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The closest most people will ever get to a real criminal trial is tuning into an episode of Law and Order or Matlock. Even for people who have been accused of crimes a small minority actually make it all the…

Every criminal practitioner in Florida should be well aware that if the police claim they smell marijuana from you or your car, they are going to conduct a search, and Florida Court’s will back up the legality of that search.…

Face-to-Face Witnesses vs Zoom – Did The COVID Pandemic Change The Courtroom? Some say the pandemic changed the way many Americans think about work, business, and even social interactions, usually for the worse. We look down at our phones when…

Think the police need to see a traffic infraction to stop you? You’re wrong. Police ‘welfare checks’ are legal in Florida. What are ‘Welfare Checks’? For every rule in the criminal law there is an exception, and here that rule…

On October 16th the 2nd DCA made it clear that if the police want your blood after a traffic crash, they need to get busy or have a good reason why they didn’t. (State v Harris 2D2023-1430) When can police take…

What You May Not Know About Your Cell Phone Being Tracked Almost everyone you know uses and carries a cell phone. And what many people know, and even a Court will say every once in a while, is that we…

Cassanova Gabriel v State 4D2024-1502 (4th DCA October 16th 2024) – Self-Defense in Florida When Florida created it’s Stand Your Ground law, it recognized something that Floridians have used and relied on in many aspects of life as far as…

All About Police Lies and Coerced Confession If you think that the police don’t lie to citizens on a regular basis in criminal cases then this case is the one for you. If you want to learn about police lies…

Facebook Records are Protected by the 4th Amendment Larry Young v State 4D2023-1056 – Facebook Messages are Protected by the 4th Amendment Recently the 4th DCA clearly established that your private messages to your friends and family on facebook are…

Cell Phone Tracking – What Is It? A recent case from the Fourth DCA is insightful for learning about how CSLI devices are used by law enforcement agencies and the prosecution, and how the doctrine of inevitable discovery is applied…