At this point in time, nearly everyone is active on some form of social media -whether it's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or all of the above. You may know that what's on your newsfeed and is shown to the general public can be used against you as evidence, but did you know that your private direct messages can also lead to charges being placed against you if misconduct is discovered?
How Social Media Private Direct Messages Can Lead to Your Arrest
What Are Your Plea Options In a Criminal Court Case?
Even if you've never been in a courtroom before, chances are you've seen a movie or television show where the judge asks the defendant how they plea to the crime they are being charged for. A plea is essentially your response to the charges being brought against you. There are three ways a defendant can plea during a court case: guilty, not guilty, and nolo contendere (also known as no contest). The way you plea to charges against you determines the next steps in your case. Once you've put in your plea, it's very difficult to withdraw or change it, so be sure you're comfortable with whatever route you decide to go.
What Happens When You Falsify A Threat
We live in a world where safety concerns like bomb threats or random shooting are something we hear about all too often. Many establishments such as schools, airports, and large public venues have policies in place for what to do if that kind of threat should occur. In the event that a threat is reported, law enforcement will immediately jump into action. So, what happens if the reported threat is false and a lie? Does the person who falsified the threat deserve to be punished? What about the time, cost, and mental disruption caused by those involved in the steps that take place after the threat is reported?
Florida Legislature to Pass Law Mandating the Recording of Interrogations
It only seems logically to record interrogations, as that's the moment when may confessions take place. Having these recordings allow for an accurate depiction of how the conversation occurred as well as if the confession seemed honest and truthful or possibly forced or coerced through pressure by the interrogating officer. However, Florida is one of the states in the United States that doesn't legally require for interrogations to be recorded. Senate Bill 204 aims to change that.
What Are Criminal Statutes of Limitations?
Most crimes - with the exception of murder and kidnapping - have a limit of time that a prosecutor can file criminal charges against a suspect. These time limits are known as the statute of limitations. The statutes are in place to make sure that evidence being used is preserved properly and justice is happening in a timely manner.
Can You Sue After A Wrongful Arrest?
Hundreds of arrests happen each day in the United States and many of these are wrongful arrests of defendants who haven't committed the crime they are ultimately charged with and often serve time for. In a country where at any given moment over 2 million people are in prison, even 1% of an error in arrests can result in several thousands of people behind bars for crimes they didn't commit.
What Happens After You Are Arrested and Not Yet Charged with A Crime in Florida?
After you're arrested for a crime, the next step is the filing of the information or indictment. In most cases in Florida (except Capital) the police will fill out a standard police report (A-Form) that will be passed on to the State Attorney's Office who will review the case and determine what crimes they will formally charge you with.
Judges Rule Police Are Protected By Stand Your Ground Law
Having the ability to defend oneself in a moment where you fear for your life is an important factor in feeling safe. The Stand Your Ground law protects those who have to take action to defend themselves in life-threatening cases. Initially, this was a right given to all persons, but not necessarily those on the police force. However, the Florida Supreme Court recently ruled that Florida law enforcement can use the law in some instances.
The Degrees of Murder in the State of Florida
In the state of Florida, there are three different degrees of murder. These degrees are dependent on how the crime takes place and determine the outcome of the sentencing. The circumstances around the situation can have a large effect on how the case is handled in court.
How One Man's Selfie Saved Him from Jail Time
A man in Texas was able to save himself from a life in prison by proving his innocence with the help of a geotagged selfie taken with his family on Facebook. According to KVUE, Cristopher Precopia was accused by his ex-girlfriend of breaking into her home and using a box cutter to slice an X into her chest.
