Although theft may sound like a straightforward charge, there are many factors that may affect what level of crime it is and what the penalty of a conviction will be. The basic elements of theft include intentionally depriving someone of his or her property. Florida...
Criminal Defense
Florida legislators want to make some social media posts illegal
If you are on social media, you know that discussions can get heated. In fact, many people avoid the comments sections because the opinions others post are so upsetting to them. The format seems to give you more freedom to express ideas more emphatically than you...
How does a drug conviction affect college financial aid?
If your child has plans to attend college, he or she already has a plan for future financial success. In 2019 alone, the average worker with a bachelor's degree earned about $28,000 more than one with only a high school diploma. While the financial benefits of a...
What you should know about the open container law in Florida
It is not uncommon for a Florida police officer or trooper to add a charge of driving with an open container of alcohol in the vehicle on top of a DUI charge. To protect yourself, you should know the basics of the state's open container law. Elements of Florida's open...
Who decides your plea to a crime?
When you go before the court for a plea hearing, which occurs after your arrest, you will enter your plea. You also should get the chance to consult with an attorney prior to making your plea. You may wonder who will choose which plea you give to the court. According...
Crime trends in Florida and the nation for 2020
The year 2020 will go down as an exceptional one, and mostly for the wrong reasons. When it comes to crimes in the Tallahassee region and across the U.S., news reports show some atypical data trends. A look at some of these reports provide further evidence of this...
Special concerns for college students facing criminal charges
College students do not always make the best decisions, and sometimes, those bad decisions can lead to legal troubles. Since students are no longer minors, it becomes a scary situation quickly. Facing adult charges for adult crimes can derail a student's dreams, but...
Record expungement can help you move forward
Those with criminal records in Florida can attest to the fact that it prevents them from completing activities that others may not even consider. For example, depending on the type of record, one might be prohibited from living in a specific location, working a...
How the insanity defense works
Hollywood really enjoys playing up the insanity defense in courtroom dramas. In reality, this plea is a difficult one to pull off. Cornell Law School explains that an insanity defense is actually a guilty plea. The person making this plea is saying that he or she did...
Penalties for marijuana possession depend on the amount
There are many laws that people break in Florida. Some of these laws are broken on a daily basis. People commit various driving violations and whether they are caught or not, they have still broken the law. Another common law that is broken is that many people use...