Actor Johnny Depp has endured a legal hailstorm the past couple of years following his $7 million divorce from Amber Heard. As the Washington Post reported, “Court documents detailed, among others, an instance of domestic violence that Heard said took place two days before she filed for divorce.” Since the divorce, Depp has had to […]
10-20-Life. Named after the three minimum sentences it sets out, this law is designed to elicit fear in anyone considering committing a felony with the use of a firearm. And while this law has certainly curbed crime in the past, there will always be situations that don’t call for minimum sentencing. One such offense is […]
Along with providing for other basic rights, the Fifth Amendment asserts that no person shall be “subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” This provision is known as “double jeopardy.” Essentially, you are protected from being prosecuted twice for the same crime. However, as with numerous laws, […]
The process that law enforcement undergoes to enforce a penalty for a drug-related crime is pretty straight forward. Honestly, most penalties for drug crimes come down to obtaining a controlled substance from the suspect or their property and the total weight of the illicit substance. To be charged with drug trafficking, the accused is required […]
Whether it’s a misdemeanor or a felony, if you’ve been charged with a crime, you need to be prepared for what comes next. In this brief article, a criminal defense lawyer in Tampa will offer some advice to defendants on how to prepare for the legal process. Remember, the first rule is that you should […]
Credit is an almost universally accepted form of payment — many people even refuse to carry cash anymore. When a person hands over their credit card, it’s often to someone who takes their card out of sight to process their payment. During that time, it’s all too easy for an individual to steal someone’s valuable […]
Have you been accused of committing fraud? In this article, a federal criminal defense lawyer in Tampa with The Rickman Law Firm will discuss eight of the most common crimes associated with fraud. Even if you are completely innocent of a crime, it’s important to know about the different types of fraud. If you have […]
If you have been accused of a crime like domestic violence, you should know that the burden is on the prosecution to prove that you were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Considering that most domestic violence cases occur in the privacy of a home, these cases are challenging for prosecutors to prove. In this brief […]
Florida law defines aggravated assault as a threat to do violence to another “with a deadly weapon without intent to kill” or “with an intent to commit a felony.” We’ve already covered assault with the intent to commit a felony in a previous article. Below, we discuss what can be considered a “deadly weapon” under […]
Telemarketing crimes are a common form of fraud. Typically, this type of fraud involves a solicitor calling a potential client and requesting that they act fast on an amazing once-in-a-lifetime offer. Of course, the offer is a way to deceive the consumer into providing their payment information over the phone. Florida has instituted several laws […]