Category: Criminal Defense

The Florida Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision last month, ruled on the side of privacy and personal protections, by holding that law enforcement/police in Florida must first obtain a search warrant before they can use a person’s cell phone information to conduct “real-time” tracking of someone and their whereabouts.

I read with interest the attached article from Daniel McCarthy, who is with the Center for Florida Tax Reform, Department of Social Justice. I encourage you to read it as well. In his article, Mr McCarthy highlights what many attorneys and others in the criminal court system in Florida have noted for years- that the Florida legislature has over the last decade expeditiously classified many low-level, non-violent actions as Third Degree Felonies.

As a criminal defense attorney I hear the above statement at least a few times a week. The truth of the matter is that if the criminal allegations and charges are dismissed by the prosecutor, that is great, but the information pertaining to the arrest and the nature of the charges are still part of the public record and able to be viewed and the records accessible.

Effective July 1, 2013, Florida Law 322.2615 was amended and now provides that, in certain circumstances, a driver who is facing an administrative suspension of his or her driving privileges due to a first time arrest for a driving under the influence (‘DUI’), may now request what is referred to as a “Review for Eligibility for a Restricted Driving Privilege.” This is generally called a “hardship license.” This is an important change to the law and requires a prompt decision.