The following is an RSS driven aggregation of the 50 most recent blog posts by lawyers in the State of Florida (Read more about the process...). This is not an exclusive club! If you know of another blogging Florida lawyer, please send a note to Steve Matthews or Ron Chapman and we will get them added to the mix!
- Homeless man in wheelchair burned to death
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose partially burned body was found in a wheelchair.Los Angeles police received a call around 2:50 a.m. Friday from someone who spotted a small fire in a strip mall near a pizza parlor.The victim, a homeless man, was on fire and his body was badly charred. A candle and some alcohol ... [Link] - What a Concept!
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
YouTube Contest Challenges Users To Make A 'Good' Video [Link] - SAY IT AIN'T SO TOM
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
Shoeless Joe Jackson.(there's an interesting update about David Ranck below.)Attorney "Shoeless" Tom Risivy has been complaining for some time now that the highly trained security personnel at the Coral Gables Branch Court (Motto: "We're at Christy's. Please leave a message and we will get back to you shortly.") have been requiring him to remove his shoes before being granted access ... [Link] - Florida NFA Trust Lawyer for Title II Guns and Firearms
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
We are licensed in Florida and have lawyers and attorneys who provide Florida Gun Trusts in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Cape Coral, Port Saint Lucie and all over Florida. If you are interested in information on Florida NFA Gun Trusts (or NFA Firearms Trusts in any state ) and how they are different from ... [Link] - Texas NFA Trust for Title II Guns and Firearms
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
We have a relationship with Texas Gun Trust Lawyers and Attorneys and provide them for people all over Texas including Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston, Plano, San Antonio and other areas of Texas. If you are interested in information on Texas NFA Gun Trusts (or NFA Firearms Trusts in any state ) and how they are ... [Link] - Swine flu cruise ship quarantined
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
Venezuela has quarantined a visiting cruise ship following an outbreak of swine flu on board. More than 1,200 passengers and crew will be kept on board the Spanish-owned Ocean Dream, which has docked at the Venezuelan island of Margarita. They were stopped from disembarking at previous stops in Barbados and Grenada after three crew members were diagnosed with the flu ... [Link] - Engine Room Fire on Princess Cruise Ship
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:58 pm
Royal Princess Cruise Ship Update, 5:44 p.m. EDT: The latest from Princess is that the fire has been extinguished, but passengers will remain at their muster stations until further notice. The ship is currently operating on emergency power and lighting. We'll keep you posted. (3:23 p.m. EDT) -- A fire broke out in the engine room on Princess Cruises' Royal ... [Link] - Google Translate
Friday, June 19, 2009 11:48 am
Google Translate is now translating Persian to English. Try it here. Posted by Jon Lutz [Link] - On Florida's I-95, Motorcycle Crash Kills Man
Friday, June 19, 2009 11:16 am
On Friday evening, a motorcycle accident killed a 54-year-old man who was traveling in the inside lane of Interstate 95 South. According to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, the man's 2009 Honda Gold Wing suddenly veered into the outside lane and hit a concrete barrier wall. The motorcycle accident occurred near Jacksonville's Emerson Street at 6:39pm. The accident ... [Link] - Family of Fatally Shot Tourist Disputes Miami Beach Police Account of Incident
Friday, June 19, 2009 10:34 am
Family and friends say Miami Beach police officers mistook the identity of a man fatally shot early Sunday morning, the Miami Herald reported June 16. Husien Shehada, a 29-year-old limo driver from Woodbridge, Virginia, was shot by police in a confrontation outside a club around 4 a.m. on June 14. His brother, engineer Samer Shehada, 31, was arrested in the ... [Link] - Dealing with Questions that Seem Irrelevant in an Examination Under Oath
Friday, June 19, 2009 10:23 am
I received a comment that was an important and recurrent question regarding examinations under oath. The issue concerns the seemingly endless questions of possible immaterial nature asked by the insurer: "Question concerning Examinations Under Oath. The attorneys for the insurance companies doing the EUO seem to be asking questions that have nothing to do with the loss, (i.e., How long ... [Link] - Pet Programs For Hospice Are Worth a Second Look
Friday, June 19, 2009 10:00 am
I recently wrote a posting on the Pet Peace of Mind hospice support program, as a portion of the Banfield Charitable Trust. I received a nice email from Dianne McGill, the Executive Director and CEO of the Trust. She wrote, in part… "Thanks for the nice mention about our new Pet Peace of Mind hospice support program on your site. ... [Link] - White House Says DOJ Tax Division Nominee is Qualified, I say Bologna.
