You get arrested when the police enter your home and find a bag of illegal drugs in your bedroom. They consider it an open-and-shut case. The drugs were obviously at your house, you were there at the time, your fingerprints are on the case where the bag was found and...
Criminal Defense
How do grand juries work?
Grand juries are often impaneled for some of the more serious felony cases. Prosecutors impanel grand juries to aid them in determining whether they should bring charges against a suspect. Both the state and the federal government may impanel grand juries. You may...
Is drug court an option after an arrest for possession?
Getting arrested for drug possession will mean going to court, risking incarceration and paying costly fines. Even those who avoid incarceration will likely face probation and will have to deal with a criminal record for the rest of their lives. Fighting back against...
What’s the difference between assault and battery?
Many individuals use the terms "assault and battery" in unison -- or even interchangeably -- with one another. Most jurisdictions classify these two crimes as two distinct criminal offenses, however. You may find it helpful to learn the actual difference between...
3 times you might qualify for an expungement in Florida
Having a criminal record limits your options in life. It can keep you from renting a house in the best neighborhoods, prevent you from receiving student aid for higher education and even affect your professional licensing. In theory, criminal records serve to help...
Why failing to ship could land you with a fraud charge
Here is how business used to work. A customer walks into your store. They drop goods in their basket and pass to checkout. You add up the contents, and they hand you money. They walk out with their goods. Transaction completed. Here is how it often happens now. A...
How you can get arrested for shoplifting while in a store
Many shoplifting arrests take place at the exit of a business or in their parking lots. Management may have called police, who will wait outside for a suspect to exit the building. Loss prevention or security professionals employed by a retail business or their...
What happens when a minor is charged with felony murder?
A child who is charged with felony murder could face serious consequences if convicted. However, the penalties that a minor might face depend on factors such as that person's age, criminal history and the strength of the evidence in a given case. Florida law requires...
Florida bill would forgive misdemeanor marijuana convictions
Florida residents who have been convicted of possessing or distributing less than 20 grams of marijuana will be able to expunge their records if a bill proposed by Sen. Randolph Bracy is passed and signed into law. On Dec. 12, Bracy announced in a press conference...
Can you expunge multiple arrests or charges in one hearing?
A criminal record can cause issues years after you complete your sentence. Educational institutions and employers might check your record before hiring you or admitting you to school. Even if you get a job or enroll, you may miss out on promotions or scholarship...
