Blog Posts in May, 2013

Be Careful This Holiday Weekend: HCSO Promises Increased Memorial Day Weekend Patrol

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has advertised increased patrol this Sunday, May 26, and Monday, May 27 as part of Operation 3D in the Tampa area. The goal is to minimize DUI related incidents. However, this sort of patrol often leads to improper DUI arrests on drivers who are not over the legal limit. If you are going to be on the road this weekend, make sure to use a designated driver and ...

Backpage.com Sex Trafficking Busts - Polk County Calling for Site to be Investigated

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is calling for Backpage.com to be investigated for facilitating human sex trafficking after another set of arrests. "Backpage," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, referring to Backpage.com implicated in all three cases, "you're going to be criminally investigated and so are the people that are in charge of the organization." The Sheriff is calling for this ...

What Happens If I Refuse a Breath Test in Florida? Florida's Implied Consent Law

DUI Lawyers are often asked a question by friends and clients – "If I am pulled over for DUI, what happens if I refuse to provide a breath sample?" The debate is often whether or not it is better for a driver to "blow", or submit to a breath sample, or to refuse to provide a breath sample. First, every driver should be aware of Florida's "implied consent law". Take a look at your Florida Driver's ...

Saturday, May 18, 2013 - Compliance Checks Conducted in Hillsborough County - Sale of Alcohol to a Minor Lawyer

If you are a bartender, store clerk, or owner of a business selling alcohol, be aware: this weekend HCSO is conducting "compliance checks" to determine if you are selling alcohol to minors. A compliance check is a tool used by HCSO to identify licensed retailers that sell alcohol to underage purchasers. Sellers are aware of the fact that selling alcohol to underage individuals is a criminal ...

Feds Considering Lowering Legal Limit for DUI from .08 to .05?

On Tuesday, May 14, 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board has announced that it has recommended that the lawful blood alcohol content, or BAC, be moved nationwide from .08 percent down to .05 percent. The aim is to cut the nearly 10,000 deaths every year related to alcohol impaired driving. Currently in Florida the legal limit is set at .08. A move down to .05 would essentially put almost ...

What are the Requirements for an Expunction of My Record?

Expungement is a process that differs from state to state. In the state of Florida, expungement laws are detailed in § 943.0585 of the Florida Statutes. While in some states expungement or "expunction" is available to those who have been convicted of a criminal offense, Florida only allows those who have not been adjudicated guilty of a crime to apply for expunction. A person also only has one ...

Subpoena of Medical Records for DUI - Can the State Obtain My Medical Blood Draw Records?

If you searched online and stumbled on this post, chances are the State of Florida sent you a letter informing you that they are going to subpoena your medical records to obtain your Blood Alcohol Content at the time of a car crash. If this is the case, they are likely going to charge you with a DUI related crime if your BAC was over the legal limit. If you have received a letter of this nature ...

Tampa / Plant City Prostitution Defense Lawyer - $5000 Civil Penalty Assessed on Solicitation of Prostitution Cases!

Beginning in 2013, the "civil penalty" for solicitation of prostitution has been increased from $500.00 to $5,250.00. This astronomical hike in price was obviously created as a tax / deterrent to prevent people from soliciting a prostitute. This means that if you plea to solicitation, you will be required to pay this huge fine! This solicitation fine is a punishment, but not a condition of ...

Tampa PD Impounding Cars Used in Prostitution Sting: What do I do if my car has been impounded in a prostitution or drug arrest?

Under City of Tampa Code Section 14-30, vehicles used in prostitution or misdemeanor drug (marijuana) busts can be impounded by the City. The impounding officer completes a form called "Notice of Impoundment of Motor Vehicle" and provides a copy to the person accused of the crime. Once the intake procedure at the intake lot is completed, the vehicle will be immediately available for release to any ...