Law

Former Republican Hispanic Outreach Chief Blasts GOP "Hate," Registers as Democrat

That GOP need to build bridges to the nation's Hispanic community? The need party elders have talked so much about since Barack Obama was re-elected largely due to Hispanic support? The need that's propelled Florida's own Marco Rubio to preeminence in the early scouting reports on the GOP 2016 presd ... More >>

Majority of Floridians Support Gay Marriage, According to Latest Poll

Florida has come a long way in the past few years when it comes to gay marriage and marriage equality. According to the latest Public Policy Poll, a whopping 75 percent of Florida voters support gay marriage. This is a seismic shift from not long ago, when the majority of Floridians didn't want ga ... More >>

Palm Beach Hat Trick: Judges in Chains; School Workers Rally; Dirty Campaign Dust-Up

We tried to get some comment this week from the attorneys representing Palm Beach Circuit Court Judge Barry Cohen, a famously outspoken liberal who's facing some of the most transparently bogus ethics charges ever to go before the Florida Supreme Court. No dice. Neither Scott Richardson nor Don ... More >>

1111 Lincoln Road: Photographing Parking Garage Could Cost Artist Tens of Thousands

Words that are rarely combined in common nomenclature: parking garage, art, and intellectual property. But somehow a strange showdown on South Beach has brought them all together for local photographer, Hester Esquenazi. Who knew taking pictures of the 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, which has ... More >>

Porn Companies "Blackmail" Illegal Downloaders

Prejudice for Dummies: A Translation of South Florida Chick-fil-A Supporters' Claims

A confession: On Wednesday, some New Times folk wanted to eat Chick-fil-A. Music Editor Liz Tracy and video guy Jake Katel stopped by a store in Pembroke Pines and discovered the hullaballoo around "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day," in defense of Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy's statement that America ... More >>

Rubio's Wrong: Tax the Olympians

La-dee-dah, Sen. Marco Rubio doesn't think the money Olympians get paid for winning should be taxed. As our colleagues in Miami point out this morning, Rubio has proposed that the prize money ($25,000 for gold, less for silver and bronze) given to winning athletes should be exempt from taxation. It ... More >>

Feds Tell Florida: You Can't Purge Voters -- There Are Laws About That

Gov. Rick Scott's campaign to purge "noncitizens" from the voter rolls less than three months before a primary election violates federal law, according to the Department of Justice.In a letter sent yesterday to Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, the chief of the DOJ's voting section gave Detzne ... More >>

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Among Targets of "American Censorship Day"

charter97.org​At the time of this post, the House Judiciary Committee is discussing H.R. 3261: the Stop Online Piracy Act (watch it live here), which is considered by those opposed to the legislation to be "the first American Internet censorship system."That's why DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasser ... More >>

Rick Scott Pleads Ignorance About Felon Voting Rights

I had no idea this was bad policy!​Here's a fun way to defend a racist restriction on voting rights: First, claim the new rule is colorblind. Then, when black legislators get angry, plead ignorance. Say you had no idea the rule was draconian compared to policies in most of the country.This is Gov. ... More >>

Dear Federal Court: Please Help Florida Suppress the Vote

Racism? Not here.​To: U.S. District Court From: Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning We're having a small problem with voting down here in Florida. In May, our Legislature passed some brilliant new requirements designed to crack down on unnecessary voters -- specifically, people who are poor, ... More >>

Florida Drivers Have First Amendment Right to Blast Music, Appeals Court Rules

inquisitr.comUnless this system comes with a big bag of coke, this setup is your constitutional right in Florida.​If you're in Florida blasting obnoxious music from your car way louder than you need to, well, that's your First Amendment right, according to a recent appellate court ruling.In Marion ... More >>

Death at Palm Beach Juvie Jail Came During "Severe Overcrowding" at State Lockups

