Recent Blog Posts
Domestic Battery In Florida, What to Expect If You Are Arrested
In Florida, there is no such thing as one single crime called ‘domestic violence.’ Rather, a person will be charged with the underlying offense – for example, assault or kidnapping – and domestic violence factors will be used to raise or lower a sentence after a conviction. That said, there is one exceptional offense… Read More »
What Is Florida ‘Doctor Shopping?’
Some controlled substances have accepted medical uses, such as Adderall to treat ADHD or Zolpidem (Ambien) for chronic insomnia. In order to get them, a person must scrupulously follow rules and regulations, chief among them only procuring the medication from one medical professional. A person who seeks to obtain a controlled substance from more… Read More »
What Does “Adjudication Withheld” Mean In Domestic Violence Cases?
The average person tends to think that in a criminal proceeding, one may be declared guilty or innocent, with no other options. In reality, a judge may place you in a different status, usually while you complete required conditions or while awaiting another decision. One of the most common in domestic violence cases is… Read More »
Drugged Driving Can Still Be Deadly
The average person is well aware that driving while under the influence of drugs is a very bad idea – but far fewer are aware that the same applies to driving while high. Being stopped for driving under the influence (DUI) while using cannabis in Florida will face the same penalties as someone under… Read More »
Grounds For Issuing A Domestic Violence Injunction
There is a persistent sexist myth that women who allege domestic violence in court are immediately believed without much evidence and granted permanent domestic violence injunctions (DVIs, or restraining orders). In reality, the process for obtaining a DVI is specific and requires a certain standard of evidence, regardless of the genders of the alleged… Read More »
Inadmissible Evidence In Florida Drug Cases
The average person is well aware that if you are charged with a crime, it is the evidence that will acquit or convict you. However, it is less commonly understood that not all evidence is admissible in court – that is, some evidence cannot be used against a person because of the way it… Read More »
Self-Defense As Domestic Violence Defense
Domestic violence is not a crime in Florida itself; rather, it is an umbrella term that encompasses any crime “resulting in physical injury or death” to the victim. Thus, the actual sentence that a person might face on being convicted of a ‘crime of domestic violence’ will vary depending on what the actual crime… Read More »
How Do Search Warrants Work In Florida Drug Cases?
With most Florida drug crimes, law enforcement must get a search warrant in order to properly hunt for drugs or other incriminating materials in a home or vehicle. The requirements to obtain a search warrant are fairly simple, but the question of probable cause is one of the most hotly contested. If you have… Read More »
Is Economic Abuse Domestic Abuse?
Florida’s definition of domestic violence specifically alludes to “physical injury or death” being done to a victim – but at the same time, most authorities generally agree that there is such a thing as economic or financial abuse, and that it qualifies as a form of domestic violence. If you have been the victim… Read More »
Can I Get Arrested For Drugs Without A Warrant?
Florida’s law enforcement plays a front-line role in the state’s aggressive prosecution of drug offenders in many different ways. One of the most common is making arrests in accordance with state law – often, after obtaining a search warrant for their home, vehicle, or even their person, and finding controlled substances. However, what the… Read More »