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Tampa Criminal Defense
Florida's Premier Criminal Defense Firm


Most Recent Blog Entries

Police Drug Dogs: When Can They Be Used for Search?

Spurred by higher arrest rates and favorable court decisions, the use of so-called “drug dogs” has increased dramatically in recent years. It is now quite common to see police cruisers or SUVs emblazoned with a telltale “K-9″ mark that indicates the presence of a trained police dog inside the vehicle. Although not every law enforcement dog is trained to detect the presence of drugs, citizens who come into contact with any sort of police canine should assume that it is capable of sniffing out narcotics.

There are certain situations in which it is permissible for law enforcement officers to use drug dogs.…

Even Police Officers Are Not Immune from DUI Arrests in Florida

Earlier on in the week an Orange County sheriff’s sergeant was taken into custody on a charge of a DUI misdemeanor  The police patrol  apprehended Sgt. Kevin Meyer last Sunday when he was seen hitting the rear end of an auto that was moving.

The accused was driving an unmarked pick-up belonging to law enforcement and was wearing uniform when the incident took place.

The state trooper who was at the scene of the arrest recorded that Meyer was not steady on his feet. When he spoke he was not coherent and his eyes indicated that he was DUI, because they were bloodshot.…

Partial Success for Ban on Texting While Driving in Florida

The Florida Legislature has finally passed a bill which aims to cut down the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers who attempt to text while driving. Two Florida senators have tried for years to put their version of a bill before the State Senate, only to see the bill fail at the first hurdle.

The proposed bill hardly seems tough, especially compared to many other states. Drivers who use mobile devices, like cell phones, for making calls or texting, are estimated to cause around one in four of all accidents in Florida. This is a number six times greater than driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.…

What is Probable Cause?

Anyone who has watched legal-themed television shows or read any popular treatises on the activities of law enforcement agencies has probably heard of “probable cause.” Basically, the term describes a condition that must exist before any police officers are permitted to search a citizen’s private property or seize any such property. Probable cause is often cited in the course of the following law enforcement activities:

-Arrests and bookings
-Vehicle searches
-Personal searches of bystanders or pedestrians
-Searches of homes, businesses and other public or private structures

Applications For Arrest or Search Warrants

Probable cause is often misrepresented in the popular media and may be misconstrued by members of the general public.…

What do you do if injured while on vacation in Florida?

Do the search anyway you want to frame the words. It could be “Florida Vacation Lawyer”, or “Iowa Lawyer Handling Florida Vacation Injuries” or any other mix of words to indicate you were hurt while on your Florida vacation and need a personal injury lawyer.

Here is the important point you need to know, when you’re on vacation and you or someone in your family is injured through no fault of your own, how do you hire a lawyer from the place where you live? How do you pick the right lawyer and then to manage the litigation?

It is actually a lot easier than you might think because being licensed in Florida and knowing lawyers in Iowa, Texas and other vacation destinations I’ve already done the work for you.…

Yankees Outfielder Mason Williams Arrested for DUI in Tampa

New York Yankees outfielder Mason Williams was arrested on April 25, 2013 and charged with driving under the influence in Tampa, Mason William Mug ShotFlorida.  Williams was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fourth round in 2010.  Williams was arrested at the intersection of North Dale Mabry and North B Street and submitted to a breath test once he was taken to the Orient Road jail.  Once at the jail Williams blew into the intoxilyzer 8000 breath test machine and his breath alcohol level was a .062 and a .067.

Because Williams blew under the legal limit, the State of Florida will not take action to suspend his driver’s license pursuant to Florida’s administrative suspension law.  However, Williams will still need to fight the charge in criminal court since the State Attorney in Hillsborough county will be deciding whether to prosecute him for driving under the influence.  The Florida DUI jury instruction specifically states that the prosecutor is not entitled to a presumption of impairment when the breath test is below a .08.…

Using The ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law As A Defense

In 2012 a national debate was unleashed with the shooting of Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old African American teen shot by neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman.  Central to the debate was the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law, a variation of ‘Castle Laws’ and similar policies designed to protect individuals who claim to be acting in self-defense. The idea behind ‘Stand Your Ground’ is fairly simple – if a person is in a position where they have to defend themselves, they have no duty or legal responsibility to retreat. They can ‘‘Stand Your Ground’’ and use whatever force is necessary to protect themselves.…

Everything You Need to Know About Ignition Interlock Devices

If you’ve been charged with a DUI, but want to continue to drive, one option that’s usually available to you is an Ignition Interlock Device.

Theses devices consist of a breathalyzer machine that is installed in the offender’s vehicle. The offender must blow into the breathalyzer and register a BAC below the legal limit in order for the car to start. If they blow above the limit, the car will not start. During the drive, the offender must take the test again to ensure that they are not consuming alcohol while driving. If the offender blows over the legal limit at any time, the results of the BAC test will be delivered to their probation officer.…

Kansas Supreme Court Says DUI On Tribal Land Does Not Count Towards License Suspension

In a surprising case out of Kansas, the state’s Supreme Court held this week that a man’s driver’s license should be reinstated despite an arrest for drunk driving. Though this may seem very unusual given the definitive evidence against the driver, the Kansas Supreme Court said its decision in Jacob Carl Rodewald v. Kansas Department of Revenue was based on the location of the arrest: the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Indian Reservation.

According to a recent report at CJOnline.com, the state’s highest court decided that Kansas’ license suspension law does not apply to those arrests made by tribal law enforcement officers while on tribal land.…

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Without Risking a DUI Charge

On St. Patrick’s Day, everybody is a little bit Irish, and of course, many of us will find ourselves out celebrating. Whether that celebration is at the neighborhood bar, or a party at a friend’s house, we all need to focus on safety as we drive home or, for those hosting the party, as guests drive home. The most important thing is to avoid putting others at risk as a result of your celebration. Our team of  lawyers wants to help you be safe and avoid legal trouble.

Some Tips to Prevent Drinking and Driving After the Celebration

Plan in Advance - Getting home safely must be the number one priority.…

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