Overcrowding has become a problem in some lockups.​Eric Perez's mother has been given many reasons why her 18-year-old son died ten days ago at a juvenile jail in West Palm Beach. He woke up one morning hallucinating, complaining of a headache, and vomiting. He may have had breathing problems, an ... More >>

Casey Anthony Effect: More Bogus Bills En Route to Florida Legislature

Casey Anthony​The fallout from the Casey Anthony trial has brought out the stupid in a lot of people. Folks have been sending hate messages to a guy with the same name, a man allegedly punched a woman over the verdict, and lawmakers across the country have been proposing "Tot Mom"-related legislat ... More >>

Dexter Porn Parody Lawsuit Moving Along in South Florida District Court

moviesonfilm.comHm, that sure doesn't look like Michael C. Hall​If you illegally downloaded a copy of Dexxxter -- the porn parody of Showtime's serial-killer drama Dexter -- it might cost you a bit more than your dignity if Pink Lotus Entertainment has its way.Pink Lotus Entertainment, the proud p ... More >>

Florida Judge Kills Matching Funds; Money is Considered Free Speech in Political Campaigns

illinoisstate.edu​Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court found Arizona's matching-funds campaign law unconstitutional, a Florida federal court judge halted a similar provision in this state.The issue, unsurprisingly, was brought up in a lawsuit by then-candidate Rick Scott, who said his right ... More >>

How Not To Win A Divorce Proceeding: Beat Your Wife Unconscious In Judge's Chambers

BSOPaul Gonzalez​Here's something Paul Gonzalez learned the other day: Allegedly beating your wife unconscious in a Broward judge's chambers probably won't help your battle to win custody over your children or paying child support.Gonzalez, 28, and his wife, 23-year-old Catie Scott-Gonzalez, were ... More >>

Broward Public Defender Alleges Abuse at Juvie Lockup in West Palm Beach

The complaints echo similar allegations at Thompson Academy.​News at Florida's juvenile detention centers has not been good lately. At some state-run facilities, teenagers are allegedly being doped up on anti-psychotic drugs to control their behavior. At Thompson Academy, a privately run lockup in ... More >>

Muslim Group "Welcomes Elimination of Osama Bin Laden"

Flickr/ Bird Eye Muslims protesting terrorism after the attacks in Mumbai. ​The Council on American -Islamic Relations is self-described as "America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization." CAIR positions itself as a peaceful organization that denounces terrorism and seeks to b ... More >>

Marco Rubio: Government Officials and Federal Contractors Are Completely Honest

Trust me! I'm with the government!​Marco Rubio usually says what he means. Which is why his fans -- and I count myself among them, even though I disagree with just about every one of his policies -- should be saddened by a small item at the bottom of his latest weekly newsletter, entitled "Marco R ... More >>

Why Felon Voting Rights Matter, by the Numbers (Rick Scott's Worst Nightmare)

Rick Scott was elected by a very small margin -- one that ex-felons could destroy.​We've told you about Rick Scott's new ban on felon voting rights, which returns Florida to a racist era of stamping out African-American votes. Many people have suggested that by prohibiting felons from voting for f ... More >>

An Educational Cocktail Hour for PIP Attorneys

​To earn a living collecting insurance money from clients injured in car accidents, doctors and lawyers often cooperate. They refer patients to one another, and when a lawyer sues an insurance company to get a patient's medical expenses covered, the lawyer can earn a hefty fee.New Times explored t ... More >>

Courthouse Gunman Facing Divorce Case, Domestic Violence and Contempt Charges, and Foreclosure on His Home

A gunman got into the Broward County Courthouse this morning, aimed the weapon at his chest, and threatened to kill himself this morning before deputies and police were able to talk him down without any violence. Marin Stroia, the accused gunman. ​The gunman has been identified a ... More >>

