Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Florida Domestic Violence Charges & Child Custody
If you have been charged with domestic violence in Florida, you are likely aware of the serious consequences that can result if you are convicted. However, if you have a family, one very serious outgrowth of a domestic violence conviction can be divorce and loss of child custody. While many simply do not believe… Read More »
Defining Constructive Possession In Florida Drug Offenses
If you have been charged with drug possession, it can be confusing and intimidating, particularly if you have not been in trouble with the law before. One of the most difficult concepts to understand for many is the idea of constructive possession, which is possession without actually being stopped with the substance on one’s… Read More »
Supporting Our Community
Perlet & Shiner, PA is proud to have purchased a banner that is on display at Lake Worth High School and made a donation to Lake Worth High School Football Team, which they used to purchase new uniforms for the players! Go Trojans!
Drugs Keep Washing Up On South Florida Beaches
Florida is known as a tourist destination with a long and colorful tradition. However, some of its history still causes problems for Floridians even today. In the 1970s and 1980s, the state was the center of high levels of drug activity; these were the days of the so-called “Cocaine Cowboys” – and while the… Read More »
Recent Case May Change Firearm Rights For Alleged Domestic Abusers
On June 4, 2021, the Second District Court of Appeals issued a decision that may have implication for people who have been served with a temporary injunction. Dean v. Bevis involved an appellant who sought to have his firearm rights reinstated despite a temporary injunction against him. The court ruled in his favor, and… Read More »
Asserting Self-Defense In Domestic Violence Cases
If you have been charged with domestic violence in Florida, you have the right to assert what are known as affirmative defenses. Everyone charged with a crime has the right to defend themselves, and while domestic violence is seen as a particularly serious crime, affirmative defenses do exist and can help to get a… Read More »
Can A Drug Offense Affect My Immigration Status?
If an immigrant to the United States is convicted of a crime, not only do they face possible criminal penalties, they can very often face immigration consequences. Drug offenses in particular can cause problems – even a conviction for simple possession – because they are seen as crimes involving poor morals, which can trigger… Read More »
COVID-19 Pandemic Has Increased Domestic Violence Rates
In late February 2021, the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (NCCCJ) released an impact report analyzing 12 studies on domestic violence and the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was authored by a team of five, with three boasting Florida ties, and what they found was a statistically significant increase in reported domestic violence… Read More »
What Is Florida Drug Court?
Drug crimes are harshly prosecuted in Florida, because of the state’s past as a battleground for cartels. Mandatory minimum sentences are still in force for some of those offenses, which have been shown to be ineffective in reducing drug crimes and are often punitive, rather than reasonable. However, Florida has also given birth to… Read More »
Potential Legislation Would Criminalize Disclosing Shelter Locations
In early March, the Florida Senate’s Rules Committee sent two bills to the floor that would make it a misdemeanor to disclose identifying information about the location of a domestic violence shelter, or to publicly identify any of the shelter’s workers. There has been a repeated pattern of behavior over many years (as technology… Read More »