#petty crime attorney jacksonville

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Navigating the Legal Maze: How a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Jacksonville, FL Can Help

Navigating the Legal Maze: How a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Jacksonville, FL Can Help

In the realm of criminal law, navigating the legal maze can be daunting, especially when you find yourself facing charges. However, in Jacksonville, Florida, individuals have a crucial ally in their corner: the criminal defense lawyer. This comprehensive guide aims to shed light on the invaluable role that these legal professionals play in helping individuals maneuver through the complexities of the legal system in Jacksonville.

Understanding the Legal Landscape in Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville, with its vibrant culture and bustling population, also grapples with its share of legal issues. From misdemeanors to felonies, individuals may find themselves entangled in the web of criminal law. Understanding the legal landscape is the first step towards effectively navigating through it.

The Role of a Criminal Defense Lawyer

A criminal defense lawyer serves as a beacon of hope for those facing criminal charges. Their primary role is to provide legal representation and counsel to individuals accused of committing crimes. In Jacksonville, these lawyers are adept at understanding local laws, and court procedures, and building robust defense strategies tailored to each case.

Why You Need a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Jacksonville, FL

The need for a criminal defense lawyer cannot be overstated, especially in a city like Jacksonville, where the legal system can be unforgiving. These professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, ensuring that your rights are protected and that you receive fair treatment under the law.

The Benefits of Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Legal Expertise: Criminal defense lawyers are well-versed in criminal law, procedural rules, and courtroom etiquette. Their expertise can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.

Strategic Defense Planning: Crafting a solid defense strategy requires careful planning and analysis of the facts surrounding the case. Criminal defense lawyers leverage their experience to develop effective defense strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each case.

Navigating Legal Procedures: The legal process can be complex and overwhelming for individuals without legal training. A criminal defense lawyer guides you through each step of the process, ensuring that you understand your rights and obligations.

Protecting Your Rights: Everyone has rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including the right to a fair trial and the right to legal representation. A criminal defense lawyer acts as a staunch advocate for your rights, ensuring that they are upheld throughout the legal proceedings.

Negotiating with Prosecutors: In many cases, criminal charges can be negotiated or reduced through plea bargaining. A skilled criminal defense lawyer knows how to negotiate with prosecutors to achieve the best possible outcome for their clients.

How Criminal Defense Lawyers in Jacksonville Build Strong Cases

Building a strong defense requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of the law. Criminal defense lawyers in Jacksonville employ various strategies to build compelling cases for their clients.

Investigation and Evidence Gathering

One of the first steps in building a defense is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime. This may involve interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports, and gathering any available evidence that supports the client's innocence.

Legal Research and Case Analysis

Criminal defense lawyers in Jacksonville conduct extensive legal research to identify relevant statutes, case law, and legal precedents that may impact the outcome of the case. They analyze the facts of the case in light of applicable laws to identify potential defenses and weaknesses in the prosecution's case.

Expert Witness Testimony

In some cases, expert witness testimony may be necessary to bolster the defense's argument. Criminal defense lawyers work closely with qualified experts, such as forensic scientists or medical professionals, to provide expert opinions that support the client's innocence or raise doubts about the prosecution's case.

Preparation for Trial

If the case proceeds to trial, criminal defense lawyers in Jacksonville meticulously prepare for courtroom proceedings. This may involve conducting mock trials, preparing witnesses for testimony, and developing persuasive courtroom presentations to effectively advocate for their client's innocence.

The Importance of Communication and Client Support

Effective communication is paramount in the attorney-client relationship, especially in high-stakes criminal cases. Criminal defense lawyers in Jacksonville prioritize open and transparent communication with their clients, keeping them informed about the progress of their case and addressing any concerns or questions they may have.

Final Thoughts

In the end, navigating the legal maze of criminal law in Jacksonville, FL, requires the expertise and guidance of a skilled criminal defense lawyer. These legal professionals play a pivotal role in defending the rights and interests of individuals accused of committing crimes, ensuring that they receive fair treatment under the law. By understanding the legal landscape, recognizing the benefits of hiring a criminal defense lawyer, and appreciating the strategies they employ to build strong cases, individuals can navigate through the complexities of the legal system with confidence and peace of mind.

