Blog

March 15, 2017

On March 11, it was reported that two Florida lawmakers introduced a bill that would decriminalize possession of personal amounts of marijuana. If the bill is passed, those who are found in possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana will face a noncriminal civil violation.

March 10, 2017

Florida residents may be interested to learn that a study by the National Registry of Exonerations, which looked at cases from between 1989 and 2016, found that African-Americans were 12 times as likely to be wrongly convicted of drug crimes and seven times as likely to be wrongly convicted of murder compared to whites.

March 6, 2017

When most people think about drug-based DUI stops, they assume the driver was taking illegal drugs. Maybe the driver was taking completely illicit substances or prescription drugs that did not belong to him or her. However, you may be surprised to learn that even taking your own perfectly legal prescription medicine can lead to a DUI stop and even charges.

March 3, 2017

Florida NFL fans may have heard that David Parry, a member of the Indianapolis Colts, was charged with driving under the influence, resisting arrest, criminal damage, suspicion of robbery and auto theft after an incident that occurred on Feb. 25.

Feb. 24, 2017

Florida NFL fans likely remember when Michael Floyd, the former wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, was charged with a DUI last fall after the Cardinals lost to the Miami Dolphins. Floyd entered a guilty plea to the DUI charge and was sentenced to 120 days, with 24 days to be spent in jail and 96 days to be served on home arrest.

Feb. 17, 2017

Under current law, Florida motorists who refuse to take a chemical test after being suspected of driving under the influence may have their licenses suspended for a period of time. Republican Senator David Simmons thinks that this penalty is not strong enough, and he has proposed a bill that would increase the penalties for refusing DUI tests.

Feb. 9, 2017

A 40-year-old Gainesville woman was taken into custody by the Florida Highway Patrol on Feb. 7 for multiple offenses. They included suspicion of drunk driving, leaving a scene of a vehicle accident and filing a false report.

Jan. 31, 2017

Florida motorists who take a Breathalyzer test after being pulled over might think that the results of the test will be dispositive. However, those whose Breathalyzer tests show that they are not over the legal alcohol limit might still be convicted of drunk driving while others might fail but be acquitted.

Jan. 25, 2017

While the consequences for driving under the influence are hefty for any driver, operators of commercial vehicles in Florida face stricter punishments than those of passenger cars. Since large trucks are so much bigger and heavier than other vehicles on the road, lawmakers want their drivers to be extra cautious to prevent accidents.

Jan. 24, 2017

Some Florida residents might be among the 330 whose drug sentences were commuted at the end of the Obama presidency. The commutations, made by Obama on his final full day in office, totaled more on one day that at any other time in history.