If you have been charged with a crime, one of the best outcomes you can hope for is a term of probation in lieu of jail time. Unfortunately, the terms of your probation may be complicated and one misstep may compromise your eligibility to remain on probation. Understanding your responsibilities during a probationary period as well as what to...
Continue ReadingA checking account does not have the same “buy now, pay later” mentality as credit cards. While failing to pay your credit cards can have severe consequences, writing a check drawn from an account with insufficient funds is a crime. Writing a check in an amount that is not backed by actual cash in a bank can be a...
Continue ReadingDangerous Weapons Offenses in Florida Florida has one of the toughest gun control laws in the country. The controversial “10-20-Life” model assigns a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years for when an offender possesses or pulls a gun during the commission of certain crimes. Mere possession of a firearm or other specific weapons can be a crime if...
Continue ReadingRecently we talked about the “pot holiday,” 4/20, and some of the legal concerns that surround smoking marijuana in Florida. This week, we explore a seemingly lesser crime, possession, use or sale or drug paraphernalia. Under Florida law, drug paraphernalia is broadly defined as “all equipment, products, and materials of any kind which are used, intended for use, or...
Continue ReadingAnd no, we are not talking about Easter. April 20, more colloquially known as “4/20” is the (unofficial) national marijuana smoking holiday. People from all over, especially now in states such as Washington and Colorado that have legalized marijuana usage at the state level, await this holiday all year and will celebrate by…well, getting high. Federal Versus State Law...
Continue ReadingThe punishment of minors who commit serious crimes has often been a highly contested and contentious issue for years. This is in large part due to the implications of a long prison sentence on a minor who, as some would argue, may not have developed the brain function necessary to understand the gravity of their crime or fully process...
Continue ReadingEveryone should have the right to protect themselves, however, if you are carrying certain weapons or using a weapon in a certain manner you may find yourself facing criminal charges. If you have questions about the legal use and carrying of a weapon or firearm or have been arrested for a firearm crime or another weapons charge, the experienced...
Continue ReadingIn parts 1 and 2 of this series we discussed inchoate crimes and, specifically, the crime of attempt. In this post we discuss another inchoate crime – conspiracy. A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit one or more criminal acts. The heart of the crime of conspiracy is an agreement between a group of...
Continue ReadingIn part one of this series, we discussed inchoate crimes – crimes that have begun, but have not been completed. One only need open the newspaper or watch the crime section of a TV news report to catch a story of one of these crimes. For example, consider a case where four men allegedly enter an apartment home and...
Continue ReadingSometimes one may decide–in a brief instance–to commit a crime. However, crimes are often not just a spur of the moment action but rather the result of some consideration, planning, and preparation. In fact, one may think of the process of committing a crime as a series of steps: The person must first have the idea of committing a...
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