People convicted of sex crimes will often be sentenced to supervised release after their incarceration. Typically, the court will impose standard conditions as terms of the release. In certain instances, they may impose additional parameters, such as financial restrictions, to prevent the defendant from engaging in further criminal activity. As…
Sex crime convictions can devastate people’s lives. In order to convict a person of a sex crime, though, the State must produce evidence sufficient to establish each element of the charged offense. Notably, they must do so based on the statute at the time the alleged crime was committed, not…
The Florida courts staunchly punish sex crimes, especially when they involve minors. While the sentencing guidelines dictate what constitutes an appropriate punishment, they allow for enhanced sentences, if necessary, based on the facts of the case. In a recent Florida sex crime case, the court discussed the interpretation of the…
In Florida, convictions for sex crimes typically result in substantial penalties. In some instances, a criminal defendant will try to seek a downward sentence by highlighting mitigating factors in their favor. The Florida courts are not required to reduce sentences due to such factors, though, as illustrated in a recent…
Under Federal law, it is illegal for adults to engage in sexual activity with minors. As such, if an adult participates in a romantic relationship with a person under the age of 18, they may face serious criminal charges. As demonstrated in a recent opinion delivered in a Florida case…
In Florida criminal matters, defendants typically only have one chance to demonstrate set forth evidence in support of their innocence or point out flaws in the prosecution’s arguments. There are exceptions, though, such as when new evidence is discovered after a conviction that would have changed the outcome of the…
Prior convictions can have a detrimental impact on a defendant’s punishment scoresheet. As such, if there are grounds for calling a prior conviction into question, they should be asserted, as it could ultimately result in a reduced sentence. In a recent opinion delivered in a sex crime case, a Florida…
Generally, the state cannot rely on a criminal defendant’s prior conviction to establish guilt for a current charge. The state can introduce evidence of previous convictions and other bad acts for other reasons, however, as long as it does not violate an evidentiary rule. Recently, a Florida court affirmed that…
Florida, like most states, keeps track of people who have been convicted of sex crimes. As such, there are numerous criminal convictions that can require a person to register as a sex offender. Being forced to register as a sex offender can greatly impair a person’s ability to find employment,…
In Florida, the State will typically institute a criminal case by filing an information with a court. An information sets forth the charges against the defendant as well as the essential facts that support such charges. Thus, if the State is permitted to amend the information after the case is…