IDENTITY THEFT BASICS: FORT LAUDERDALE IS A HOT LOCATION Fort Lauderdale and Miami are hot spots for identity fraud. Sadly or not it is a fact of life for those living in Broward County, Miami and Palm Beach. Taking a victim’s identity to obtain credit is the most common identity…
IF I’M ARRESTED: DO THE POLICE HAVE TO READ ME MY RIGHTS? No. Huh? Your right to remain silent only applies AFTER an arrest, not before. If you are arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Miami or West Palm Beach you MUST know the difference between a stop, a detention, police contact,…
FORT LAUDERDALE SEEKS PART OF $19MM TO CURTAIL DUI The US Department of Justice announced it is awarding $19,000,000.00 to States that focus or arresting drunk drivers. Fort Lauderdale prosecutors are very aggressive in arresting and criminally charging drivers who are stopped for a DUI investigation. The money will be…
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA Fort Lauderdale is the county seat, so you will find the Circuit Court in downtown Fort Lauderdale. There are two courtrooms which handle only domestic violence crimes: a misdemeanor courtroom with Judge Gonzales, and a felony courtroom presided over by Judge Cohen. If…
Many of those accused of crimes in South Florida are forced to agree to excessive amounts of money payments under the restitution element of their sentence. The Fourth District Court of Appeals, which reviews South Florida criminal cases, clarified the rule. The court found that a Broward judge abused his…
Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Ralph Behr has sent an advisory to his clients on probation. It concerns the recent ruling from the appellate court that covers South Florida: particularly Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. The ruling clarifies when drug offender probation terms are added to probation for non-drug crimes…
Florida DUI penalties were enhanced starting in 2008. The principal change has been an increase in the fine: from $250 for a first DUI to $500. If you are arrested and refuse to provide a breath exemplar your first refusal counts towards the newly enacted misdemeanor charge of breath-refusal. Now…
US currency (paper money) that circulates in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and south to Miami has the highest traces of cocaine in the world. Possession of cocaine requires actual possession, knowledge and control. If you hold on too tight to your money you cannot be convicted of possession. Former President George…
In South Florida a Probation Violation means ten days of jail in Fort Lauderdale before you see a judge. Fort Lauderale is in the 17th Judicial Circuit, it does not include Miami. A willful and substantial violation of probation generates a probation officer filing a request for a pick-up order:…
The US Supreme Court held that the 4th Amendement can apply in deportation cases. This is a big step towards granting constitutional protections to those without legal status in the U.S. Fort Lauderdale and Miami have large populations of non-US residents without status. South Florida criminal lawyers are always mindful…