Generally, if people commit multiple criminal acts, they will be charged and tried for said offenses in a single case. If the crimes do not rely on the same evidence or otherwise overlap, however, they may be tried separately. This is especially true in cases in which evidence of one…
While criminal defendants will often assert their innocence, in some instances, it makes sense for them to enter a guilty plea. For example, a defendant will often plead guilty with the expectation that they will receive a reduced sentence for their convictions. Guilty pleas do not automatically result in lesser…
Under Florida law, theft crimes are graded, in part, by the value of the object stolen. As such, in many instances, the State is required to prove the market cost of the diverted goods in order to demonstrate the defendant’s guilt. If the State is unable to meet this burden,…
The Double Jeopardy Clauses in the state and federal Constitutions aim to protect individuals from being unfairly subjected to repeated prosecutions and punishments for the same offense. As such, if a defendant is convicted on multiple theft charges arising out of the same incident, they may be able to successfully…
People in Florida are generally aware that taking another individual’s property without permission is illegal, but they often lack an understanding of the precise acts an individual may be charged with for stealing or otherwise depriving a person of property. For example, many people think of burglary as involving theft,…
In order to obtain a conviction in a criminal case, the State must present evidence sufficient to establish that the defendant committed each element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. If the State’s case is severely lacking in competent evidence, a defendant may be able to obtain an…
A criminal defendant may face grave penalties if he or she is convicted of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Depending on the nature of the accusations against the defendant, however, he or she may be able to seek dismissal of the charges on the grounds…