Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure YOU Need to Know
Criminal charges are very serious matters that have significant implications for your rights and personal freedoms, so you need experienced legal counsel on your side. You can trust your Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney to tackle the critical tasks, develop a solid strategy, attend court hearings, and advocate on your behalf throughout the process. However,… Read More »
Comparing Public Defenders to Private Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys
If you have been arrested for a crime in Florida, you generally have two options as far as legal representation: Requesting a public defender to be appointed by the court; and Hiring a private Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney. Of course, there is a lot more to the issue than simply presenting these alternatives…. Read More »
Answers to Your FAQs About Drug Manufacturing Charges in Florida
While some US states have enacted separate laws delineating different types of drug crimes, Florida lumps them together in one section on prohibited acts with respect to controlled substances. One of the most severe is drug manufacturing, which is always a felony and carries harsh punishment if you are convicted. However, because the provisions… Read More »
Tips to Prepare for Your License Suspension Hearing After a Florida DUI
Every Florida DUI arrest triggers two separate legal processes in terms of sanctions, one of which is the criminal case. Driving drunk is against the law, so you could be sentenced to a maximum of six months in prison and a $500 to $1,000 fine for a conviction. However, there are also the sanctions… Read More »
Timeline of a Florida Murder Trial
Anyone facing homicide charges in Florida probably has some ambivalent feelings about the upcoming trial date. On the one hand, you want it to arrive as quickly as possible, since most defendants in your position are probably incarcerated in the meantime. At the same time, you certainly have grave concerns about the trial process… Read More »
4 Reasons You Need a Florida DUI Defense for a Drunk Driving Case
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) remains vigilant and active when it comes to apprehending motorists who violate state laws in driving under the influence of alcohol. Uniform Crime Reports cover the results of these efforts by FDLE, revealing that there are almost 6,300 DUI arrests every year in the judicial circuits of… Read More »
What are the Five Safety Valves in Federal Sentencing for Drug Cases?
There are literally hundreds of federal offenses that are punishable by a mandatory minimum term of incarceration under sentencing guidelines, which generally means that a judge has no discretion to reduce a prison term. However, you might be surprised to learn the proportion of cases involving drug crimes. According to the US Sentencing Commission… Read More »
Who Can Be Deposed in a Florida Criminal Case?
Trial preparation in a Florida criminal case starts immediately after your arrest, and there are many stages along the way in the legal process. During the time before your trial date, the prosecutor will be working to assess the existing evidence, discover new facts, and organize the details to make a strong case for… Read More »
Summary of Income Tax Fraud Laws and Penalties
The IRS takes income tax fraud and evasion crimes very seriously, which is no surprise when you consider that these offenses are essentially theft from the government. What might shock you are a few key points about tax fraud from the US Sentencing Commission: South Florida is among the top five districts for cases… Read More »
Florida’s Anti-Riot Law Clears Another Legislative Hurdle
The anti-riot bill promoted by Governor DeSantis after last summer’s wave of civil unrest has cleared the Florida House, which means it will head to the Senate and possibly to the governor’s desk for signature in the coming weeks. The Palm Beach Post outlined the details of the bill, HB1 – Combatting Public Disorder,… Read More »