Law

Charlie Crist's Wife, Carole Crist: Deadbeat Mom? Crist Loses Custody of Her Children

Following an apparent "change of circumstances," a New York County judge awarded temporary full custody of Carole Crist's two teenage daughters earlier this month to her ex-husband, Todd Rome, who alleges Florida's former first lady has abandoned and ignored her daughters for more than two years. ... More >>

Obama's Inaugural Speech Mentions Gays, Long Voting Lines

If you found yourself saying, "Hey! He's talking about me!" during Barack Obama's inaugural speech, it's because you either waited in line to vote for many hours or you're gay or both! During the speech for his second inauguration, Obama made references to two items that are of great importance to ... More >>

Federal Tax Loopholes: They're Like a Mafia Protection Scheme Where Big Corporations Profit

Allen West on Contraception: Mocks Obama's Knowledge of the Constitution, Completely Mangles Constitutional Argument

​Congressman Allen West sent out his weekly newsletter Monday, barraging his constituents with an almost predictable combination of hyperpatriotic mumbo-jumbo and misguided, pseudo-academic posturing about his favorite book in the history of words, the United States Constitution.Once you get past ... More >>

Slavery by Another Name in Florida

​Last year, when Gov. Rick Scott and his cabinet enacted an archaic ban on the voting rights of ex-felons, supporters called the ban colorblind. They said making nonviolent felons wait five years after completing their sentences to apply for the right to vote again had nothing to do with Florida's ... More >>

Marco Rubio Dropping His Support of the PROTECT IP Act

Sen. Marco Rubio​That was quick. Less than an hour ago, Sen. Marco Rubio announced he no longer supports the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) -- the Senate version of the Stop Online Privacy (SOPA) -- which he was previously a cosponsor of.As we noted this morning, two South Florida congressional representat ... More >>

First Amendment Right to Blast Music to Be Considered by Florida Supreme Court

inquisitr.comThe Florida Supreme Court will decide whether this is your First Amendment right.​The issue of whether it's the First Amendment right of Florida drivers to blast obnoxious music from their cars way louder than anyone needs to will be heard before the Florida Supreme Court.The court sc ... More >>

New Voting Laws in Florida and 13 Other States May Affect 5 Million Eligible Voters, Study Says

​New voting laws passed in 14 states -- states that control 171 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win a presidential election -- could make voting "significantly harder" for more than 5 million people who are actually eligible to vote, according to a new study.As many as 1 million of those peop ... More >>

Florida Senate Committee Report: Cut Arbitrary Juvenile Detention Sentences, Save Millions

babble.com​The Florida Senate Committee on Justice -- in response to a request from Florida TaxWatch -- found that reducing sentences for youngsters in juvenile lockup facilities could save the state millions of dollars.In the most conservative move -- reducing the length of stay for all juveniles ... More >>

Jeb Bush and Newt Gingrich Agree With ACLU on Something: Criminal Justice Needs a Tweak

flickr.comHey, wasn't Cool Hand Luke a nonviolent offender?​Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is the latest to sign GOP group Right on Crime's Statement of Principles. It's being framed as a conservative approach to reforming the criminal justice system.Other conservative backers include Newt Gingrich, ... More >>

Rick Scott and Cabinet's Decision for Ex-Con Voting Hurdles Seems Bogus, Study Implies

prwatch.org​As much as Gov. Rick Scott likes to make the rules, it looks like his Cabinet's idea for making new hurdles for ex-convicts to have their civil rights restored was pulled out of their collective asses, according to implications from a recent study by the Florida Parole Commission.The s ... More >>

ACLU To Florida: "Two Lawsuits. Three Days Apart. And It's Only The Beginning."

aclufl.orgACLU of Florida's Howard Simon​The American Civil Liberties Union says Florida is "ground zero" in their fight for civil liberties -- which explains why it filed two lawsuits in three days against Gov. Rick Scott-approved legislation.The ACLU filed two federal lawsuits last week -- o ... More >>

Bill Nelson Warns Rick Scott to Veto Election Bill or Face a Federal Investigation

State lawmakers want to keep people from having sex with animals. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson wants to keep lawmakers from screwing voters.​Although it seems like Gov. Rick Scott will make the bold and progressive move of banning bestiality, he still plans to screw voters. The election overhaul bill, wh ... More >>

Kids Claim Abuse and Violence at Juvenile Lockup Thompson Academy

Civil Rights Group Says Rick Scott Violated The Voting Rights Act With New Restrictions On Felons

Wave bye bye to your voting rights​A few weeks ago, Rick Scott reintroduced Florida to Jim Crow-style voting laws, which essentially disenfranchise a large percentage of African Americans and just so happen to boost Scott's chances at reelection. The law brought back draconian restrictions on felo ... More >>

Rick Scott Returns Florida to Reconstruction-Era Racist Voting Law

Rick Scott is showing his Confederate roots.​Remember the 2000 election debacle, when Florida became the laughingstock of the nation? It wasn't just punch-card ballots that caused our fair state such embarrassment. It was the wrongful purging of thousands of voters from the rolls because they were ... More >>

John Gotti's "Adopted Son" Files Legal Malpractice Suit

Lewis Kasman, who for years was the right-hand man and "adopted son" to crime boss John Gotti, says the Mafia has nothing on Florida when it comes to stealing money.Now Kasman, who turned government witness and helped indict dozens of organized crime figures, is looking to get payback from his divor ... More >>

Rick Scott Wants to Cut Juvie Prisons. Should Thompson Be First to Go?

