Navigating the Waters of Florida’s Enhanced DUI: Beyond the BAC Horizon In Florida, an enhanced DUI charge can result from aggravating factors, notably an excessive blood alcohol level (BAC) beyond the standard 0.08 threshold. Such cases may face stricter penalties. The Gravity of First-Time DUI Offenses in Florida: From Basic Penalties to Enhanced Charges A criminal DUI conviction in...
Continue ReadingAutonomous or “self-driving” cars have the potential to transform Florida’s transportation system. Proponents claim computer-controlled vehicles will eventually reduce fatal accidents and traffic congestion. But as automotive technology evolves, there are new legal questions that will need to be answered. For example, is a person illegally driving under the influence of alcohol if their car is actually doing the...
Continue ReadingWhile traveling around the Orlando area, especially during weekends or holidays, you may notice police conducting random “sobriety checkpoints.” You may have even be stopped yourself. But can the police really do this? After all, if you are just driving down the street and there is no evidence that you are violating traffic laws or committing a DUI, what...
Continue ReadingOn June 23, Florida Gov. Rick Scott finally signed legislation to implement Amendment 2, the voter-approved constitutional amendment to permit medical marijuana. The legislation, adopted during a special session of the Florida legislature, creates an overall regulatory framework to ensure patient access to medical marijuana. Among other provisions, the new law will significantly increase the number of organizations licensed...
Continue ReadingA criminal record can affect your job and housing prospects years after your case is over. Even if you are never convicted of a crime, there is still a public record of your arrest and trial. But it is possible in certain cases to seal or expunge that public record, allowing you to legally state that you do not...
Continue ReadingWhile drunk driving remains a major problem in Orlando and throughout central Florida, that has not slowed the demand for liquor. Responding to public demand, the Pinellas County Commission approved legislation back in March that permits bars, restaurants, and stores to begin selling hard liquor on Sundays starting at 8 a.m. Under previous rules, 8 a.m. sales were the...
Continue ReadingThere is a still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding Florida’s slow-moving efforts to implement the legalization of medical marijuana. Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment last November stating that the “medical use of marijuana by a qualifying patient or caregiver” should not be subject to civil or criminal liability under state law. But Florida lawmakers, in adopting rules...
Continue ReadingDrunk driving and DUI charges are most often associated with cars or other land-based vehicles. But under Florida and federal law, you can also face serious consequences if you are caught boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In fact, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, a person operating a boat “is likely to become impaired more quickly”...
Continue ReadingTeachers exercise an important role in supervising and mentoring our children. It is a position of trust. And when that trust is violated, the legal consequences can be quite severe. We have all heard sensationalized stories in the news about teachers having sex with their underage students. Sometimes people write this off as a “victimless” crime. After all, if...
Continue ReadingThe media and the Internet recently exploded over a video showing a police officer arresting a 10-year-old special needs child in Okeechobee County, Florida, on an outstanding felony warrant. The child was seen screaming, “I don’t want to be touched” as a sheriff’s deputy handcuffed the child and took him to a juvenile detention facility, where he spent the...
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