Everyone likes to pretend they are Irish when St. Patrick's Day comes around. Did you know St. Patrick's Day is the fourth most popular drinking day of the year? Restaurants and bars often host large alcohol-fueled events full of green beer and whiskey. With so many of these parties taking place the number of people who are at risk of drunk driving increases. Nationwide, on St. Patrick's Day, 38 percent of drivers killed in crashes had a blood alcohol limit higher than .08, and three-quarters of those were at least double that.
How to File an Appeal in Florida
The legal system is made to bring justice to those who are wrong, but on often times a decision is made that can be harmful to those who aren't guilty of certain actions that they are being charged with. In such instances, cases and their outcomes may be appealed. There is an entire court process that is dedicated to reviewing decisions that are made in trial court when it is deemed as though there may have been a legal error in the first go-around. Appeals are different from trials, and by no means looked at as a second chance to argue ones case. Appeals are mean to right a wrong that occurs during the initial judgment.
Florida Senate Aims to Lessen First Time Drug Offender Sentences
This week, the Florida Senate made moves toward passing a bill that would lessen sentences for first time drug offenders and would also allow for judges to have a little more say in drug-related conviction sentencing on a case-by-case basis.
What is Clemency?
Not everyone who is put behind bars belongs there, and sometimes they do, but the sentence they are given can be deemed too long or too hard later on. Fortunately, there's a legal way to have a prison term shortened or ended immediately. Clemency is a form of pardoning, shortening, or allowing reprieve of one's prison sentence. This does not mean that the person is not guilty; it simply means they have been forgiven of their crimes. The state's governor or the President of the United States are the only people who can grant clemency.
Two Miami Men Arrested for TaxFraud
It's tax season! Over the next few months, as work documents begin rolling in, Americans will be filing their 2019 taxes. This is a task that can be daunting for those who owe the IRS money, exciting for those who get a return, and dangerous for those who commit tax fraud year after year.
How Voice Activated Smart Speakers Are Helping Solve Crimes
Devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are changing lives at home at a rapid pace. These Bluetooth activated smart devices can be controlled from anywhere and are ready to work with a simple voice command. Whether it's to ask about the weather, learn what's going on in your neighborhood, or to play your favorite song - Alexa and the other smart devices are listening. The same can be said when it comes to having a crime take place in your home. The simple triggering of the device can cause it to record what's happening in the room and the audio is sent to the Cloud.
Drones May Be Law Enforcement's Body Camera of 2020
For the first time in Miami Dade history, the use drone footage was approved by a judge as viable evidence in a case involving a drug dealer. The narcotics detectives in Miami-Dade needed a way to look into the operation of a suspected armed drug dealer. After getting pre-approval from the judge, they used a drone to capture the footage leading to the arrest of Andre "Dread" Scott who was selling cocaine to an undercover informant in his yard.
Florida's Fireworks Laws May Be Amended in a Favorable Way
As we welcomed the New Year just a few weeks ago, there's a large possibility that you attended a party or event where there were fireworks present or to be heard in the distance. Setting off fireworks is a holiday tradition that is typically done during Independence Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and sometimes even on Memorial Day.
Police Departments in Florida to Partner with Ring Door Bell Technology
Finding ways to solve crimes in a quicker, more efficient way is very important to law enforcement. A new partnership with Ring, a high-tech doorbell company owned by Amazon, might be lighting the way for law enforcement to have better access to video surveillance in neighborhoods after a crime has been committed.
No Texting While Driving Law Goes Into Full Effect in January
Back in May of 2019, it was announced that a new Florida law was passed regarding texting and driving. Due to the passing of this bill, law enforcement was given the ability to pull over drivers who are caught texting while their car is in motion. Though the law has been in place for several months, as of January 1st, law enforcement has officially begun ticketing drivers who break the new rule.
