People will commonly joke, "I plead the Fifth" when asked about something they would rather not discuss. The Fifth Amendment may have evolved into a punch line over time but its original purpose of protecting criminal rights remains serious and important.The Fifth...
Tampa Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer
Month: November 2012
Eleventh Circuit narrows federal power to prosecute drug crimes at sea
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which hears appeals from district courts in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, recently ruled in a drug trafficking case with international implications.The U.S. Coast Guard was performing a routine patrol of Panamanian...
FDLE releases crime report for first half of 2012
On Nov. 1, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement released its semi-annual uniform crime report. The report contains a preliminary indication of Florida crime and criminal activities reported to law enforcement for the first half of 2012.Overall, the state of...
Supreme Court considers two Florida drug dog cases
The justices of the Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in two Florida cases concerning drug-sniffing dogs. The court's rulings could affect how the use of these dogs affects people's Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.The first...