Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog

Earlier this month, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office issued a warning to the public that misusing a laser lighting device is a third-degree felony. If the light is deliberately pointed at and harms someone operating a boat, car, or aircraft, it is a second-degree felony. And if the aircraft crashes as a result of the laser beam, it becomes a first-degree felony.

In the past year, the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office has fielded about 20 complaints about laser beams from pilots and air traffic controllers at Palm Beach International Airport. According to a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, the most recent incident occurred on October 10 when someone shined a laser beam into the cockpit of a JetBlue flight for approximately two minutes over the Palm Beach Gardens area.

Those with information on the misuse of a laser are asked to report it to authorities.

Blind a driver, boater or pilot with a laser and get a felony, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 14, 2009

Continue reading " Palm Beach County Felony Defense Attorney Discusses Lasers " »

Plantation, Florida -

The City of Plantation's police department has some recommendations and tips for a safe Halloween. Our main Broward County criminal defense law firm is located in Plantation and we thought we would pass some of their ideas along to our readers.

The focus here is obviously the children - their safety primarily, but also trying to limit any legal exposure - both criminal and civil. Our Plantation Criminal Defense Attorneys always see a spike in juvenile criminal cases on Halloween.

Halloween safety tips from the Plantation Police Department:

•Try to use sidewalks whenever possible.

•Walk facing traffic.

•Carry a flashlight to increase visibility.

•Have the children stay in your own neighborhood if possible.

•Don't damage other people's property. Just because it's Halloween doesn't mean the police will look the other way. The Plantation police department will still prosecute vandalism, theft and criminal mischief and any other juvenile criminal offense.

For more tips, see the Sun-Sentinel's article, Halloween safety tips

Continue reading " Plantation Florida Criminal Lawyer - Tips for a Safe Halloween " »

Our Broward prostitution defense attorneys have learned that authorities in South Florida arrested 84 people last week in a three-day sweep that was aimed at finding underage girls who were forced into prostitution. Operation Cross Country IV was a joint task force with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Broward Sheriff's Office, and Miami-Dade, Miami Beach, and Miami police.

In Broward County, the task force arrested nine people. Seventy-five people were arrested in Miami-Dade County, and twenty-four of those were arrested on Miami Beach. Authorities also say a 14-year-old girl was rescued in the Miami Beach prostitution sweep.

The arrests were made on a variety of charges such as deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, transportation for prostitution, possession of cocaine, and offering to engage in prostitution.

84 arrested in Miami-Dade, Broward counties as part of anti-prostitution operation, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 26, 2009

Continue reading " Broward Solicitation for Prostitution Lawyer - Police Arrest 84 in Anti-Prostitution Operation " »

According to statistics from Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice, the number of youths charged with violent felonies dropped 7% statewide between fiscal year 2003-2004 and 2007-2008. The decrease was 2% in Broward County, 12% in Palm Beach County, and 13% in Miami-Dade County. The drop in juvenile crime rates came despite a rise in population.

Crime experts attribute the decrease to better support programs for teens and a general drop in crime levels, including teenage crime. Another factor may be the departure from zero-tolerance policies from the past. For instance, instead of automatic arrest an officer can now turn minors over to the wrath of their parents.

While overall statistics show a drop in juvenile crime, several recent incidents in South Florida show that teens are still committing violent crimes. Last month, a 17-year-old Miami student stabbed a teen classmate to death at Coral Gables High School. And in 2008, a 12-year-old Lauderhill boy bludgeons his infant cousin to death with a baseball bat.

Brutal cases aside, juvenile crime down in South Florida, figures show, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 14, 2009

Continue reading " Broward Juvenile Lawyer - Data Shows Juvenile Crime Down in South Florida " »

Our South Florida traffic attorneys recently read about how open-road tolling is reducing the number of motor vehicle accidents on toll roads. Open-road tolling means that Florida drivers with electronic transponders drive beneath an overpass that deducts the toll from their accounts, eliminating the need for them to use tollbooths.

Before Orange County started using open-road tolling, the county recorded hundreds of tollbooth accident each year, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in car and tollbooth damages. Between 2001 and 2005, the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority recorded more than 200 crashes per year in its tollbooths. That number reached 303 in 2005.

