A first DUI arrest is disorienting, and most of what happens in the following days runs on a faster clock than people expect. Two separate processes start at the same time, and one of them moves regardless of what happens with the criminal case. License suspension starts at arrest: an administrative suspension can begin immediately, […]
I Just Got a DUI for the First Time in Florida. What Happens Now? Read More »
This is one of the more serious situations a person can face after a crash, and it deserves a direct, honest answer. Florida treats impairment and leaving the scene as two separate offenses, and understanding how they interact matters for what comes next. Two separate charges: DUI and leaving the scene are prosecuted independently, not
I Was Drunk and Left the Scene of an Accident in Florida. What Happens Now? Read More »
Feeling you are being accused of something, whether or not any charge has yet been filed, is disorienting. The instinct is often to wait and see what happens next. In Florida, waiting is frequently the wrong call, and the reason is more specific than most people expect. No requirement to warn you yet: police only
Did a judge really rule Florida’s red light camera law unconstitutional? Yes, in one specific case. On March 3, 2026, a Broward County judge dismissed a red light camera citation after finding that Florida’s enforcement framework unconstitutionally shifts the burden of proof onto vehicle owners. The ruling does not strike down the law statewide, but
Florida Judge Rules Red Light Camera Law Unconstitutional: What It Means for Your Ticket Read More »
What does Trenton’s Law change in Florida? Refusing a breath or urine test after a DUI arrest is now a crime the first time it happens, not just a license suspension. House Bill 687, known as Trenton’s Law and codified as Chapter 2025-121, Laws of Florida, took effect October 1, 2025, and amended Fla. Stat.
Trenton’s Law: Refusing a Breath Test Is Now a Crime in Florida Read More »
Do police need a warrant to search my car in Florida? Sometimes, and the exceptions are broader than most people expect. The Fourth Amendment generally requires a warrant for a search, but courts have carved out several situations specific to vehicles where officers do not need one. Florida’s Constitution, Article I, Section 12, requires state
Can the Police Search My Car Without a Warrant in Florida? Read More »
What does the Officer Jason Raynor Act do? SB 156, the Officer Jason Raynor Act, took effect immediately upon Governor DeSantis signing it on June 16, 2026, rather than waiting for the usual July 1 or October 1 effective date most new Florida laws carry. It increases penalties for violent offenses against law enforcement officers
The Officer Jason Raynor Act (SB 156): What Changed in Florida Read More »
What does SB 212 restrict? Florida’s SB 212, now Chapter 2026-17, Laws of Florida, amends Fla. Stat. § 775.215 to prohibit a person convicted of specified sexual offenses involving a victim younger than 16 from residing within 1,000 feet of a public swimming pool, effective July 1, 2026. That distance already applied to schools, child
Florida’s New Sex Offender Pool Residency Law: What SB 212 Changed Read More »
More than 90 percent of criminal cases in this country end in a plea, not a trial. That does not mean a plea is automatically the right choice for a given case. It means the decision deserves the same scrutiny most people reserve for a trial they never end up having. What is a plea
Should I Take a Plea Deal? What to Know Before You Decide Read More »
An arrest alone, even without a conviction, can appear on a standard background check. Most people assume only convictions show up. That assumption is wrong, and it can cost a job offer or a lease. What shows up on a Florida background check after an arrest? Arrest records are public in Florida. The arrest itself,
What Shows Up on a Background Check After an Arrest in Florida? Read More »
