Reviewed by Michael P. Maddux, Esq. | Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer | Florida Super Lawyer for 16 Consecutive Years A recent Baker Act ruling shows how hard it can be for families to hold police accountable when a loved one dies after officers decided not to intervene in a mental health emergency. Imagine you…
Continue reading ›Reviewed by Michael P. Maddux, Esq. | Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer | Florida Super Lawyer for 16 Consecutive Years The life of a criminal, personal injury, and civil rights lawyer involves so many facets. We have to keep up on our respective areas of the law which are dynamic and ever changing. We need…
Continue reading ›Reviewed by Michael P. Maddux, Esq. | Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer | Florida Super Lawyer for 16 Consecutive Years What Does Per Curiam Affirmed Mean? In the appellate world, there’s a fancy legal term called per curiam affirmed. In Latin, it essentially means the appellate court agrees with the lower court’s decision. It does…
Continue reading ›Reviewed by Michael P. Maddux, Esq. | Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer | Florida Super Lawyer for 16 Consecutive Years Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a Florida TikTok lawsuit against the platform and its parent company ByteDance. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges the app is knowingly breaking Florida’s Online Protections for Minors Act (§…
Continue reading ›Jail visitation rules exist for a reason, and violating them, even unintentionally, can get your visitation rights revoked. What to Know About Jail Visitation Rules A few things to keep in mind: Pay attention while following jail visitation rules. If you notice signs that your loved one is being mistreated, changes in mood, unexplained injuries,…
Continue reading ›Got a Failure to Appear on your record? A Failure to Appear expungement isn’t automatic. It could still follow you even after your case is expunged, if it’s not handled correctly. Why a Failure to Appear Expungement Isn’t Automatic A FTA from your criminal case doesn’t disappear automatically. A Failure to Appear expungement requires the…
Continue reading ›A DUI arrest catches nearly everyone off guard because it creates two separate legal battles, not just one. 1. After a DUI Arrest: The Formal Review Hearing (DMV) This has nothing to do with whether you’re guilty of a crime. This is the DMV’s process to decide if your license gets suspended, and you typically…
Continue reading ›Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed House Bill 35 into law. This significantly expands the state’s habitual traffic offender framework under Florida Statute § 322.264. Most notably, the new law adds driving without a valid license to the list of qualifying offenses that can trigger a habitual traffic offender designation. Under this expanded definition, a…
Continue reading ›Teen takeovers, large, flash-mob-style gatherings of teenagers organized through social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, have been making headlines across the country. However, what may start as a casual meetup can quickly spiral into fights, vandalism, trespassing, and confrontations with police. Law enforcement has responded aggressively, making mass arrests at many of these events.…
Continue reading ›College is a time of growth, exploration, and, sometimes, mistakes. But getting arrested while in college can reshape the trajectory of your education, your career, and your personal life in ways many students simply don’t anticipate. At the Law Office of Michael P. Maddux, PA, we understand the stakes. If you or someone you love…
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