Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Mystery shoppers are employed in some large stores to pretend to be customers. The idea is that the “customer” assesses the level of service they get from the store employees and hopefully gives some useful feedback to store management so they can provide a better service in future. Mystery shoppers are not expected to wander […]
Florida is only one of three states in the U.S. in which judges have little influence over whether juveniles are sentenced in the adult courts or the juvenile courts. The decision is an important one because the way offenders are treated in an adult court is quite different from the way they are treated in […]
A pick-up truck and a toy gun resulted in three men from Collier County ending up in jail over the weekend, charged with robbery. Deputies apprehended and arrested 18 year old David Lee Moya, Devon Charles and Alfredo Garcia, after they allegedly demanded money from people attending a small gathering last Saturday in Golden Gate, […]
Jack Utsick was extradited from Brazil to Miami in late 2014 charged with fleecing millions of dollars from investors. After a long period of working as a pilot for TWA, Utsick decided to undertake what he had always wanted to do and that was to be a concert promoter. This he did, high in a […]
The Florida Times-Union reported recently that a Jacksonville man could face a 120 year prison sentence for firing two shots without causing any injuries. 58 year old Randal Ratledge, who is classified as an Army Veteran, is on trial. Criminal defense attorneys for the defendant have requested that the judge hearing the case, Judge Jack […]
It has been recently reported that an immigrant from South America pretended he had been born in Puerto Rico and used a Florida driver license to get a U.S. passport. This incident is one of many that has occurred in Miami in the last 12 months and has been brought to the attention of the […]
Police are seeking help identifying a woman who it has been reported drugged and robbed two men on different occasions following meetings in two different Miami area high-end restaurants. The first incident took place at Morton’s Restaurant while the second occurred at Hillstone Restaurant, but both on the same night. Police have released surveillance photos […]
Not long ago, the British royal, Kate Windsor ex Middleton, was on a good will visit to Australia with her husband, Prince William. On one memorable occasion her billowing skirt blew up with a sudden gust of wind from an Australian Air Force helicopter that had landed to pick them up. All eyes were immediately […]
A 22 year old man called Sean Francis Tucker of Parkland, Florida has been accused of peering through the window of a bathroom watching someone else’s wife taking a shower. Furthermore, this is the 2nd time this young man has been caught in the act. Tucker was arrested after the woman’s husband caught Tucker in […]
Few people manage to get arrested twice in a single day, but that’s what Port Richey man Donald Garter managed to achieve last Sunday when he first got himself arrested for criminal mischief then later the same night was arrested again for auto burglary. Facing a charge of criminal mischief is probably enough for most […]
A man was quickly arrested for a bank robbery in West Boca Raton after his fingerprints were left behind on the ransom note he handed over to the bank teller. The Sheriff’s Office at Palm Beach County apprehended and arrested 25 year old Stephen Palmieri after he allegedly entered a branch of the Wells Fargo […]
Two Florida men wreaked havoc at a party celebrating a prison release recently. Obviously not really realizing how good being out of prison can feel one ex jail inmate and his buddy hosted the prison release party at a house they had broken into. The owner of the house was away for a few days […]
If you saw a couple of shifty looking people idling around a parking lot as dusk was about to fall you might think that a car theft was about to take place or some car windows were going to be smashed in order to relieve the vehicle’s owner of valuable possessions left conspicuously on the […]
A would be robber who already had a conviction for a previous felony got more than he bargained for when he attempted to rob a convenience store in Jacksonville Beach recently. The 32 year old man, Jacob Mercer, wore a Darth Vader mask and dark clothing when he entered the convenience store and allegedly pointed […]
There has been a recent outbreak of thieves stealing credit card information at ATMs and gas stations in Florida prompting legislators to toughen up on penalties associated with this kind of theft. You may not even notice it when you gas up or put your credit card into an ATM machine, your card information may […]
Florida’s “Missy’s Law”: What Changed for Bond and Child Exploitation Cases on July 1, 2026 A guilty plea or guilty verdict in a qualifying Florida case can now mean immediate custody instead of waiting for sentencing while out on bond. That is the central change behind Missy’s Law, Florida House Bill 445, which took effect […]
Florida’s New “No Valid License” Rule: Why One Common Driving Mistake Could Now Lead to HTO Status A Florida traffic offense that previously did not count toward Habitual Traffic Offender status now can. That change took effect July 1, 2026. And for some Florida drivers, particularly those who have repeatedly driven without ever holding a […]
Florida’s New Domestic Violence Law Is Now in Effect: What a Prior Conviction Could Mean for a New Arrest Florida changed its domestic violence laws on July 1, 2026. One of the biggest changes involves people who already have a qualifying domestic violence conviction. If they are later charged with another qualifying offense, the new […]
Florida Passed More Than 100 New Laws: Criminal Law Changes Taking Effect July 1, 2026 Florida’s laws changed on July 1, 2026. More than 100 new laws took effect across the state, and several of them affect criminal charges, domestic violence cases, driver’s licenses, probation, and pretrial detention. For some people, these aren’t changes to […]
Stand Your Ground in Florida: When You Can Use Deadly Force and What the Law Really Requires A self-defense case in Florida can turn on a few critical details. Where were you? What happened immediately before the force was used? Were you facing an immediate threat? And did you have a legal right to be […]
Identity Theft in Florida: When a State Investigation Can Become a Federal Case An identity theft investigation rarely begins with an arrest. It usually starts somewhere much quieter — a suspicious bank transaction, a credit-card alert, a fraudulent account, or a victim reporting that someone has been using their personal information. Then the investigation grows. […]
Carjacking in Florida Can Carry a Life Sentence: What the Law Says and How a Defense May Work A person gets into a car. Someone approaches. A threat is made. The driver is forced out, or the vehicle is taken through force or fear. Within minutes, what may have started as a vehicle theft can […]
Your Child Was Arrested in Florida: What Parents Need to Know About the Juvenile Justice System Few phone calls are more frightening for a parent than this one: “Your child has been arrested.” Everything can feel urgent at once. Where is your child? What happens next? Will there be a court date? Will this stay […]