Not Everyone Can Be Lindsay Lohan
Some people should not drive. Lindsay Lohan is probably one of them. After she accepted a plea deal for her latest crash, the Judge suggested to her: “Don’t drive.” Not everyone can be Lindsay Lohan. Not all bad drivers go to luxury lockdown in a resort rehab. Many motorists face jail time and fines after an arrest, and often those penalties are worse without a defense attorney. The prosecutors of this area are very professional at doing their jobs. A defense attorney can help you work with the prosecution on choices to get the best resolution possible. Even Lindsay Lohan has legal counsel. If you are going to drive like her and follow her lead into the courtroom, bring a lawyer the way she does. Read More
Golden Silence in Criminal Defense
Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny were arrested for stealing lettuces from Mr. McGregor’s garden and hauled off to the police station. It became quite late in the afternoon, and little Benjamin began to cry for fear he would miss his supper, but Peter kept his mouth shut. He did not so much as sneeze! The police only had circumstantial evidence against Peter, and he never acknowledged committing a crime. Dawn broke over his golden silence, and they let him go, assuring him they would drop the charges if he testified against his cousin, Benjamin. Peter’s mother had sent her attorney to pick him up, but Benjamin’s father, old Mr. Benjamin Bunny, arrived in person at the police station with a little switch in his hand. He was looking for his son. The right to remain silent can be a sound foundation to a criminal defense. Talk to your attorney regarding the details of your case to discuss possible defenses available to you. Read More
Entertaining Law Enforcement
Stop or I’ll shoot…those are not your Miranda Rights. You have the right to remain silent and you have the right to an attorney…just like you have the right to own a TV where you can learn these things on cop shows. Though arrest procedures may be common knowledge, they are not always common practice. Maybe you are in some trouble, and maybe you do not know how much trouble. If you are handcuffed and escorted by three police officers into your house prior to being arrested, you may be unsure of how to politely suggest that these guys with guns leave before they toss your bedroom without your consent. It could be a gray area of hospitality: entertaining armed law enforcement who have you physically restrained. Your hands are tied; unless you employ a butler, it is going to be difficult for you to usher these “guests” to the door. The police are there to do a job, not to step on your rights like a doormat. Even if you are in custody, you have rights. Entertaining law enforcement could become courtroom drama. Seek competent legal counsel to assert your rights properly. Read More
When ‘Outstanding’ is a Bad Thing
Everybody wants to feel wanted, unless you are wanted by law enforcement. An outstanding warrant for your arrest is not exactly the high mark on your resume. Sheriff David Shoar of St. Johns County recently printed a directory of “Wanted Ads” in The St. Augustine Record. He is asking the public to act as a “force multiplier.” Make your tax dollars go a little farther by “being an extra set of eyes and ears” and giving information on the whereabouts of individuals with outstanding arrest warrants. Not to worry if you missed the print edition of the wanted directory. This information is also online on the Sheriff’s Office website at http://www.sjso.org/wanted/indexwanted.aspx (with access to FDLE Sexual Predator and Offender database as well). Help keep our community safe by working in partnership with St. Johns Sheriff’s Office. You can call that office at (904) 824-8304 with information on anyone listed as having an outstanding arrest warrant. If you find yourself on that wanted list, you may turn yourself in any time day or night at the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office located at 4015 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine. Read More