Friday, June 19, 2009 9:02 am
Earlier this week we wrote about the Senate’s confirmation of Mary Smith to head up the Tax Division of the Department of Justice: The paucity of Ms. Smith’s tax qualifications sticks out like a sore thumb. Many others have been highly critical of the nomination. The DOJ has responded in defense of Ms. Smith: “It is true that she is ... [Link] - Allen Stanford charged with stealing Billions from Investors
Friday, June 19, 2009 8:55 am
Allen Stanford, Chairman of Stanford Group holdings, surrendered to authorities yesterday, will be officially charged by SEC today in Court. He is accused of stealing over $8 billion from investors. According to Bloomberg News and The Washington Post, The SEC lawsuit indicates in its compmplaint that Stanford International Bank misled investors by touting "improbable, if not impossible" returns for investments. ... [Link] - Senate saves Cash for Clunkers, remains in war-spending bill
Friday, June 19, 2009 8:19 am
Senate saves Cash for Clunkers, remains in war-spending bill Shared via AddThis [Link] - Resulting Trust Theory Can Protect Asset Titled With Parent For Estate Planning Purposes
Friday, June 19, 2009 8:02 am
In the past week I received similar questions from three prospective bankruptcy debtors about assets owned jointly with their parents. In each instance, the parent had added the debtor/ child to the parent’s deed, bank account, or CD for estate planning purposes so that the child would immediately have access to the asset upon the parent’s death. I have written ... [Link] - Lenders May Delay Condo Foreclosure To Avoid Paying Dues
Friday, June 19, 2009 7:29 am
Clients often ask me why it takes some banks so long to begin foreclosure on default loans. Part of the problem is backlog at the mortgage companies or their attorneys. Some banks are deliberately delaying foreclosures for reasons discussed this week in a Wall Street Journal article Condo Boards Take On Lenders . The article states points out that mortgage ... [Link] - Florida DUI Arrest Contest Winners
Friday, June 19, 2009 7:01 am
[Link] - Quick hits
Friday, June 19, 2009 6:57 am
1. At the 59th Annual Green Eyeshade awards Jay Weaver won first prize in the category of Courts and the Law Reporting for his medicare series. Carol Rosenberg (also from the Herald) got second prize for her Gitmo coverage. Green Eyeshade? Well, it's the major journalism society... Congrats to Jay and Carol.2. "The One Hundred" is reuniting (it's a non-partisan ... [Link] - Teens pretended to be cops, harassed homeless man
Friday, June 19, 2009 6:56 am
Two teenage boys have been arrested for posing as law enforcement officers and accosting two men -- one of them homeless.The two and a third teen approached a 56-year-old homeless man and a 20-year-old man in Wichita, Kansas, claiming to be police. Two of the teens were dressed in dark pants and black T-shirts with the word "Sheriff" printed on ... [Link] - St. Johns County, Florida 1 Year Old Dies After Being Left in Car Seat
Friday, June 19, 2009 6:30 am
In St. Johns County, Florida, a 1 year old girl died after her father had mistakenly left her in a car seat in this hot summer weather. According to a news report in the Florida Times Union website / newspaper, the father drove his wife to work but did not realize that the mother had put the little girl in ... [Link] - Jacksonville Police Officers Shoot and Kill Man Not Walking on the Sidewalk
Friday, June 19, 2009 2:25 am
JSO officers shot and killed Kiko Battles, a Jacksonville resident, on Monday. Two off-duty officers were working for Springfield Preservation Council. They noticed two men walking in the street. Instead of letting the men walk, as free men are allowed, they went up to them. This is called a "consensual encounter" and you are free to leave at any time ... [Link] - Florida Confidential Informants Protected
Friday, June 19, 2009 1:56 am
Law Enforcement must now have policies that take account for informant's age(s) and maturity and the possibility of physical harm. Officials noted that confidential informants take part in dangerous activities by definition, but risks can be minimized. Beyond those provisions, Florida lawmakers may try to prevent defendants from using violations of of the confidential informant law as a basis to ... [Link] - Father’s Day: The Time to Heal Estrangements Between Fathers and Children
Friday, June 19, 2009 12:06 am
As Father’s Day approaches, a pro-marriage nonprofit association encourages fathers and children alike to look beyond parental alienation or past hurts and reach out for understanding and reconciliation at this time. They have even written some sample overtures for use between fathers and children, to facilitate the process. They correctly remind that good fathers are sometimes separated from their own ... [Link] - Take a tour of Nickelsville
Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:23 pm
My colleague @hardlynormal shares the story of Nicklesville, a real community of homeless people.Hardly Normal is at Nickelsville in Seattle. Day 1Thanks for sharing this powerful story. Don't ever stop, Mark. [Link] - FUN WITH FEREN
Thursday, June 18, 2009 8:59 pm
Feren's courtroom around 3:00 PM ThursdayThis Motion For Disqualification Of Judge was filed today by the Public Defender's Office.We weren't there, but Judge Feren apparently commented on the length of the Motion, and said he needed time to read it. He reportedly stated that he has detentions duty next week, and was then embarking on a two week vacation. He ... [Link] - Florida NFA Trust Lawyer for Title II Guns and Firearms
