Florida Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

According to Palm Beach Post reporter Jason Schultz, in his article Woman Crashes Into Man on Scooter, Leaves Scene to Keep Hair Appointment, 77 year old resident Louise Davidson just could not miss her hair appointment. Ms. Davidson allegedly turned in front of a scooter that had the right-of-way. The man on the scooter crashed into the side of Ms. Davidson's car and thrusted him on to her windshield. He was evaluated by the paramedics and it does not appear that he suffered any serious injuries. Ms. Davidson was stopped by police when she returned to her neighborhood and arrested for leaving the scene of an accident involving injury, which is a third degree felony under Florida law. That charge is punishable by up to 5 years state prison and the possibility of 6 points on her driving record. If prison is not a condition of the sentence, the possibility of probation is very probable. The State Attorney's Office in West Palm Beach County, Florida will make a decision on what charges to file in the case. The reduced charge of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage is a second degree misdemeanor under Florida statute 316.061. That statute is punishable my up to 6 months of probation, $500 Fine, possible driver's license suspension, 6 points on the license, 60 days in the county jail, and any fines and/or court costs. Contact the website www.FightYourTicket.com for additional information on leaving the scene of an accident or call toll fee at 1-800-Fight-It to speak with an experienced traffic law attorney.

According to a Ft. Myers News-Press article, Lee County Bans Traditional Toothbrushes at Jail, inmates in custody at the Lee County Jail will have to put away their toothbrushes. Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott has banned all toothbrushes in the jail for safety reasons. The Sheriff believes that the toothbrushes are being used to create deadly weapons which can be used against correctional officers as well as other inmates. Individuals arrested for DUI or driving while license suspended charges, which typically result in a short period of incarceration, will more than likely never be issued personal items since they typically bond out within 24-48 hours. In place of traditional toothbrushes, the Lee County Sheriff will distribute fingertip style toothbrushes that will not create a dangerous dagger. In the meantime, jailers at the Lee County Jail will do a major sweep of the jail to recover any remaining toothbrushes that have previously been distributed to inmates. The Lee County Sheriffs Office will donate any non-distributed toothbrushes to charity.

As of yesterday (01/08/209), the 911 system in Manatee County, Florida has been out of service. Anyone with an emergency must call 941-812-4486 or 941-720-3035. As a result of the system being down, Manatee County officials have dispatched numerous vehicles to assist with any incoming calls as well as serve as a visible presence to combat crime.

As the legislatures return for a special session on Monday January 5, one thing is on every one's mind, money. According to a story Florida Criminal Justice Budget by reporter Whitney Ran of WJHG in Panama City, Florida, the budgets of all state agencies are on the line and experts predict that continued chopping of the budget could end up in higher crime rates for Florida citizens. The legislature is threatening that all state agencies take another pay cut. The difficulty with that mandate is that most agencies are already working with minimum staffing and they have little meat left on the bone for cutting. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has various duties including drug testing, DNA testing, and responsibility of the alcohol testing program. In cases across the State of Florida, chemists are required to testify in criminal cases as to the results obtained in their lab analysis. In addition, the alcohol testing program has the sole responsibility of making sure the intoxilyzers are inspected and running properly. In addition, the regional inspectors must be available to testify at trials when called by the state attorney. These two programs alone are of paramount importance and funding cuts could be devastating to Florida prosecutors.

The Florida Department of Corrections which supervises prisoners and people on probation could see their budget get sliced. In an effort to deal with overcrowding the system, the Department of Corrections maintains certain diversion programs. Those programs allow many first time offenders to complete certain conditions relevant to their charge and in exchange they are not sent to jail or probation terms. Those programs are in jeopardy as well as prison services and drug court programs.

Florida's Courts have come under the budget knife under the last few years. The legislature has continued to cut away money destined to the Courts. If this continues to occur, the potential for mandatory furloughs and/or job cuts is very likely. The ramifications of such funding cuts would put a huge strain on the system since the judicial assistants often control the Judge's calendars and act as the liaison between state attorneys, defense attorneys, and the Court.

To learn more about diversion programs or to discuss aspects of a criminal case please contact David Haenel or go to our website at www.FightYourCase.com