You know your rights. When the police ask to come in and search your home, you ask if they have a warrant. They tell you that they do not have one and ask again if they can come in. You tell them no, which you’re legally allowed to do. Unfortunately, the police force...
Jacksonville Law Blog
What’s considered during sentencing after a conviction?
One of the primary concerns for some defendants is what type of sentence they will face if they get convicted. While it’s impossible to predict the exact sentence that will be handed down, there are some factors that might clue you in to what may happen. Judges don’t...
Why do so many people with a criminal record re-offend?
Recidivism or committing a crime after a previous arrest is a concern for the modern criminal justice system. It is so common for people to re-offend after a first criminal offense that some people refer to prisons as having revolving doors. Once a person spends time...
What is ‘constructive’ drug possession?
Residents of Jacksonville already know that Florida has some of the harshest drug laws in the nation. Unfortunately, not enough people know that drug charges may arise even if police officers fail to find illegal substances in your immediate possession. Under the...
Having child pornography on your phone does not make you guilty
Few things could be more devastating than accusations of child pornography offenses. Pornography websites continue to find new ways to bombard innocent people with images they do not want. You can end up seeing, receiving or downloading inappropriate photos of...
What makes something a white-collar crime?
Some individuals associate criminal charges with violent acts or things to do with illegal substances. There are some crimes that don’t fall under either of those categories. Some crimes have to do with the individual or entity illegally getting financial gains...
What questions should you ask if the police want to question you?
When you encounter the police while out in public, you may not know what to do. Even if you haven't broken the law, the unexpected scrutiny of an authority figure might make you very nervous. Knowing what your rights are during an encounter with the police in a public...
When can the police stop you on suspicion of DUI?
Police officers have a duty to keep the roads safe. One thing that this entails is making sure that there aren’t any impaired drivers putting others in danger. Unfortunately, this often means that they will stop vehicles even when the motorist isn’t intoxicated. ...
What if the police find someone else’s drugs in your car?
Knowing your rights and standing up for them are two very different things. You probably know that the police can't just search your stuff without probable cause, a warrant or permission. Still, during a traffic stop, compliance is often someone's first instinct. If...
Could recreational marijuana become legal in Florida?
The road to marijuana legalization has been a slow one in Florida. Medical marijuana has only been legal since 2017, and even that has only been legal in smokable form since 2019. Now, two Florida state legislators are trying once again to legalize marijuana for...