Photo by Meredith Geddings, courtesy Florida HouseJenne wants a deeper investigation of Thompson.​In December, Gov. Rick Scott's transition team proposed a massive overhaul of Florida's juvenile justice system, which would eliminate some prisons and put children convicted of misdemeanor offenses i ... More >>

Ann Coulter Watch: "Like a Condom, The First Amendment Can't Always Protect You."

​This week, our favorite local virgin published her most vapid screed yet at Human Events, her "editorial home." Wondering why our nation's top "legal eagles" have yet to make a compelling case for the criminal prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, she draws on her lawyerly training to ... More >>

The Feds Bury Border Patrol Abuses of Immigrants, But What's Been Unearthed Reveals a Culture of Cruelty

The Feds Bury Border Patrol Abuses of Immigrants, But What's Been Unearthed Reveals a Culture of Cruelty

Car Accident? Doctors and Lawyers in the 411-PAIN Network Will Line Their Pockets With Your Insurance Money

Despite Alleged Sex Assaults, State Officials Give Thompson Academy Passing Grade

Courtesy of Youth Services International.A snapshot from a recent morale-boosting event at Thompson.​Despite allegations that teenagers were physically and sexually assaulted while living there, Thompson Academy in Pembroke Pines has received high marks from state officials.In October 2009, the fo ... More >>

The Law Considered Jose Torres to be a Child -- Until the Friend he Allegedly Shot Died

All grown up.​Jose Torres is a child who will be tried as an adult on a manslaughter charge for allegedly accidentally shooting his playmate in the face.Adults, as it turns out, have "playmates."Jose, a 17-year-old Deerfield Beach teenager, shot that playmate in the face with a 9-mm pistol, which ... More >>

Not So Rockwellesque

For Next Federal Prosecutor, a Million-Dollar Question

For the new U.S. attorney, who will come from among the 16 names on this list, busting financial fraud will be the top priority in South Florida federal courts. And although those cases are endlessly complex, it's fairly simple to get an overview of the region's candidates for criminal prosecution: ... More >>

For Howard K. Stern, One Legal Odyssey Ends as Another Begins

Stern and SmithThis whole arrest-on-felony-drug-charges thing came along just when Howard K. Stern's legal life had finally calmed. The attorney ex-boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith filed a lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale's U.S. District Court in April 2007 against mega-millionaire attorney, John O'Quinn, a ... More >>

Mutual Benefits czar Joel Steinger manipulated local politicians and the state legislature. But divorce court too?

Banana Republic

America downscales

Neshoba

Judging Ana

Broward Judge Gardiner's alleged relationships with defense lawyers and prosecutors raises troubling questions

Lambs to Slaughter

Again and again, local claims of abuse point to one priest, the Rev. Neil Doherty, and the Catholic archdiocese that protected him

Alimony Forever

Shack Up and Collect Moolah From Your Ex? Not So Fast.

Race Tightening?

The Littlest Felons

Book 'em, Dano! "Superpredators" with pebbles and raw eggs get zero tolerance in Palm Beach County schools.

V Day

Suffrage in the city

V Day

Tackling Terrorism Inventively

Would-be Edisons come up with new ways to whack and disarm the bad guys

Barred For Life

The process for restoring the civil rights of felons in Florida works perfectly -- if not restoring their rights is the goal

Felon Follies

A problem that marred the 2000 ballot is back

The Hate Man

Lloyd Shank is a poster boy for free speech. The Jews are to blame.

A Children's Crusade

South Florida prosecutors are going after kids younger than 12 years old in record numbers

The Deadbeat Goes On

The state legislature should soon pass a bill criminalizing failure to pay child support, but those who live within the system say this reform doesn't go nearly far enough

One Man, One Vote

Haitian immigrants like Gerlyn Cadet know in their marrow that a ballot is a precious thing. But this election leaves them feeling robbed.

Letters to the Editor

Letters for October 5, 2000

Crowded Cage

Welcome to Broward's juvenile detention center, where inmates are wild, toilets are clogged, and employees are grousing

When Dads Get Mad

Disgruntled over alleged discrimination in divorce court, Florida dads have formed a network to air grievances -- and to even the odds

Judging the Judges

A bill in the Florida Senate proposes that unofficial courtwatchers like Eleanor Mendlein become official court critics

The Redemption of Crime Boy

Former criminal-in-training Percy Campbell reclaimed his life and now illuminates a better way to handle hard-core juvenile delinquency

Guardians Ad Chargem

Appointed by a judge to act in a child's best interest, some lawyers can also help themselves by billing a small fortune