedule I Schedule I controlled substances have a high… Read More »
Interference With Child Custody
May 29, 2015 Heather Hironimus, the mother whose refusal to circumcise her son has made national news, now faces criminal charges for interference with custody. She fought a legal battle for years, trying to prevent her four-year-old son from being circumcised, though she had agreed to circumcision in the parenting plan. Hironimus was recently… Read More »
What are Lesser Included Offenses?
May 25, 2015 Many criminal charges have less serious charges contained within them; often, a misdemeanor is contained within a felony. These less serious charges are known as lesser included offenses. A person may be charged with both the greater charge and the lesser included offense. If a jury does not find that the… Read More »
