Recent Blog Posts

Many people have heard of the “Double Jeopardy” rule in criminal cases, but are unsure exactly what that means. Essentially, it is a Constitutional right not to be put on trial twice for the same crime, if acquitted the first time. The U.S. Constitution’s Fifth Amendment and Article I, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution […]

Civil asset forfeiture may occur in combination with a criminal case, when law enforcement takes property that was allegedly used in relation to criminal activity. Unlike many other states, Florida does not have criminal forfeiture. However, takings under the civil forfeiture process are held to a criminal standard of proof – beyond a reasonable doubt. […]

Possession of a controlled substance, in some cases, can quickly escalate to “intent to sell”. This is often based on law enforcement’s perception of a person’s actions and the amount of drugs in their control. Under Florida Statutes Sec. 893.13(1)(a), a person may not “sell, manufacture, or deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, […]

Sometimes, despite the best efforts of yourself and your legal defense team, the facts and circumstances of a case lead to a guilty verdict, or a plea agreement admitting some level of culpability. Most people picture a defendant then being led away in handcuffs to serve out a sentence, like we see on TV shows. […]

The Tampa area, and Florida in general, is known worldwide for its beautiful waterways and boating activities. Sometimes, though, fun in the sun can get out of hand when boat operators take the wheel while intoxicated. According to the United States Coast Guard, alcohol use is one of the leading causes of boating accidents in […]

Florida has always been a hot spot in the nation’s ongoing opioid addiction crisis. Over 5,000 drug overdose deaths are reported in Florida each year, with about 70% of those deaths linked to opioids. Opioids include morphine, opium, oxycodone, heroin, codeine, fentanyl and other controlled substances that link with opioid receptors in the body’s nerve […]

“White collar crime” is part of everyday legal parlance but not everybody is sure what it includes, or where the term comes from. The phrase “White Collar Crime” was first coined in 1939 by Edwin Sutherland in a presentation on business-related crime. Sutherland, a sociologist by trade, addressed a distinction between traditional “blue collar crime” […]

“You have the right to remain silent.” Aside from being something you hear while watching a crime drama, these are words you probably never want to hear said to you. If law enforcement is uttering these words, it is often with handcuffs jingling beside them and flashing lights in the background. The well-known “Miranda Rights” […]

Drug crimes have long been a priority for law enforcement agencies in Florida, given the state’s high population, booming tourism industry, and proximity to drug trafficking routes. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports over 130,000 drug-related arrests each year in Florida, about 18,000 of those in the Tampa area alone. These offenses range from […]

“Embezzlement” is a loaded term that can cover a variety of illegal acts. These cases usually make the news when an employee steals money from an employer, or a business owner steals from their own company or associates. Florida sees approximately 1,000 embezzlement arrests annually, with many of those occurring in the Tampa Bay area. […]