On behalf of Mike G Law posted in Civil Rights on Friday, July 31, 2020
The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that citizens have the right to peacefully assemble, protest, and speak their minds. Those rights are universal for all citizens—but there are certain Florida protest laws that go on to define protected and restricted protest activities. Sometimes, individuals are arrested for violating protest laws and face criminal charges for legally engaging in protected expressions of free speech. If you’ve been arrested for protesting, you need a defense attorney on your side to protect your rights and freedoms from infringement. What Are Florida Protest Laws? Florida protest laws place limits on protected protest activities and outline what kinds of activities are not permitted or are otherwise restricted. In general, protestors are allowed to... Read More »
On behalf of Mike G Law posted in Civil Rights on Wednesday, May 6, 2020
A lot has changed over the past several weeks. However, even during times of distress, it’s important to ensure that those in power adhere to the rule of law. A pandemic is not carte blanche to override established legal or operating procedures. The previously enacted curfew in Hillsborough County is one such governmental overreach—and it was lawyers and regular citizens that raced to the front line to ensure that our liberties were protected. Hillsborough County Overnight Curfew In response to hearing that groups were still gathering despite statewide safer at home orders, the Emergency Policy Group voted 5 to 3 to establish a mandatory county-wide curfew as opposed to adopting its own stay at home order. This curfew went into... Read More »
After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, the state legislature passed FL Statute 790.401 (also known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act) in an attempt to reduce the possibility of a similar event by allowing law enforcement to confiscate firearms and ammunition for individuals a court deemed dangerous. This act calls for individuals to report their suspicions about a perceived dangerous person to law enforcement, who must then investigate and ask for a risk protection order from the court if they see fit. What is a Risk Protection Order? A risk protection order is a court order that requires an individual (the “respondent”) to surrender their firearms to the authorities as... Read More »
On behalf of Mike G Law posted in Civil Rights on Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Your civil rights. Your right to vote, serve on a jury, the right to possess firearms and the right to run for public office may be affected by your criminal case. How will entering a plea to a crime affect them? If you are convicted of a felony in State or Federal court while living in Florida your civil rights will be taken away from you. Basically, you will be disenfranchised by operation of law. If you apply to have your civil rights restored you must show three things to even be considered: 1. Any sentence of prison, probation and/or community control have been completed. 2. At least five years have passed since your sentence was completed and you have... Read More »