Expressways are much safer with the use of open-road tolling. In fact, records show a 61% drop in tollbooth crashes. A spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol said opening up the highway's lanes and clearing away construction around tollbooths has significantly improved traffic safety.

Good news: New toll plazas reduce crashes, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 13, 2009

Continue reading " Broward Sun Pass Violation Lawyer: Florida's New Toll Plazas Reduce Crashes " »

Earlier this month, the Delray Beach City Commission voted unanimously to allow restaurants bars to begin selling alcohol at 7am instead of at noon. However, the new law still forbids the sale of alcohol for drinking "off premise," so it will not apply to supermarkets and convenience stores.

Not surprisingly, restaurant owners support creating a wider window for alcohol sales to compete with bars and restaurants in the surrounding area. Still, some worry the new law might be unfair to supermarkets and convenience stores. Stores in Boynton Beach and unincorporated Palm Beach County are allowed to sell booze after 7am. But in Boca Raton, the law prohibits liquor sales before 1pm on Sundays.

The city will vote on the topic again at the next city commission meeting.

Delray considers early alcohol sales on Sundays, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 7, 2009

Continue reading " Delray Beach Attorneys Discuss Possible Relaxing of Alcohol Laws " »

In the past several years, Miami-Dade police have charged over 50,000 people with so-called "quality of life" misdemeanors like being in a park after hours, selling flowers by the side of the road, and drinking beer near a liquor store. All of these cases were processed by the county's already overburdened court system, and many of the charges were later dismissed.

The County Commission will be reviewing a report later this month to decide if these "nuisance laws" should be lifted. Currently there are 18 seemingly minor misdeeds that are on the books as crimes punishable by jail time. Those who support the decriminalization movement say it would allow police to focus on more serious crimes such as domestic violence, homicide, or assault.

Broward County has fewer cases, so there is no decriminalization movement in that country.

Miami-Dade County's costly `nuisance laws' could get the ax, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 12, 2009

Continue reading " Miami-Dade Criminal Lawyer - "Nuisance Laws" to be Decriminalized? " »

When John Tabbutt, of Winter Springs, called 911 about accidentally shooting his bride-to-be the night before their wedding, he was sobbing hysterically and asked the dispatcher to send an ambulance immediately. But when James Robert Ward placed a similar call to 911 on September 21, he told the dispatcher calmly and politely, "I just shot my wife … she's dead."

This contrast highlights an important issue that detectives have been studying: how a 911 caller's demeanor can clue in investigators to potential crime suspects. Ward pleaded not guilty to a second-degree-murder charge and is out on bond as his case develops. Tabbutt has not been arrested.

Since 911 calls are recorded and sometimes the information in those conversations contradicts the suspect's alibi, they can be useful information for crminal investigators. Of course, people react differently in a crisis, so that information isn't always reliable.

Are you innocent or guilty? 911 call may tell, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 15, 2009

Continue reading " South Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Discuss 911 Calls as Evidence " »

According to a 2003 study released by the American Automobile Association, drivers without a valid license are five times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers who have a legal license. Traditionally, law enforcement agencies don't actively pursue unlicensed drivers.

But in Palm Beach County, teams of state troopers and deputies have been cracking down on unlicensed drivers. In fact, they have been ordered to stake out courthouses and apprehend drivers attempting to pull out of the parking after losing their driver's license. Since the crackdown started in September, over a dozen drivers whose licenses were suspended by a judge have been arrested and their vehicles towed, according to officials.

Of course, not everyone agrees with this approach. A Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer said he feels tax dollars would be better spent policing more serious issues like violent crime. Although officials say they are planning additional operations in Miami-Dade and Broward county, they would not disclose the details.

New tactic from law enforcement agencies nabs unlicensed drivers, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 7, 2009

Continue reading " Broward Traffic Lawyer Discusses New Strategy for Nabbing Unlicensed Drivers " »

Last week, Parkland's City Commission voted unanimously to approve a ban on text messaging while driving within Parkland city limits. The ban was prompted by a recent Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study that found drivers who text while behind the wheel are 23 times as likely to be involved in a car accident compared to other drivers. Commissioner Jared Moskowitz reportedly proposed the ban.

