Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Hurricane Ian Saw Spike In Florida Domestic Abuse Cases
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on September 27, 2022, killing 114 people (as of this writing) and causing untold amounts of destruction. However, very little press has been given to other crimes, notably domestic violence, which tend to rise during disasters. The staff at Harbor House of Central Florida reported a spike in… Read More »
Floridians Divided Over President’s Pardon For Cases Of Simple Possession
In early October 2022, President Biden announced his intention to pardon those convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law. While the pardon only affects approximately 6,500 people nationwide (since most people who are convicted of marijuana-related crimes are found guilty under state laws), it is still a significant step that many see… Read More »
Gubernatorial Campaign Loses Manager After Spousal Abuse Charge
In late October 2022, the campaign manager for Florida gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Crist resigned. One day later, the news came out that he had been involved in a domestic dispute with the mother of his child at their home in Maryland. While both sides of the dispute have downplayed its seriousness, charges were filed,… Read More »
Juvenile Drug Defendants In Florida
Whether parents like it or not, it is slowly becoming more and more common for minors to experiment with drugs and other substances in this day and age. However, given their relative youth and inexperience, it is somewhat inevitable that many of them are caught, facing potentially serious consequences that can torpedo an upward… Read More »
State & Federal Law Restrict Domestic Abusers’ Firearm Rights
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution establishes the “right of the people to keep and bear arms.” While U.S. courts have historically extended that right to be able to possess a variety of dangerous firearms, they have also carved out exceptions that take the right to bear arms away from individuals if… Read More »
Is Drug Court An Option For Me?
If you have been arrested and charged with a drug offense in Florida, you may face many potential sentencing options at trial. However, it is sometimes possible to avoid any kind of time in court, particularly if you have never been in trouble with the law before. Florida has been at the vanguard of… Read More »
Pets In Florida Domestic Violence Cases
One of the biggest X-factors for those trying to flee domestic violence situations is the involvement of pets. Sometimes, an abuse victim may have no one but their pet to turn to for support, particularly if their abuser has succeeded in cutting them off from their family and friends. However, until relatively recently, pets… Read More »
I Bought Drugs From An Undercover Cop … What Now?
Florida has a long history with drugs and the people who buy and sell them. Because of the state’s past and perpetually high rates of drug use and overdose, sentences for possession, sale, and trafficking of drugs are particularly severe, and law enforcement is zealous (at times, overzealous) in apprehending drug users. Undercover drug… Read More »
Identifying Crimes Of Domestic Violence In Florida
Domestic violence has a variety of definitions, depending on the context in which the term is used. In the legal sense, the definition particularly must be exact, given that someone may wind up deprived of their liberty if convicted. Florida’s is specific, but also wide-ranging, allowing many more people than just spouses to file… Read More »
Drug Theft On Monroe County Helicopter Ambulance Crew
Sometimes, people in positions of power make bad choices when dealing with drugs – but they wind up facing the same consequences as anyone else. In September 2022, the chief flight nurse on Monroe County’s helicopter flight crew was arrested and charged with two counts of grand theft of a controlled substance, two counts… Read More »