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On Sept. 23, Kurt Andreas Reinhold, a 42-year-old Black man, was trying to cross a street in San Clemente, California, when two officers from a special “homeless outreach unit” stopped him. An altercation ensued; minutes later, Reinhold, a father of two and down-on-his-luck former youth soccer coach, was shot and killed. In a cellphone video of the confrontation, Reinhold can be heard demanding, “Where did I jaywalk?”

This is a particularly troubling example of a pattern we see all too often. Black and Brown people, especially men, are routinely targeted by police for jaywalking or simply existing in public space. Often these stops result in an escalating series of fines and fees. In other cases — as in San Clemente, as well as in Sacramento, Seattle and New York City — they can end in violence.

Especially at a time when there is intense focus on police brutality and racism, Reinhold’s death should prompt us to pause and consider who is truly served by jaywalking laws. Their effectiveness as safety measures appears to be limited: Despite heavy handed and selective jaywalking enforcement, pedestrian deaths in the U.S. have increased rapidly in the last decade. As two of the top experts on pedestrian safety in the country, we think it is time for cities to consider decriminalizing jaywalking or eliminating the infraction altogether.

Here’s why.

1.  Jaywalking is a made-up thing by auto companies to deflect blame when drivers hit pedestrians.

Although jaywalking is foundational to the way we think about streets and access today, it is a relatively young concept. As University of Virginia historian Peter Norton explains in his book Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City, the notion of “jaywalking”  — “jay” being an early 20th century term for someone stupid or unsophisticated — was introduced by a group of auto industry-aligned groups in the 1930s. Prior to the emergence of cars in cities, no such concept existed; pedestrians had free rein in public right-of-ways. But as city streets became sites of increasing carnage in the early days of America’s auto era — about 200,000 Americans (many of them children) were killed by cars in the 1920s — automakers sought regulations that would shift blame away from drivers.

2. The concept of jaywalking encourages drivers to be aggressive toward pedestrians, and for third parties to ignore or excuse pedestrian deaths.

Just as their early proponents hoped, jaywalking laws succeeded in creating a perverse “moral basis” for pedestrian deaths in the minds of the public. We see this reflected today in media reports of pedestrian deaths where the convention is to note the victim “wasn’t in the crosswalk.” This moral framing is so powerful pedestrians who are killed are often slandered as “lazy” or “stupid” by officials charged with keeping them safe.

But this conception is cruel and prevents us from addressing the core of the problem. People don’t deserve to die for the minor offense of jaywalking.

3. Our streets are not designed to make walking safe or convenient.

The core problem lies with street design, not human behavior. Tellingly, pedestrian deaths in cities around the country are concentrated on certain types of roads: wide, fast arterials. For example, in Rockford, Illinois, almost one in four traffic deaths is on a single road: State Street. A similar proportion of pedestrian fatalities Philadelphia take place on Roosevelt Boulevard. These dangerous roads, which lack adequate crossings, lighting and sidewalks, are typically concentrated in Black and Brown neighborhoods.

4. Pedestrians are almost as likely to be struck and killed at an intersection as mid-block.

Support for jaywalking laws rests on the idea that they make us safer. But the data on crossing location and safety is not as compelling as the law suggests.

Federally sponsored research in the 1990s looked closely at the types of situations in which “serious pedestrian crashes” occurred. It found that pedestrians are struck in crosswalks almost as often (25% of the time) as they are struck midblock (26%). In the additional almost 50% of crashes, pedestrians are struck outside of typical pedestrian crossing scenarios — for example, on sidewalks, or walking along the side of the road or highway attending to disabled cars.

5. When pedestrians jaywalk, they are often behaving rationally.

Jaywalking laws are not flexible enough to account for the range of scenarios pedestrians encounter, including prolonged signal timings and delays that give priority to automobiles. In some cases, jaywalking is driven by the fear of crime, particularly in low-income communities. In others, there simply aren’t enough crosswalks, or crosswalks are at the wrong location.

