Category Archives: Criminal Law
What Is Vandalism?
June 17, 2015 An unidentified burglar recently broke into and vandalized a branch of the post office in Davie, Florida. The man entered through the rear of the post office and appeared to be looking for something, but it remains unclear what, if anything, was stolen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a… Read More »
Cell Phones and Searches
June 26, 2015 With advances in technology come changes in the law. One area of criminal law that has a significant impact on today’s society deals with cell phones and searches. Today, nearly everyone has a cell phone and cell phones can contain valuable information for law enforcement officers conducting investigations. In Florida, for… Read More »
Judge Clears Barriers to Medical Marijuana in Florida
June 11, 2015 A judge in Tallahassee recently cleared the final challenge to a rule allowing the cultivation of a non-euphoric strain of marijuana used for medical purposes in Florida, in accordance with legislation passed last year. The Florida Department of Health expects to start taking applications to be a grower within the next… Read More »
Prescription Fraud
June 19, 2015 In Florida the unlawful use of prescription drugs is punished severely, but some prescription drugs are both easily available and highly addictive. Patients who legally take prescription medications may find themselves hooked by the time their prescriptions run out, and may turn to illegal means to obtain more of the medication…. 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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Embezzlement in Florida
May 18, 2015 A Brevard County School District employee was arrested recently for embezzling. Natalie Jean Jones, who was employed as a bookkeeper at a middle school, stole over $100,000 from Brevard Public Schools. She would make out legitimate checks to vendors, which would be recorded in a disbursement journal. She would then cancel… Read More »
