The Florida First District Court of Appeal recently discussed the admissibility of similar act evidence in crimes involving child molestation in Newman v. State of Florida. In Newman, Appellant was charged with lewd or lascivious molestation of his eight-year-old adopted daughter. At trial, the State presented evidence that when the…
Have you been arrested for carrying a concealed firearm? If so, you may be able to have your case dismissed through a new diversionary program recently created by the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Diversionary programs (also known as pre-trial intervention) are primarily designed for first-time offenders who…
Were you found in violation of your community control for not answering your door when your probation officer came by to conduct a curfew check? If so, you may be able to avoid revocation of your community control and a resultant prison sentence. In Edwards v. State, Mr. Edwards was…
Have you had a permanent injunction for protection against domestic violence, dating violence or repeat violence entered against you? Did you know that even though your injunction supposedly is “permanent” you can nonetheless get it dissolved under certain circumstances? The recent First District Court of Appeal case of James Hobbs…
Have you been arrested for possessing or trafficking drugs? Were the drugs found in a home or other place you do not own? If so, you may not be criminally liable for those drugs, as discussed in a recent court decision. In Dion Johnson v. State of Florida, Mr. Johnson…
The First District Court of Appeal just made it more difficult for the State to prove you committed the crime of carrying a concealed weapon. In Stanley John Kilburn v. State of Florida, Mr. Kilburn was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Kilburn filed a motion to suppress, contending he…
Is someone you know or love currently in a Jacksonville area jail? If so, they may be eligible for immediate resolution of their case and release from the jail due to the coronavirus. And, even if their case can’t quickly be resolved, they may be eligible for an ROR bond…
Were drugs, illegal firearms or other contraband discovered during a warrant-based search of your home? No matter what the police found, you may be able to get your case dropped. Searches based on warrants are preferred over warrantless searches by the courts. That’s because the grounds for the warrant are…
In November 2017 I blogged on the topic of talking to the police. In that blog, I explained it’s rarely advisable to speak with the police about your criminal case. Regardless of whether you’ve yet been arrested, it’s usually in your best interest to remain silent and to not talk…
Were you arrested based on an anonymous tip? If so, your stop by the officers may have been unlawful and you may be able to get your case dropped. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and its Florida analog establish the “right of the people to be secure…