Source: DNA Tests Show Michael Dippolito Fathered Boca Woman's Child

Flickr user: Pink Sherbert PhotographyTests show Dippolito is the baby's daddy.​DNA test results show that Michael Dippolito is the father of an 11-year-old boy who lives west of Boca Raton, according to a confidential source. The child's mother, Karen Tanne, alleges in a paternity suit that Dippo ... More >>

Local Man Mystified by Judge's Order to Pay Child Support to 26-Year-Old

Photo: C. StilesPatrick Neptune​Count Patrick Neptune among the droves of Broward residents who think they're getting a raw deal from county judges. Neptune says he was recently ordered to pay child support for a 26-year-old daughter, even though that daughter had long since been adopted by the cu ... More >>

Esdras Cardona's Testimony About the Rape at the Everglades Club

Photo courtesy of the Florida Department of CorrectionsCardona is now serving a 20-year sentence in state prison. After reading New Times' cover story about a rape at Palm Beach's most exclusive country club, you may still have questions about this strange criminal case. It's a complicated one, ... More >>

Hospital District Commish Now Under Criminal Investigation

browardhealth.orgCoboThe Broward State Attorney's Office has opened a criminal investigation of North Broward Hospital District Commissioner Joseph Cobo, based on allegations he used his public office for advantage in his private firm, Florida Medical Management Consultants.Cobo, of course, was inve ... More >>

Supreme Court Speaks; Will Gardiner Skate?

So the Florida Supreme Court just accepted the State Attorney's motion to vacate the death penalty conviction of Omar Loureiro. Now we'll have a new murder trial, but there won't be an evidentiary hearing into the allegations against Judge Ana Gardiner. In other words, Gardiner, who broke judi ... More >>

Recession-Proof Job: Lawyering for Plaxico Burress

A wide receiver adept at catching passes in traffic isn't very good at driving a car in it. At least not according to a Tamarac woman who says the suspended New York Giant and Lighthouse Point resident Plaxico Burress rear-ended her while he was driving on the Florida Turnpike. Compared to Burress' ... More >>

Good Lookin’ Out

Juvenile Loves his Reefer

Note From The State Attorney's Office

Riviera Beach Revolution

Juvenile

Reality Check (Atlantic)

Letters August 12-18, 2004

Patriot Acts

Broward's Jennifer Van Bergen joins Michael Moore in bashing Bush

One-Way Street

Popped for DUI? Smile. You've just fallen victim to the DHSMV's kangaroo court.

Gingerbread Man

Broward’s most notorious inventor and accused pimp rakes in a big take — from behind bars

United States of Jesus

The folks who are "reclaiming America for Christ" are pushing an agenda for a Taliban-like state where Scripture is law

The Toughest

An American concert promoter tries to preserve the heritage of a fallen reggae hero

Letters for February 6, 2003

Journalistic Ethics 101

Rights Fight

The FOUNDERS fundraiser

Custody Battle

Marvel Comics isn't going to give up Captain America without a fight

One Nation, Divisible Under God

For 45 years the Pledge of Allegiance has included a mention of the Almighty. Atheist Michael Newdow is suing for removal.

Lock, Stock, and 48 Smoking Barrels

A year ago Wayne and Danny Dagenais stole guns from a family friend. In an effort to keep then-16-year-old Wayne out of jail, their parents tried to retrieve the weapons. But the plan didn't work.

Your Worst Nightmare

Welcome to Riviera Beach, home of slums, violent crime, a police department in turmoil, political hit lists, union busters, angry ex-wives, junkyard insurrections, and Zedrick Dwayne Barber, South Florida's most-investigated cop

The Unforgiven

Twenty-seven years ago, teacher Stephen Ryan made a mistake. The School Board of Broward County just fired him for it.

Night & Day

July 2 - 8, 1998

The Politics of Pop

Pepsi pays Jeff Koons big bucks to lobby for its causes. And the West Palm Beach city commissioner is worth every cent.

United They Fall

The effort to unionize Kitchens of the Oceans drove the company out of town and Haitian employees into unemployment lines