Pinellas County is one of the busiest counties in Florida in terms of car accidents. So far this year, there have been nearly 14,000 car accidents in the county and over 8,000 of those have resulted in injuries. A number of factors contribute to the high number of Pinellas County auto accidents including driver impairment, busy intersections, clogged roadways, hazardous construction zones, excessive speed, and driver inattention due to texting and cell phone use. These factors contribute to … [Read more...]
Divorce and Talking to the Kids
Divorce is one of the more painful experiences a family encounters. When children are involved, the situation becomes even more difficult. While each family situation is different, there are certain do's and don'ts I've learned as a divorce lawyer. Over the years, I've found that many couples who are divorcing find it helpful to speak with a therapist or a counselor before they approach their children with the news. Upon hearing the news that their parents are going to divorce, many kids … [Read more...]
Police Training Is Supposed to Train Not Abuse
When my client Kathleen Denardi enrolled in the Law Enforcement Academy at St. Petersburg College Allstate Center, she was fulfilling a dream to serve the community as a law enforcement officer. She knew the training would be intense, both physically and intellectually. What she didn't count on was the physical and emotional abuse she endured. Part of her training included boxing sessions. Initially, she was paired off with other females. Then the Academy instructor ordered two large men, … [Read more...]
Florida False Arrest-What You Need to Know
False arrest is everyone's nightmare scenario. Conviction for a false arrest is a sentence that never ends. Today's edition of the Tampa Bay Times features a story about a possible false arrest and false imprisonment case. In June of 1988, Leo Schofield was indicted on a first degree murder charge of his wife. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Over the years, Schofield has tried to appeal the conviction. During the murder trial, he was offered a plea deal that would have … [Read more...]