Jaywalking may be the most rational choice given a host of bad options. For example, an investigation into the nation-leading pedestrian deaths in Arizona by the Arizona Republic last year found only about a third of the pedestrians killed in Phoenix were near (within 500 feet of) a crosswalk. The reporters concluded there was a need for more crosswalks, not a crackdown on jaywalkers.

There is strong scientific support for that kind of approach. A 2014 study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration was able to use environmental factors — like the presence of a right-turn lane or the distance between crosswalks — to predict with 90% accuracy whether or not a pedestrian would cross mid-block.

Criminalizing a rational, predictable response to poor infrastructure is unjust.

6. Jaywalking laws are not enforced fairly.

Because police have broad discretion over their response to this petty offense, jaywalking lends itself to biased enforcement.

A 2017 investigation by ProPublica and the Florida Times-Union found that Black people in Jacksonville, Florida, for example, are three times as likely to be stopped and cited for jaywalking as white people. Those living in the poorest neighborhoods were six times as likely. Black men and boys were the most frequent targets.  

The same pattern has been observed just about everywhere it’s been analyzed. An investigation by the Sacramento Bee found that Black residents received 50% of the city’s jaywalking tickets in 2017, despite making up just 15% of the population. Similar patterns have been uncovered in Seattle and New York.

7. Jaywalking stops are frequently explosive.

People stopped for jaywalking are often confused about why they are being stopped. For example, an 84-year-old Asian man was bloodied by police in New York City in 2014. The man, Kang Wong, did not speak English and witnesses told the New York Post he “didn’t appear to understand their orders to stop.” In Seattle, in 2010, a white police officer was caught on tape punching a Black 17-year-old girl when she protested a jaywalking stop.

Often police interpret confusion as lack of cooperation and add on charges — like resisting arrest — or resort to use of force when people complain about being stopped on such a minor offense. But pedestrians who feel unfairly targeted have a point: These laws are enforced arbitrarily, with racially discriminatory effects to questionable safety benefit.

8. The focus on jaywalking reflects the lower political status of those who walk — not the societal harm of the activity.

Pedestrians who are hurt and killed in the U.S. are disproportionately marginalized: Black, Brown, elderly, disabled, poor. Perhaps this is the reason we seize on the jaywalking as the root cause of the problem, rather than offenses by drivers or road designs that create unsafe environments.

9. The safest countries globally allow jaywalking.

The U.K. has about half as many pedestrian deaths per capita as the U.S. (and a much higher walking rate). But the U.K. allows pedestrians legally to cross where they please. Meanwhile, in Norway, the world leader in eliminating traffic deaths, pedestrians are encouraged to cross at certain locations, but there is no rule against jaywalking, and it is certainly not a crime that police go around assaulting people for violating. If the U.S. could match Norway’s traffic safety record, about 30,000 lives a year would be saved, according to the 2018 global status report on road safety by the World Health Organization.

Eliminating jaywalking laws may sound radical, but it’s been discussed before in cities such as Seattle. Other places, like Berkeley, California, are experimenting with new models for traffic enforcement that deemphasize police in favor of crash investigators who are trained to help promote infrastructure changes that improve safety. New York Attorney General Letitia James has advocated for removing police from traffic stops, and a new survey shows a majority of New Yorkers support the idea.

Wider reforms and changes to traffic safety enforcement are needed, from increasing diversity within law enforcement to enhanced data tracking, police training, inclusivity and investment in new social and criminal justice programs. Such efforts must be implemented with a vigilant eye towards reversing existing inequities: Early results from so-called “unbiased” enforcement efforts, such as intelligence-led enforcement, used by cities like Oakland, California, show disparities in traffic stops remain. The time is now, not later, to revisit or eliminate laws like jaywalking that are primarily used as a pretext to stop Black and Brown people — and rarely protected any pedestrians in the first place.

Angie Schmitt is a writer and planning consultant and author of Right of Way: Race, Class and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America, which was published in August by Island Press. Portions of this article were adapted from her book.

