Author Archives: Jay Butchko
If Rich Kids Get an Endless Parade of Second Chances, You Can Get Pretrial Diversion
In more innocent times, we used to amuse ourselves by reading about the sons and daughters of the wealthy who acted like the rules did not apply to them, while their parents, and even law enforcement, proved them right. Many Floridians will remember the story of the University of Florida student from the Miami… Read More »
Draconian Penalties Remain Despite Decrease in Fentanyl Overdose Fatalities
The worst thing about the holiday season in Florida is the endless stream of Christmas carols that play in every store and pipe through the loudspeakers of every walkable outdoor recreation district. They are unimaginative pop and jazz arrangements punctuated with sleigh bells, and the lyrics are about snowflakes and staying warm in the… Read More »
How Bad Is It to Possess Gabapentin?
Your generation has never had it easy, but when old people tell you to be grateful for your youth, perhaps you should take heed. You might have aches and pains as the result of constant work and chronic sleep deprivation, but at least you are not feeling the effects of a lifetime of wear… Read More »
Does the Fourth Amendment Protect Your Smartphone From Warrantless Searches?
You might think that you know your family and friends well, but Google knows them much better than you do. Most smartphones reveal evidence of people’s thoughts and feelings that they do not tell even to the closest people in their lives. When your spouse or partner looks at information on your phone that… Read More »
What Happens If You Fail to Appear in Court After Getting Drug Charges?
Getting arrested on suspicion of drug crimes is an unpleasant experience even when it does not lead to incarceration, and most people who have experienced a drug-related arrest are eager to put the experience behind them as quickly as possible. If the police release you after arresting you or detaining you, it is not… Read More »
A Drug Possession Conviction Can Lead to Unlawful Carry Charges
Pursuant to a recent change to Florida’s laws, it is now legal for most people to carry concealed handguns in most places. The new permitless carry laws make it legal for you to carry a concealed weapon in places that allow concealed weapons, as long as you are eligible for a concealed weapons permit,… Read More »
Can You Be Extradited to or From Florida on Drug Charges?
No one is relieved to find out that the state is charging them with possession of illegal drugs unless the alternative is being charged with a more serious crime, such as drug trafficking. Drug trafficking charges are serious business, because it is rare that the problem begins and ends in Florida. A more likely… Read More »
How Quickly Can You Get Out of Jail After Getting Arrested for Drug Crimes?
Sometimes cruise ships that depart from Florida seem like a magnet for trouble. If the norovirus doesn’t get you, medical errors by the infirmary staff will. The cruise that led to a zoo in Colombia where an anteater scratched a boy with its sharp claws started in Florida. Earlier this year, a passenger fell… Read More »
Habeas Corpus and Florida Drug Cases
If you have ever heard of habeas corpus before, it was probably in a history class in high school or college, perhaps by a teacher who had once dreamed of going to law school and, in either case, overestimated how much students knew about legal concepts. When your teacher said that “habeas corpus” means,… Read More »
What’s With All the Fuss About Chroming?
If you are the parent of a teenager, it is likely that someone has recently shared content with you online about the dangers of chroming, a supposedly new trend. Just like those songs from the vinyl record era that play in the background of widely publicized Tik Tok videos, chroming is not new. When… Read More »
