Jose Fernandez was already a superstar at the age of 24. A Cuban native who had made three unsuccessful attempts to defect to the United States before finally succeeding in 2008, the Cuban community in Miami embraced him as a folk hero. He could do no wrong. Until he did. This isn’t going to be […]
Boating, DUI, and Jose Fernandez Read More »
Divorce, amicable or not, is stressful and a period of crisis in life. The term crisis can be viewed from two different perspectives: 1)a time of suffering, personal loss, and negative feelings or a 2)an opportunity. One’s perspective will determine how divorce or any of life’s stressful situations will be handled. It’s important to keep
Five Things Not to Do During a Divorce Read More »
This past weekend, the Tampa Bay area witnessed two car accident fatalities and at least 8 injured. The majority of those involved were young and had been drinking alcohol, most likely to the point of excess. The first tragedy occurred late Friday night in northern Pinellas County. Donavan Patterson, 18, ran a red light at
Alcohol, Driving, and the Steep Cost of a Good Time Read More »
When determining child custody or as it is known today, parental responsibility and visitation rights, Florida law requires that the court consider the best interests of the children. This may sound simple but it involves many factors and is quite complicated. The court will make a parenting plan determination after considering a variety of different
Child Support in Florida Read More »
In Florida divorce cases where alimony is a relevant factor, the Court will consider a number of factor in determining whether alimony is appropriate as well as the amount and duration of that alimony. In the Sunshine State, there are different forms of alimony that may be available including bridge the gap, rehabilitative, durational or permanent
Temporary Alimony in Florida Read More »
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law is in the spotlight this week as Curtis Reeves, a 73-year-old retired Tampa Police Department captain, is fighting for his life a second time in the last three years. This time, Reeves is fighting to avoid a trial for second-degree murder and aggravated battery charges stemming from a fatal shooting
Pinellas County has the dubious distinction of leading all urban Florida counties in the number of car accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The latest “Traffic Crash Trends and Conditions Report” released late last fall showed Pinellas County has a pedestrian fatality rate that’s 80% higher than the national average. It’s a problem that gets worse
Pinellas County is Deadly For Pedestrians and Bicyclists Read More »
In my last post, I wrote about the Florida civil theft statute and mentioned that this statute is not often employed as a legal strategy. However, when it is used, civil theft claims often involve embezzlement. It is a form of theft that involves a relationship between the thief and the victim. The one accused
Embezzlement and Civil Theft Claims in Florida Read More »
At first glance, the words civil and theft appear to be incongruous. Most of us understand that theft is a criminal act involving the unlawful taking of someone else’s possessions, property, or valuables. Yet, in Florida there is a statute (772.11) that governs civil actions involving theft including any exploitation of an elderly person. As
Civil Theft Claims-Oxymoronic or a Legal Remedy for Victims? Read More »
DUI Diversion programs are in place in Orange and Osceola Counties so one could ask if Pinellas County could follow suit and offer a diversion program for certain DUI cases. In fact, the new Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren was asked about it recently and artfully dodged the question. Could this happen in Pinellas? It’s
DUI Diversion Program in Pinellas County? Read More »