Author Archives: Jay Butchko
When You Can be Charged with a Federal Drug Crime
When you are charged with a drug crime in Florida, you may assume you are being charged with violating a state law. However, no matter where you are arrested in the U.S., you may face federal charges. If you are charged at the federal level, you will go to the federal court in your… Read More »
What is “No-Fault” Car Insurance?
Florida is one of 12 states that requires its vehicle owners to maintain “no-fault” car insurance coverage, along with a personal injury protection (PIP) plan containing benefits of at least $10,000. This allows vehicles owners who suffer minor injuries in a vehicle accident to turn to their own insurance companies for coverage. However, PIP… Read More »
Child Neglect Under Florida Law
Florida law defines child neglect as any willful or negligent failure of a caregiver to take reasonable steps to protect the welfare of a child. The penalties for child neglect are severe in the state of Florida due to the vulnerability of children and the resulting need to protect those children. Therefore, you should… Read More »
NHTSA Statistics Show Traffic Death Increase for 2015
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released preliminary data showing that the number of traffic deaths nationwide increased by 7.7% in 2015. The statistics show that about 35,200 people died from traffic deaths in 2015, as opposed to the 32,675 traffic deaths that occurred in 2014. The most significant increases in traffic… Read More »
Self-Driving Car Results in First American Death
As technology has skyrocketed in recent years, it has predictably filtered down to the American fascination with bigger and better vehicles. The advent of the self-driving vehicle has already occurred, and some drivers have embraced this trend. One such driver, Joshua Brown of Canton, Ohio, recently was killed in his Tesla Model S, which… Read More »
Florida DUI Laws and Penalties
Most states have moved toward harsher penalties for drunk driving, and Florida is no exception. A DUI conviction has widespread consequences even beyond the criminal penalties. If you are convicted of DUI, you could face adverse effects in your current job, your future career, your ability to drive, and, ultimately, your ability to support… Read More »
Premises Liability and Florida Law
Under Florida law, if you slip and fall on a spill or substance on the floor of a business and suffer injuries, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim against that business. As a general rule, all businesses have a duty to be responsible for the safety of visitors who enter… Read More »
What Happens if I Violate My Probation in the State of Florida?
It is not uncommon for an individual who has been convicted of certain crimes in the state of Florida to be placed on probation, either in place of incarceration or after having served a sentence of incarceration. Many individuals who are on probation ending up breaking the terms and conditions of their probation, simply… Read More »
Law Enforcement Cracks Down on Reckless Drivers on I-4
In response to a string of fatal accidents, the Florida State Highway Patrol and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department, along with police officers from Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary, and Sanford, recently announced a targeted campaign to crack down on speeding and reckless driving in Seminole County on I-4. Following a string of fatal… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Limits Government’s Power to Freeze Assets
On March 30, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-3 decision in a case called Luis v. United States. In this opinion, the Court limited the federal government’s power to seize certain assets of an individual who has been accused of fraud, based on the individual’s Sixth Amendment right to pay a reasonable… Read More »