In the second quarter of 2008, Florida ranked 4th in the nation in percentage of home foreclosures. As a result of the increase in foreclosures in Florida, the Florida legislature and law enforcement officials are cracking down on what they consider mortgage fraud. This year, Florida passed into law the…
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…
In Florida, the “driver” of a “vehicle” who drives with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or more or while his/her normal faculties are impaired may be guilty of driving under the influence (also referred to as DUI, DWI or drunk driving). Does the Florida DUI law also include…
It is no secret that the housing market crashed months ago and the financial markets seemed to follow resulting in difficult economic times for people throughout Jacksonville and Florida. Politicians and media liberally are using the words recession, and even depression, to predict what is, or may be, happening to…
Students at Florida A & M University were indicted recently for allegedly hacking into the school computer and changing the grades and residency status of approximately 90 people, according to a local news website. According to school and law enforcement officials, the students changes numerous grades from F’s to A’s…
The use of DNA evidence by Jacksonville police and the Jacksonville State Attorney’s office, among other agencies, involves collecting biological material, analyzing the material, developing a profile and then attempting to compare it to profiles in state and/or federal databases where the DNA profiles of various people are stored. In…
As part of the war on drugs, the federal government initiated the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign back in 1999 and spent approximately $1 billion on it. The study had the laudable goal of educating young people and trying to deter them from using drugs. However, a recent study has…
Kenny Stabler was a star quarterback in the NFL for many years, many years ago. Apparently, he was arrested on drunk driving charges in Alabama (also referred to as a DWI; in Florida, referred to as DUI or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs). According to an article…
Largely in an effort to crack down on illegal aliens in the United States, the government enacted the federal crime of aggravated identity fraud which is punishable by a mandatory two year prison sentence. This is a very severe mechanism used by the federal government to address the issue of…
The FBI and other federal law enforcement officials are having a difficult time keeping up with white collar cases, according to a recent article on the NY Times website. At a time when white collar crimes involving fraudulent lending practices and mortgage fraud have increased due to the nature of…