Fort Lauderdale Juvenile Lawyer

Broward County Under A New Juvenile Court System Due To Coronavirus Broward judges who oversee juvenile court cases have discharged justice to their young defendants under exceptional circumstances: No one makes their first appearance before a judge in person anymore. Not adult defendants. Not children. The halls of justice are no longer open to the public. Coronavirus closed them. Loved ones no longer crowd the wooden pews of the courtrooms, offering support to defendants and waiting to hear their friends’ and relatives’ fate. But the justice system has kept on churning. Juvenile justice hearings still happen these days, only via Zoom. Defendants make their case for home detention through muffling, loud cracks and breaks in the conversation. Sometimes public defenders roll their eyes or change their backgrounds. On Friday, after weeks of heated email exchanges between the state Department of Juvenile Justice and the Broward Public Defender’s Office, DJJ administrators acknowledged an employee at the Fort Lauderdale detention center had been carrying the lethal virus. “This is only a trespass case,” Assistant Public Defender Kelsey Moldof said, while lobbying for her client’s release. “Based on the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that the child can’t even be held in the Broward Detention Center as a result of someone testing positive there,” she added, the girl deserved another chance to await her fate in the safety of her parents’ home. Usan arranged for the girl — the Miami Herald is not naming her because she is a minor — to be fitted with a GPS ankle-monitor while awaiting trial or a guilty plea. She had turned herself in on the...

Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Lawyer Guy Seligman Message

The coronavirus has brought an important test to our Broward County and Fort Lauderdale. Broward County and Dade County have the largest density of coronavirus in Florida. I have defended people accused of a crime in the Fort Lauderdale area for over 20 years. At this time I am reaching out to my clients, past and present. I have meet many judges, attorneys, court personal, public defenders, and state attorneys over these years. I ask that everyone please stay safe and  follow the guidelines of social distancing. If you do not have to go out do not. Remember, you may be strong but, you may harm someone who is not. This may be someone you love dearly. This is a time that we must go beyond our own needs and think of others. I ask that no one consider this a good time to get away with something they may be considering. This is not the time for this. Broward County is now the second county in Florida to order all non-essential businesses to close in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. This includes Fort Lauderdale. New Coronavirus Hotline for Broward County The Florida Department of Health has a  24/7 Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-779-6121, Broward County has  a new COVID-19 telephone line at 954-357-9500 to assist the public with answers to questions about the virus. In addition to providing information, call takers are also conducting over-the-phone pre-screening for testing eligibility. The Broward County COVID-19 call center is operational from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., seven days a week. South Florida Cities With Stay At Home...

When Does A Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Become A Criminal Act?

A Car Accident Can Become A Criminal Offense In Fort Lauderdale Were You Arrested For A Hit and Run In Fort Lauderdale If you accidentally hit another car  or a pedestrian, you must  stop at the scene of the accident and   follow proper post-accident procedure.  This means you should exchange information with other driver(s) like name, contact information, and insurance information. If you hit  another car  or pedestrian and then leave the scene of the accident you  may face criminal charges. The specific charges  you may  face  will depend on the outcome of the accident. Penalties for a hit and run may include loss of driving privileges, increased insurance premiums, a felony arrest and a prison sentence. DUI / DWI/ DWAI Charges It is illegal for you  to drive while intoxicated or impaired and have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher in Fort Lauderdale and all of Broward County.  If you  cause serious physical harm  or death and are charged with a  DUI, DWI or DWAI, you could be facing a very serious felony charge including:  aggravated vehicular assault, criminally negligent homicide, vehicular manslaughter murder in the second degree. Reckless Driving This is driving in a  manner that may endanger another person. If you have been accused of or believe you will be facing any of these  charges contact our Fort Lauderdale Criminal defense law office...

3 New Florida Criminal Laws Lower Penalties

It appears Florida is attempting to keep people out of jail, help our first time offenders stay out of jail and keep the revolving door process under control. Three new laws are being looked at by our legislature and although they are far from passing, it  is a start to change our criminal justice system attitude. Many young people start a prison process for a minor offense and their lives are changed as they become a part of the prison system rather then important members of our society.  Law one Increases in the monetary felony theft from $300 to $1,000.  Law two Allows judges to depart from mandatory-minimum sentencing for low-level drug offenses.  Law Three Reduce driver’s license suspensions for non-driving offenses. The bills although  far from becoming actual  laws may start to  free up prisons in Florida and help first time offenders. License Suspension and Revocation Penalties The Florida House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee approved House Bill 1095, a measure that would remove license suspension and revocation penalties for a number of offenses unrelated to driving. It would also prevent people from losing their licenses because of an inability to pay court fees. “It’s intended to keep people out of the ‘snowball effect’ that often comes with being caught in the judicial system,” the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, told the subcommittee Tuesday. “Studies show that suspensions do not serve as a deterrent, and by legally allowing people to get to and from work, school and grocery stores, there will be less arrests and incarcerations, which will relieve big burdens on our judicial and corrections systems,” he said. With...

Broward Lawyers Arrested In Car Accident Scheme

Guy Seligman is is a Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer experienced in the defense of white collar crimes. 5 Broward County lawyers arrested in 19-month car accident insurance scheme Five lawyers in Broward County have been arrested after accused of engaging in a car accident insurance scheme for more than a year. READ: South Florida treasury employee accused in $1.6M tax scheme Adam Hurtig, 46, Steven Slootsky, 57, Alexander Kapetan, 45, Mark Spatz, 58, and Vincent Pravato, 48, turned themselves into Broward County Sheriff deputies on Sept. 6, WSVN reports. Deputies said the Fort Lauderdale lawyers allegedly exploited information from motor vehicle accident victims through solicitors and then received money once the victims met with doctors. . “Within a couple hours, sometimes days, after the motor vehicle accident, these people would receive a call and/or a knock at their door from a solicitor or someone representing the attorney,” a BSO detective said to WSVN. Authorities reported the lawyers to the Florida Bar Association, and said all of the doctor’s offices involved in the scheme have been shut down, according to WSVN. The investigation is ongoing, and involves the FBI, the attorney general, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Lauderdale Police, WSVN reports. If you have been arrested in Fort Lauderdale contact Guy Seligman.  ...

Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Lawyer

What Can A Fort Lauderdale  Criminal Defense Lawyer  Do For You? An experienced and  competent criminal defense lawyer, like Guy Seligman, can negotiate to avoid charges being filed,  negotiate a plea bargain, prepare your criminal  case for trial, and come up with the best strategy for your defense based on the charges and any prior arrests.  If you’re facing a criminal charge, you must  hire a Fort Lauderdale  criminal defense lawyer  who has experience in the exact charges filed against you or the crime that you are arrested for. This lawyer musrt know  the right defenses, plea bargain deals, and what  a criminal conviction could mean for you. Why Hire a Local  Criminal Defense Lawyer? If you are suspected of a crime or charged with a crime  you require the services of a local criminal defense attorney  who knows the local judges and state attorney.  Different rules and penalty’s exist for different charges.  You need a criminal defense attorney who has defended your particular criminal charge to give you  the best defense. An experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney will know the information the state attorney  will need to prove your guilt. Yiur  defense attorney should also know what information you need to prove your innocence. With over 20 years experience defending people arrested in Broward County, I know   whether there are any legal rules justifying your actions. Call me today. Let’s get started defending your...