Platt, Hopwood, Russell & Cole Law Blog

Sometimes, small traffic violations can result in more serious criminal charges if pulled over by authorities. In what appeared to be a minor traffic violation for one Florida man, it resulted in an arrest and car ride with cops. He will soon face charges for a DUI.

Because it appeared as if the man was not wearing a seatbelt, a patrol car pulled the man over. Once officers talked to the man, it smelled as if he had been consuming alcohol. In addition, the man had unopened cans of beer in his truck as well as empty cans in the back of his truck. Later, he tested to have a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

With available instructional information and videos on the internet, the do-it-yourself movement has grown significantly in many areas, especially when it comes to working on a home or property. As well as being able to DIY a home improvement project, there is an option to DIY a high asset divorce. Because of the significant issues that an individual can experience following a DIY divorce, individuals are encouraged to seek the advice of an experienced family law attorney in Florida.

Divorces can be contested or uncontested. Contested divorces are not as common and typically result when one spouse has allegedly wronged the other resulting in the breakdown of a marriage or there are disagreements with how to separate lives. Contested divorces are typically longer, require court intervention and can be expensive due to the fees needed to fund the lengthy process.

Breathalyzer tests, video evidence, field sobriety tests and blood alcohol level tests are all allowed to be entered into evidence when an individual is arrested for driving under the influence. Charges and/or a conviction of drunk driving can result in serious consequences for an individual. An arrest can result in the loss of a job, and a conviction can result in jail time, suspension of driving privileges and fines.

Recently, multiple DUI cases in Florida were discovered as possibly compromised. It has been discovered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that, for almost a year, the Florida Highway Patrol calibrated their Breathalyzers with a method that was not approved and used supplies from an unofficial vendor. Defense attorneys are questioning if some of the 250 affected tests were inaccurate and may have permanently damaged some people's lives.  

Loss of life is always difficult to accept. When it occurs at a young age, the life a young person will not get to live is often grieved in addition to the loss of their presence. Sadly, one Florida high school student was the tragic victim of a complicated multi-car crash. Motor vehicle accidents such as this one can be difficult for victims and surviving families to sort out the details in the aftermath.

The crash occurred on the morning commute to school before seven in the morning. Very few details of the crash were released due to the pending investigation. It is believed that two teenagers were traveling in a vehicle that lost control and crashed into a minivan in the opposite late of traffic. The first crash resulted in a second collision with a third vehicle. The reason that the first vehicle lost control is unknown, but investigators stated they are evaluating the speed of the vehicle at the time of the crash.