Charles T. Brown is a senior researcher and adjunct professor at Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University.

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Exactly how To Select The Best Attorney In Jacksonville FL

Whenever you are charged with a criminal offense it is necessary that you get the best feasible attorney to protect your here situation. Also in some scenarios where it appears that your situation is cut as well as dry, it may not be. There are numerous circumstances where a knowledgeable attorney can efficiently protect you or dramatically minimize your fees. Here we will have a look at why you require a regional criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville, Florida.

Make the most of Having A Neighborhood Defense Lawyer

Most of the times the ordinary person will assume as long as a lawyer is certified to practice in the state, then it truly doesn't matter whether they're local or otherwise. Yet having a regional lawyer has a variety of advantages. Your attorney will certainly understand the judges, the law enforcement agent, the staff's, and also the prosecuting lawyer. Having this straight understanding about those with whom he will be dealing with offers him an incredible advantage over a person that does not exercise in your area.

If you have actually been charged with a certain crime where the DA will require the statement of a police officer then a regional lawyer will certainly understand if that particular police officer does well in a court room scenario or otherwise. It might be that they obtain worried on the stand or they just don't have the capacity to express themselves extremely well and this might be advantageous in negotiating with the prosecuting lawyer. A neighborhood defense attorney will certainly additionally know with the particular https://floridalawblogs.tumblr.com/post/188696273880/petty-theft-vs-grand-theft-important-things-to court that's mosting likely to preside over the situation.

Various judges act differently and also recognizing the court and also what they will certainly carry out in a court room situation can frequently aid to win a case or to bargain decreased charges. When an attorney comes in from the outside as well as is unfamiliar they can frequently get into circumstances that can have otherwise been avoided. To have the very best benefit ensure that you obtain a regional criminal defense lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida.

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Petty Theft vs. Grand Theft: Important Things To Know

Theft is a pretty general term for someone stealing property, but in Jacksonville, Florida, "borrowing" without permission from your friends is also considered a crime. According to the Florida Statute Section 812.014, theft is to obtain, use, or endeavor to do either, temporarily or permanently, the property of another. There are two different types: petty theft and grand theft.

What Is Grand Theft?

Grand theft is greater of the two crimes. According to the law, grand theft can be the stealing of any of the following:

Property worth $100 or more

Interstate cargo

Usage of an automobile and damage of others' property in the act

$1,000 or more worth of damages while in action

Emergency medical equipment or law enforcement equipment from a licensed facility or vehicle worth $300 or more

Another's will, codicil or other testamentary instruments  

Firearms

Motor vehicles

Commercially farmed animals

Fire extinguishers

2,000 or more individual pieces of citrus fruits

Signs on construction site

Stop Signs

Anhydrous  ammonia, and

Regulated substances.

What Is Petty Theft?

Florida laws call petty theft, petit theft, which is all theft that is not listed above. If a person steals property valued between $99 to $750 that is not inside a home, it is also considered petit theft.

What Are the Penalties

Grand theft is a felony of either the first, second, or third degree. The sentence will depend on the value of property or cargo, and the events at the time of the theft, i.e., the county declared a state of emergency. The punishment will now be a higher degree of felony. Petit thefts, on the other hand, will be slapped with a misdemeanor for first or second degrees. It depends if the value is $100 or higher, or if the defendant is a repeat offender.

Imprisonment for felonies depends on the degree. A third-degree felony can have up to a maximum of 5 years. A felony of the first degree can have a maximum of 30 years. Misdemeanors only require a maximum of one year or 60 days for first and second degrees, respectively. Fines can also range from $500-$10,000 for misdemeanors or felonies. A criminal defense lawyer in Jacksonville, FL can argue for a more fair sentence and bail charge.

What If I’m Innocent?

It is your right to be represented in your defense when you are a suspect of these criminal activities. Find a skilled criminal defense lawyer in Jacksonville, FL. It is their job to make sure you get a fair trial. Robert Corse, Attorney At Law has been practicing law in the Jacksonville area for over 30 years as a litigator primarily in the areas of criminal defense, and personal injury.

