Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Nursing Home Tycoon To Face New Charges After Trump Pardon
Prosecutors have been going after Philip Esformes for a long time without success. Esformes was sentenced to 20 years for billion-dollar Medicaid fraud. However, that sentence was commuted by then-President Donald Trump. Nonetheless, other charges remained against him on the docket and since he had yet to be convicted, they could not be commuted…. Read More »
Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter For Rust Shooting
This feels like a bad, politically-motivated prosecution against actor Alec Baldwin after the tragedy that occurred about his Rust set during the shooting of a movie. At the time, Baldwin was handed a gun that he believed was a prop gun. However, the gun was real and loaded. The bullet struck stage worker Halyna… Read More »
Common Law Marriage In Florida
Florida does not recognize “common law” marriage. However, today more couples are forgoing government paperwork and formal ceremonies and jumping straight into the thick of it, living together, and even having children without a formal marriage in place. These couples, for personal reasons, may never get married. However, marriage does confer some benefits. So,… Read More »
Legal Separation In Florida
Some states allow married couples to file for legal separation. While legal separation involves living apart for a period of time, it is not the same as simply living apart. A legal separation is a pre-divorce process that allows a couple to settle specific issues that need to be addressed while the couple is… Read More »
Criminal Mischief Spree Ends In Murder Charge
Charges have been filed against two individuals in a brutal and senseless attack against a 49-year-old man. The pair had been roaming the streets smashing up cars with a tire iron when they crossed paths with the victim who was riding his bike. They knocked the victim off the bike and then bludgeoned him… Read More »
“Cold-Hearted” Teen Kills Wiener Dog During Robbery
This is hard to write about as a lover of the dachshund breed. Nonetheless, it is a crime. A 17-year-old boy is accused of accosting an elderly man who was walking his two dogs. In the attempted robbery, the boy fired several shots striking both of the dogs. The man grabbed his dogs and… Read More »
Is It Legal To Skateboard In Tampa?
Tampa is one of a handful of cities that have voted to make it a crime to use a skateboard on public sidewalks. Those caught skateboarding in Tampa can face misdemeanors for the conduct. As it stands, there’s no way to criminalize being a jerky youth, so the elderly masters of Florida saw fit… Read More »
Florida Man Facing Charges Related To Jan 6 Riot
Federal authorities recently unsealed an indictment against a Florida man who is charged with rioting and attacking police officers during the January 6th riots. The riots occurred amidst a Twitter storm initiated by deposed president Donald Trump who claimed the election had been unlawfully stolen from him. Trump attempted to leverage several governors to… Read More »
Drunk Driving Charges In Florida: Understanding ‘Actual Physical Control’
It is well known that drunk driving is against the law. A driver whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is above 0.08 may face serious criminal charges. What is much less well known is that you can be arrested and charged with a DUI even if no officer ever actually saw you operating a moving… Read More »
What Is The Difference Between Burglary And Theft?
Burglar and thief are synonyms, right? A lot of people seem to think so, but burglary and theft are actually two distinct legal concepts that carry very different consequences. Burglary is far more serious, and is automatically a felony offense, whereas theft can be either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances… Read More »
