If the police give you a DUI ticket, you may be worried and confused. You are right to be concerned -- it is a serious charge with severe consequences. Yet, there is no need to be confused. There are a lot of misconceptions about DUI charges, so knowing the facts is...
Firm News
What Should You Do When You Have Been Charged with Solicitation of a Minor?
We are frequently asked what the most important thing a person can so when he learns he is being investigated for solicitation of a minor. The use of a computer to engage in or attempt to engage in acts with a minor can be charged as several crimes. First, the accused...
Bill Sheppard Named 2018 Lawyer of the Year
Congratulations to Mr. Sheppard for being named Jacksonville's 2018 Lawyer of the Year in Criminal Defense: White Collar by Best Lawyers In America. This will be the fourth time Mr. Sheppard has been selected as Lawyer of the Year in his areas of practice, in...
Supreme Court Expands Right to Effective Assistance of Counsel for Defendants Facing Deportation
The Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants the right to effective assistance of counsel during all "critical stages" of a criminal proceeding. In the context of plea negotiations, this means that criminal defense attorneys must convey plea offers to their client in a...
Nation’s Courts Divide on Whether Title VII Protects LGBT Workers
We previously posted about a decision from the Northern District of Florida-Lafayette v. Winstead County-holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Our own Elizabeth White's article on...
Florida Supreme Court Clarifies Definition of “Sexual Intercourse” In Criminal HIV Case
In Florida, it is a crime for anyone infected with the human immunodeficiency virus to have sexual intercourse with another person unless they first disclose the infection and obtain that person's consent. HIV can spread through a range of sexual activities. Until...
Supreme Court Allows Inquiry into Juror’s Racial Bias to Challenge Criminal Conviction
In an opinion rendered this week-Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado-the Supreme Court carved out an important exception to a longstanding rule prohibiting jurors from being questioned about conduct during deliberations after a verdict has been rendered. The case involved a...
Supreme Court Could Strike Major Blow to Internet Restrictions for Sex-Offenders
A recent case argued before the United States Supreme Court, Packingham v. North Carolina, may shake up how the government can regulate the internet activity. The petition involves a First Amendment challenge to a North Carolina law that imposes criminal penalties to...
Florida Supreme Court Upholds Open Carry Law
In a decision rendered last week, Norman v. State, the Florida Supreme Court rejected a Second Amendment challenge to Florida's "Open-Carry" law. The statute in question, section 790.053, prohibits individuals from visibly carrying firearms in public. Under the...
Markus v. State
"HOT PURSUIT" DOES NOT PERMIT THE WARRANTLESS ENTRY INTO A HOME TO ARREST FOR NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANOR One of the bedrocks of our democracy is the right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures by the State. Without the protections of the Fourth Amendment, police...