We wrote earlier on this blog about an important change in the law regarding a police officer’s right to search the vehicle of a person recently arrested in his vehicle. Prior to that change, when police arrested a person in or at his/her vehicle, the police had a right to…
Police officers in Jacksonville, Florida paid special attention to, and made a record number of arrests for, underaged drinking during the Gator Bowl and New Year’s Eve events this year. Some people who have been arrested for underaged drinking or have kids who have been arrested for underaged drinking may…
Federal law enforcement officials arrested 26 doctors, nurses and other health care providers in Miami, New York and Detroit for Medicare fraud according to a recent article. We are also aware of similar arrests made recently in the Jacksonville, Florida area. According to the article, the alleged Medicare fraud was…
In Florida, the police are not authorized under the Constitution to stop a person based merely on a tip that the person has a concealed weapon. Consider a criminal case that was decided recently where a person sees the defendant in a restaurant flashing his gun by lifting his shirt…
The government has established a new task force called the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force which is designed to investigate and prosecute major financial crimes, according to a Department of Justice press release. The agencies that are part of the new task force will focus primarily on the areas of…
A player for the Atlanta Falcons was arrested for possession of more than one ounce of marijuana, which is a felony in Georgia, according to an article on Espn.com. According to the article, Jonathan Babineaux was pulled over for having an expired tag and no tag light. The officer then…
More and more states are considering making a relatively new substance illegal. The substance, which is called Salvia, looks like a mint leaf and comes from Mexico. The substance is consumed either by smoking the plant or chewing a paste made from the plant. When taken, Salvia produces psychoactive effects,…
After the Bernie Madoff debacle, Ponzi schemes are getting more publicity in the news. Ponzi schemes can be committed in different ways, but they typically involve a person or persons who are able to elicit trust from others who believe that person has the ability to make extraordinary returns on…
Law enforcement officers in the Jacksonville area and throughout Florida are cracking down on people who are stealing vehicles to change their identity for resale or to strip them for parts or scrap metal. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) recently arrested six people in Jacksonville who are accused of stealing…
Most people understand that the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution protect us from unreasonable searches and seizures. That means the police and other law enforcement agencies in Florida cannot search our homes, vehicles, etc. and seize our property without consent, a search warrant or emergent circumstances. However, the law…