Recent Blog Posts
Disciplinary Hearings Related To Alcohol Abuse In Florida
Essentially, anything that it’s illegal to do off-campus, it’s illegal to do on-campus. Even student conduct committed off-campus could give rise to disciplinary actions by a university. Among the most common disciplinary actions that students face are those related to alcohol. If a student is arrested, the arresting agency will sometimes send a copy… Read More »
Two Facing Federal Charges Related To Real Estate Fraud
Two men are facing charges related to a real estate scheme that bilked an investor of $12 million. The investor was asked to put up money for real estate deals that never occurred. According to the defendants, they needed the cash to cover the deposits on the real estate, and they would immediately flip… Read More »
8 Indicted For Bank Fraud, Criminal Conspiracy
Eight South Florida defendants are facing charges that they stole routing and account numbers for the purposes of fabricating forged checks, depositing the money into their own accounts, and using it for personal gain. The indictment lists 30 counts against the defendants. While the press release does not specify what these charges are, we… Read More »
Former U.S. Army Veteran Sent To Federal Prison For Threatening Violence
America’s newest protest movement involves folks who are really into former President Donald Trump and don’t believe that Joe Biden was elected legally. Now, a former U.S. Army veteran is headed to federal prison after making online threats to kidnap or injure. He will face 3.5 years behind bars for his conduct. However, this… Read More »
Court Will Hear Appeal Of Man Who Claims Prosecution Removed Black Jurors
A North Carolina appeals court will hear the case of a man who claims that the prosecution removed all of the Black jurors from his trial illegally. It is the first appeal in the history of the N.C. courts to review a conviction on the basis of race. Initially, the man’s conviction had been… Read More »
Federal Judge Rules “Disorderly Conduct” Charges Against Students Overly Broad
That which is not compulsory is prohibited. That which is not prohibited is compulsory. While some might advocate for such a system of governance, you won’t find too many of those in America. Yet petty tyrants can often impose rules on those within their authority, charge them under those rules, and sometimes even convict… Read More »
Don’t let your client get CLOSED out
Identifying improper closing arguments in Florida prosecutions by Luke Newman[1] January, 2016 The witnesses have testified and the exhibits have been entered into evidence with the clerk. The judge has made legal rulings and copies of the jury instructions are warm off the printer. The time has come for defense counsel to endure the… Read More »
Sometimes they just don’t like you
Earlier today I wrapped up representation in another Tallahassee area self-defense case. Being a Florida self-defense case, the law at issue is the dreaded “Four Horseman” of statutory confusion known as the “Stand Your Ground” law. The “Stand Your Ground” law was enacted by the Florida Legislature in 2005. The law thoroughly modified Florida’s… Read More »
Good Parenting Is Not Good for Your Kid
The scene opens in a dreary interrogation room in Tallahassee’s Leon County Sheriffs Office. A young juvenile, seated, slumps to one side, backed into a corner by a table. A veteran detective sits across the table, his back to the small room’s only door. The juvenile’s father sits aside the table, looking nervous. The… Read More »
Attacking “Stand Your Ground” on All Fronts
I think it’s fair to say that most prosecutors are not fond of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. The law provides statutory immunity to individuals who claim they were justified in using force. As far as self-defense statutes go; the law is reported to be relatively broad when compared to similar provisions in other… Read More »
