When people hear the term "racketeering", they likely envision organized crime families, extortion or a large-scale money laundering operation. After all, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act was established to combat organized crime. What may...
A person can be arrested for drug possession if they are caught with an illegal substance on their person. But what happens if illegal substances are found in a home or vehicle? A person could face constructive possession charges, even if the illegal substance is not...
Florida has a reputation for being tough on crime. That reputation, in many cases, is warranted. In addition to laws addressing the charges and consequences associated with individual crimes, Florida has a couple of laws aimed at putting and keeping people behind...
In criminal cases, evidence can make or break the outcome. However, not all evidence collected by law enforcement is allowed in court. Certain evidence can be ruled inadmissible, no matter how incriminating it may seem. When evidence is deemed inadmissible, the court...
Protective orders, also called injunctions for protection, are legally binding court orders in Florida. They are meant to protect someone from violence, threats or harassment. These orders must be taken seriously. If someone breaks the terms, severe legal consequences...
In Florida, some criminal offenses can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. These are known as wobbler offenses. The final charge depends on how the case is handled by prosecutors and the court. What factors are considered in the decisions of prosecutors? ...
In today’s digital world, most of your information exists on your smartphone. Contacts, photos and conversations with your friends can easily be accessed. But who has the right to access that information? Can the police seize your phone and search through its...
Discovering that the police are considering arresting you can be terrifying. It’s the sort of thing that can cause people to react without giving due thought to the possible consequences of their actions. It’s possible that actions that make sense to you at the time...
A pretext stop occurs when law enforcement pulls someone over for a minor traffic violation but uses it as an excuse to investigate unrelated suspicions of criminal activity. While police officers are legally allowed to conduct pretext stops under the U.S. Supreme...
People who are being detained by the police need to remember that they have rights. These include ones that are set by the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution. Police officers must tell these individuals about specific rights, which are also known as...