Cinderella & the Suppression of Evidence
Prince Charming had a whole wardrobe full of fabulous ball gowns, but his father, the King, insisted on him wearing the masculine cut of a suit—black pants, black tie, black shoes…Boring, boring, boring thought the Prince. He would have preferred a warm chiffon graced with a diamond tiara. His father preferred that he give the tiara to an eligible young lady. No one of any class accepted the invitation to the Prince’s ball. The Wicked Stepmother came with the two Ugly Stepsisters and the Prince thought he would be bored all evening, for none of the town’s bachelors were on the list. Then in walked this little thing, surely dressed by a fairy godmother, right down to the delicious glass slippers. She was everything Prince Charming wanted—same waist size, shoulders, and inseam. She was his exact match in every way, and he loved her instantly, more for her attire than anything. “I must have your dress,” the Prince whispered as they were dancing, but Cinderella escaped his grasp and fled from his unwanted advances on her clothes. In her haste, however, she left behind one of her shoes. The Prince took the glass slipper and put it on his own [...] Read More
Landlord-Tenant Law Beyond ‘Happily’
Once upon a time, everyone lived happily: Mr. and Mrs. Landlord had leased their house to Mr. and Mrs. Tennant—but that was before ‘Ever After’ happened. A Big Bad Foreclosure Suit knocked on the door of the rented house, and it huffed and it puffed and it threatened to blow down the home equity and all the Landlords’ credit. Try as they might, the only homeowner assistance the Landlords could get was for a homestead property—the Landlords would have to live in the house in order to save it from foreclosure. So despite the lease, Mrs. Landlord evicted Mr. and Mrs. Tennant, claiming they had not paid rent. Misery loves company, and Divorce and Foreclosure go together like a horse and carriage (they just do not rhyme). Mr. Landlord was going to lose everything anyway—regardless of the mortgage deal, he was going to lose the house in the divorce—so he told the Tenants they could take with them whatever they wanted. He gave them carte blanche, as well as a stove, refrigerator, air conditioner, and pool pump. When Ms. Landlady went to make an inspection of the property and saw what was missing, she called the cops. Then she went [...] Read More
Attention Shoplifters:
Intent to steal can get you convicted of Shoplifting…even if you do not leave the store. According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Shoplifting is a one of the most common nonviolent crimes nationwide. The Sheriff’s Office defines Shoplifting as the “theft of property offered for sale.” Shoplifting charges come in different sizes and degrees depending on the value of the item stolen. Petit Theft applies to items worth less than $300, and Grand Theft applies to items worth $300 or more. Grand Theft falls in Felony territory. The best way to avoid a Shoplifting Charge? Do not commit the crime. Read More