Florida drivers face a $100 fine for texting while driving, but on-duty police and fire officials are exempt. However, deputies are currently issuing warnings while the city awaits a ruling from the state Attorney General's Office on the legality of a text messaging ban.

Some believe that text messaging while driving as is dangerous as drunk driving or dui, especially for younger, less experienced drivers.

Parkland bans texting while driving, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 7, 2009

Florida could ban texting while driving, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 26, 2009.

Continue reading " Broward Traffic Attorney - Parkland Becomes First City in Broward County to Ban Texting While Driving " »

Broward County, Florida. Earlier this week in Fort Lauderdale, Dolphins practice squad player Wilfred "Will" Billingsley was arrested on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence battery and resisting arrest. A Broward County judge ordered Billingsley held on $4,000 bail after he allegedly tried to throw his live-in girlfriend out of their Wilton Manors residence.

When police arrived to investigate the domestic dispute, the girlfriend had scratches on her left upper arm and neck, according to police. The 25-year-old football player has been ordered by a domestic violence judge to avoid contact with his girlfriend. The girlfriend was also arrested on a charge of obstruction after police say she interfered with Billingsley's arrest. She was released after agreeing to appear in front of a judge at a later date.

While the girlfriend insists that Billingsley "didn't do anything," the Broward State Attorney's Office said it has a "pro-prosecution policy" towards domestic violence, meaning it reviews all domestic violence cases for prosecution regardless of whether the victim plans to press charges.

Girlfriend says she won't press charges against Dolphins' Billingsley, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 6, 2009

Continue reading " Fort Lauderdale Domestic Violence Lawyer - Miami Dolphin Player Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges " »

South Florida traffic lawyer Doug Leifert was recently quoted in a Sun Sentinel article about the increase in DUI convictions and traffic citations over the last few years.

According to Leifert, "My office is busier and busier every year. Without even looking at the stats, I can tell you the increased enforcement is obvious."

Comparing Leifert's statement to the actual statistics shows that Palm Beach County drivers did in fact get more traffic tickets in 2008 compared to the previous year. In fact, every category of traffic citations increased in 2008, but the most dramatic increase was in more serious cases like DUI and fleeting police.

While Palm Beach County saw up to an 85% increase in DUI convictions last year, in part because of prior statistical reporting issues, Broward County and the state of Florida actually saw traffic citations drop. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office doubled its DUI unit and did several new specialized operations focused on speeding and DUIs, which may partly explain the discrepancy.

Palm Beach County records 85 percent increase in 2008 DUI convictions; all traffic citation categories rise, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 1, 2009

Continue reading " Delray Beach Traffic Attorney Doug Leifert Comments on Traffic Tickets " »

The South Florida Sun Sentinel recently published an article about protecting yourself from armed robbery. Most strong-arm robberies (muggings, hold-ups) occur at night and to male victims, although women are a common target for purse snatching.

The safest way to avoid an armed robbery is to avoid going out after dark. But since traveling at night is sometimes inevitable, our South Florida criminal defense lawyers wanted to share these tips from the article:
-Don't carry a weapon that could be used against you.
-Don't take shortcuts through deserted areas like parks or vacant lots.
-Travel in groups! An armed robber will generally target an individual traveling alone rather than a group of two or more people.
-Don't accept rides from strangers.
-Always try to park in well-lit areas and be cautious entering or exiting your vehicle.

If you are confronted, then follow these steps:
-Give the criminal what he asks for. Your wallet, keys, jewelry, or credit cards can all be replaced. You can't.
-Don't make any sudden movements. The robber might feel threatened if he thinks you are reaching for a concealed weapon.
-Contact police as soon as possible.

How to protect yourself from armed robbery, South Florida Sun Sentinel, September 24, 2009

Continue reading " Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorney Discusses Armed Robbery Prevention " »

BROWARD COUNTY CLERK of COURTS

The core services of the Broward County Clerks Office include: filing court proceedings; filing and retrieval of documents such as arrests, traffic citations, affidavits, marriage licenses and other court related documents; collection of court fees; creation of court dockets and notification of participants.

The following Broward County courthouses have Clerk of Court locations providing for fine payment and driver license reinstatement services Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM:

Broward County Courthouse
201 Southeast 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Broward County South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33021

Broward County North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Broward County West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Plantation, FL 33324