We have heard many times from clients that police did not read them their Miranda rights. And trust us when we say we believe you. However, you might be shocked to hear that law enforcement does not have to read you your rights. “Miranda Rights” comes from a Supreme Court…
South Florida Criminal Attorneys Blog
Officer Who Hid During Parkland School Shooting to go on Trial
The devastating Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass-shooting in Parkland, Florida is a day that will live on in our minds and hearts forever. 17 people were killed and several more, including staff, were injured. Scot Peterson was an armed officer at the school. On that day, he retreated into…
Can Police Officers Go Through Your Phone?
Nowadays, it is rare to meet someone who does not own a smartphone. It is normal to wonder if Florida police can search your phone for evidence. Can police officers scroll through the information contained on your phone without a warrant? If you are arrested, officers are able to search…
Can Police Search Your Car If They Smell Marijuana?
The U.S. Constitution protects you against unreasonable search and seizure. However, law enforcement gets around the need for a warrant by showing reasonable cause for a search. Usually, police need to show that they had reason to believe you were breaking the law. This generally happens during traffic stops. Before,…
Social Media Pictures Lead to Felony Charge for Florida Woman
“Do it for the gram” is a 21st-century phrase that refers to when a person does stuff for the sole purpose of posting it to Instagram for likes and attention. Recently, a 20-year-old Florida woman got in some serious trouble when she did just that by posting pictures of her…
Using Mistake of Fact or Law as a Defense
In criminal law, mistake of fact and mistake of law are both defenses that can be used to exonerate criminal charges if deemed reasonable. To be convicted of relevant criminal charges the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the criminal defendant acted with criminal intent rather than as…
Can a Polygraph Exam (Lie Detector Test) Prove I am Innocent?
If you have watched any crime show, you are probably familiar with polygraph exams. However, they are nearly never used in court cases, especially in Florida. Florida law is clear that a polygraph is never admissible in court because it has not been shown to pass scientific standards to be…
CDC Vaccine Card Fraud Penalties
Over 100 million Americans have gotten at least one or both doses of a coronavirus vaccine and have received a free proof-of-vaccination card with the logo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there has been no clear indication or protocol on how to confirm if someone is…
Federal Court: How Did We Get Here?
The court system is divided into two types, federal and state. Both systems have different cases assigned to them accordingly. The state court is mainly responsible for clarifying state law while federal courts have a wider variety of cases to handle. Many do not know what it takes or how…
PPP Loan Fraud
The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349…