A sealed or expunged record allows you to move on from parts of your life that you do not want to be made public. A criminal record can have tremendous effects on a person’s life. It has the potential to dictate how important life events will play out. With a criminal record, it becomes more difficult to access benefits that may have otherwise been available without a record. Benefits like good housing, loans and grants, quality education, and gainful employment become more difficult to access. A person with a criminal record may be obligated by law to disclose such records during job interviews, when applying for loans, grants, and housing benefits, and when applying to schools. In addition, most criminal records are discoverable during a simple background check, making it more likely that a routine check may put you at a disadvantage. Sealing or expunging your criminal records can help…Read More
Having your property or cash seized by law enforcement in Florida can be a surprising and frustrating experience. Most people do not know that under civil asset forfeiture laws, law enforcement agencies can seize your property. In most instances, the seizure may even result in a forfeiture, meaning they get to keep the property or cash permanently. As a result, most people react with outrage when they learn that their assets have been seized by law enforcement. While your feelings are understandable, and only natural, it is important to act quickly in order to have any hope of recovering your property. The civil asset seizure and forfeiture process can move very quickly, and within a matter of days, you may lose your right to reclaim your property. To ensure the best chances of success, you should immediately consult with an experienced Florida civil asset forfeiture attorney for help. Attorney Michael…Read More
The United States Constitution and state statutes are replete with protections for the rights of persons accused of crimes. In the U.S. Constitution alone, there are roughly 20 different rights and protections that are guaranteed an accused person in a criminal trial. Yet until recently, there have been little to no provision for the rights of victims in state and federal law. That has changed in Florida upon the passing of the Marsy’s Law amendment to the Florida State Constitution. The Florida crime victims’ laws, otherwise called Marsy’s Law, aims to fill an important void in the criminal laws of the state. Marsy’s Law protects the rights of victims of crime and creates valuable protections for them before, during and after a criminal prosecution. The law recognizes that when a crime is committed, victims are the ones that suffer the most, yet they are the ones most often ignored. Now,…Read More
If you’ve sustained injuries in a car accident due to the negligence of another person, you may be hesitant to hire a personal injury lawyer. You’re not alone. Many drivers fear that after paying the attorney’s fees they are going to end up with a smaller insurance payout. Others believe their injuries are just too insignificant to even justify hiring a lawyer, and then there are those who are simply intimidated by the whole process. The truth, however, is quite the opposite. In fact, one study reports that claimants who chose to hire an attorney received on average three and a half times more compensation than those who tried to settle the claim on their own. Plus, you should keep in mind that some injuries can show up weeks or even months after the accident occurred. Many clients don’t initially consult a lawyer because they believe that insurance companies will offer them a fair compensation that will…Read More
