When the police in Jacksonville, Florida and other cities throughout the country find what they suspect to be illegal drugs, whether it is marijuana, cocaine, GHB or the many other narcotics, they will often use what is referred to as a field test kit to quickly test whether the substance…
If you have been arrested and charged with a crime in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida and entered a plea of guilty or no contest to the charge, there may be a way to withdraw that plea and proceed with your defense to the criminal charge. After a defendant in a…
Most people are familiar with Miranda warnings which warn a suspect that, among other things, he/she has a right to remain silent and a right to an attorney before the police ask him/her questions about suspected criminal activity. If the police are required to give those Miranda warnings and do…
Most people in Jacksonville and throughout Florida know that it is against the law to drive a vehicle without wearing a seat belt. A violation of this law typically results in a traffic ticket and a fine. It is also fairly common knowledge that many criminal investigations and arrests are…
Consider a scenario where a Jacksonville police officer suspects a person is involved with illegal drugs (such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy or methamphetamine) and enlists the help of a confidential informant (aka a CI) to set up a drug deal with that person. For instance, the Jacksonville police officer…
Where a company employee commits a federal crime while acting in the course and scope of his/her job duties and acts with the intent to benefit the company, the company will likely be criminally liable for the employee’s actions along with that employee. This is called vicarious liability, where one…
In Jacksonville, Florida, it is not uncommon for a person to be arrested and charged for a possession of drugs (such as marijuana or cocaine) in addition to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, depending on the circumstances, the prosecutors are not allowed to use evidence of…
Not necessarily; it depends on the circumstances. Consider a case in Jacksonville, Florida where a driver caused a serious motor vehicle accident. The Jacksonville police officer showed up and reported that this driver appeared impaired, unresponsive and subject to mood swings. At the hospital, a blood sample was taken from…
In Florida, when a defendant pleads guilty or no contest to a charge or is convicted of a crime at trial, he/she may be sentenced to a term of probation. At the beginning of the probation, the defendant, now referred to as a probationer, signs a form acknowledging that he/she…
Entrapment is a word that is often misused and misunderstood. In Florida criminal law, entrapment is a defense to a crime, such as sale of drugs or drug trafficking, that can be used in limited circumstances. For instance, in a recent criminal case out of Florida, a defendant was charged…