Also, just in case you are looking for an employment lawyer in Jackson Florida then please follow this link: https://sackslegal.com/

The Law Office Of David B. Sacks 4494 Southside Blvd #101 Jacksonville, FL 32216 +1 (904) 758-8160

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'Dr. John,' Funky New Orleans 'Night-Tripper' Musician, Dies

Dr. John, the New Orleans musician who blended black and white musical styles with a hoodoo-infused stage persona and gravelly bayou drawl, died Thursday, his family said. He was 77. In a statement released through his publicist, the family said Dr. John, who was born Mac Rebennack, died "toward the break of day" of a heart attack.  They did not say where he died or give other details.  He had not been seen in public much since late 2017, when he canceled several gigs. He had been resting at his New Orleans area home, publicist Karen Beninato said last year in an interview. Memorial arrangements were being planned. "The family thanks all whom have shared his unique musical journey, and requests privacy at this time," the statement said. His spooky 1968 debut "Gris-Gris" combined rhythm `n blues with psychedelic rock and startled listeners with its sinister implications of other-worldly magic. He later had a Top 10 hit with "Right Place, Wrong Time," collaborated with numerous top-tier rockers, won multiple Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A white man who found a home among black New Orleans musicians, he first entered the music scene when he accompanied his father, who ran a record shop and also fixed the P.A. systems at New Orleans bars. As a teenager in the 1950s, he played guitar and keyboards in a string of bands and made the legendary studio of Cosimo Matassa his second home, Rebennack said in his 1994 memoir, "Under a Hoodoo Moon."  He got into music full-time after dropping out of high school, became acquainted with drugs and petty crime and lived a fast-paced life. His gigs ranged from strip clubs to auditoriums, roadhouses and chicken shacks. The ring finger of Rebennack's left hand was blown off in a shooting incident in 1961 in Jacksonville, Florida. He blamed Jim Garrison, the JFK conspiracy theorist and a tough-on-crime New Orleans district attorney, for driving him out of his beloved city in the early 1960s. Garrison went after prostitutes, bars and all-night music venues. The underworld sweep put Rebennack in prison. At that time, he was a respected session musician who had played on classic recordings by R&B mainstays like Professor Longhair and Irma Thomas, but he was also a heroin addict. After his release from federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 24, Rebennack joined friend and mentor Harold Battiste who had left New Orleans to make music in Los Angeles. Rebennack, who'd long had a fascination with occult mysticism and voodoo, told Battiste about creating a musical personality out of Dr. John, a male version of Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen. In his memoir, Rebennack said, he drew inspiration from New Orleans folklore about a root doctor who flourished in the mid-1800s.  Battiste, in a 2005 interview, recalled, "It was really done sort of tongue-in-cheek." But Dr. John was born and Rebennack got his first personal recordings done in what became "Gris-Gris," a 1967 classic of underground American music. In the years that followed, he played with The Grateful Dead, appeared with The Band in director Martin Scorsese's "The Last Waltz" documentary, jammed on The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street" album and collaborated with countless others — among them Earl King, Van Morrison and James Booker. from Blogger http://bit.ly/2WkGqzu via IFTTT

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Rainka Law LLC

Rainka Law LLC is a full-service criminal defense law firm in Jacksonville, FL, USA. Michael is an experienced criminal lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida. He expert on Criminal Defense, DUI, and DWI Law, and handles every case with the utmost skill and effort. Since founding Rainka Law, LLC, Michael has focused solely on criminal defense and personal injury, specifically DUI defense and criminal traffic matters. Michael graduated from law school with honors and became an Assistant Public Defender. He has represented thousands of individuals across Florida facing various charges ranging from minor misdemeanor offenses to Attempted Murder. Additionally, Michael has handled hundreds of Florida DUI charges and tried multiple Florida DUI cases to verdict. Practice areas include criminal justice attorney, felony, DUI attorney, property crime, theft, sex offense, DWI, petty crime, reckless driving, personal injury, and more.