Yes, for most people it is possible to reinstate your driver's license.If you make a mistake and only have one DUI conviction, Florida statute requires the revocation of your driver’s license for 180 days to 1 year. Sometime prior to the expiration of the revocation period, you may apply for hardship license. In order to be approved for a hardship license, you must first complete DUI School and treatment, if Read More
Be Careful What You Sign: Protecting Yourself and Your Assets
Sometimes people just sign documents without even reading them. This practice is a dangerous one, especially when it comes to a power of attorney. Be wary of general power of attorney documents that give broad power and have no expiration date. I have seen two situations with horrific outcomes: 1), where a person did not even realize he or she was signing a power of attorney document, as it was Read More
Defending Against Domestic Violence Charges
Domestic Violence abuse is a serious allegation and nothing to joke about. The unfortunate truth is that many innocent people are falsely accused each year of domestic violence crimes. The reason is because all it takes is a phone call to 911 and an allegation, and someone is going to jail. For example, the definition of domestic violence battery is any actual and intentional touching or striking of another person Read More
Premarital Agreements
I have recently been asked a lot about premarital agreements. I personally have mixed feelings about them. My optimistic side, that wants to believe in the happy ending, sees them as setting your marriage up for failure. But then my lawyer side kicks that version of myself right back to reality. Depending on how you look at the statistics, approximately half of all marriages will end in divorce. No matter Read More
Time-Sharing and Suitcases
Let me preface by saying I am not a child psychologist--I am just a lawyer. I came across this article in the Huffington Post yesterday and I paused. In my job, I work with parents who underneath it all, want what is best for their children. But sometimes, because of their own hurt and anger, they get sidetracked and lose sight of that. This article demonstrates what happens to children when parents lose Read More
You Can Say No
Many people are taught growing up that they must be respectful to police officers and submit to their authority. Police officers do come into harm's way quite frequently and work hard to protect society as a whole. However, respecting police officers does not equate giving up your rights. You have a right to privacy that is specifically protected by the Florida Constitution. You also have a right to Read More
Shared Parental Responsibility
You may have heard the term "shared parental responsibility" when it comes to child custody. This doctrine means that each parent keeps full parental rights and responsibilities with respect to the child and both parents must communicate with each other so that major decisions affecting the welfare of the child will be determined jointly. Examples of decisions that are typically subject to shared parental Read More
Yes You Can Videotape the Police, But Take Precaution
By now many of you have probably seen the video of the Uber driver/lawyer who was pulled over by police and told he could not record the officer. The police officer told the lawyer to turn it off or he'd take him to jail. The police officer also told the lawyer that it was a new law that was recently passed. None of these statements made by the police officer, however, were true.The lesson here is that the police Read More