Thursday, June 18, 2009 8:43 pm
We are licensed in Florida and have lawyers and attorneys who provide Florida Gun Trusts in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Cape Coral, Port Saint Lucie and all over Florida. If you are interested in information on Florida NFA Gun Trusts (or NFA Firearms Trusts in any state ) and how they are different from ... [Link] - Texas NFA Trust for Title II Guns and Firearms
Thursday, June 18, 2009 8:36 pm
We have a relationship with Texas Gun Trust Lawyers and Attorneys and provide them for people all over Texas including Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston, Plano, San Antonio and other areas of Texas. If you are interested in information on Texas NFA Gun Trusts (or NFA Firearms Trusts in any state ) and how they are ... [Link] - Travel Planning for Life
Thursday, June 18, 2009 4:13 pm
[Link] - IRS COMMISSIONER JOINS WITH TREASURY SECRETARY TO CHANGE PERSONAL USE OF BUSINESS CELL PHONE RULES
Thursday, June 18, 2009 4:13 pm
Numerous employers provide cell phones to their employees for business use. Unsurprisingly, such phones are often used by employees for both business and personal use. Code Section 132 provides that an employee may exclude from gross income the value of the cell phone use allocable to business use. However, personal use by the employee is a taxable fringe benefit. Further, ... [Link] - U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Burden of Proof in Age Discrimination Cases
Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:34 pm
The United States Supreme Court ruled today that a plaintiff bringing a disparate treatment claim under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA") must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that age was the “but-for” cause of the challenged adverse employment action. The burden of persuasion does not shift to the employer to show that it would have ... [Link] - Children in Court
Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:03 pm
A times, people contact Shorstein & Lasnetski, LLC to offer to submit a post or article for our Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer Blog. The following article was submitted by Kimberly Peterson who writes about online criminal justice degrees. She invites you to send your feedback to her at KimPeterson2006@gmail.com. The establishment of juvenile courts was founded upon the belief that minors ... [Link] - Five Month Waiting Period Too Long
Thursday, June 18, 2009 1:49 pm
There is a 5 month waiting period to receive Social Security Disability benefits, after the effective date of disability. This is often too long a waiting period for severely ill persons. Randy Zeldin, Social Security Disability attorney, represents a lady with terminal brain cancer, who is now going through an unnecessary delay in obtaining medical care. According to Randy Zeldin, ... [Link] - 3rd DCA ROUNDUP
Thursday, June 18, 2009 12:04 pm
Heat index update: 46% of respondents say coats and ties should be optional in the summer time. In court today, saw 7 more male judges sans tie on the bench. Come on guys, what's sauce for the goose...SUPER UPDATE: WE'VE MADE THE BIG TIME!!! Herewith is an excerpt from Judge Gold's exceptionally well reasoned opinion in Ranck v Rundle:On May ... [Link] - Florida Prosecutions of Mortgage Fraud: Part 14 Final
Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:48 am
In conclusion of Attorney Ralph Behr's personal thesis on mortgage fraud prosecution: On the other hand, this defense would not be legally cognizable under § 817.545, Fla. Stat. (2009) and two other federal statutes aforementioned.115 § 817.545, Fla. Stat. (2009) concerning violations committed during the mortgage lending process do not require a person or entity to rely or to be ... [Link] - Serious Accident in Baker County, Florida Results in Two Deaths and Two Serious Injuries
Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:35 am
A vehicle with four occupants drove off of the road on County Road 125 in Baker County, Florida and run into a tree killing two and seriously injuring the other two, including a four year old, according to an article on News4Jax.com. The crash is being investigated by Florida Highway Patrol traffic homicide detectives, but there is no indication yet ... [Link] - Health Inspectors Tell Country Club to Discard Unsafe Food After Man’s Death
Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:03 am
Broward County health officials investigating a possible food poisoning death have ordered a country club to throw out a substantial amount of meat, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported June 15. The inspection of the Weston Hills Country Club’s restaurant was ordered after a member, Edward Nacht, died of an illness that set in after eating at the club. Inspectors have ... [Link] - Enforcement of Declaration of Condominium and Estoppel
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:43 am
In Curci Village Condominium Association, Inc. v. Santa Maria (4D08-2260), the Fourth District reversed the grant of summary judgment in favor of the condominium unit owner."This case arises out of landscaping modifications Santa Maria made to the backyard of her condominium unit...Before control of the Association was transferred to the homeowners, Santa Maria inquired whether she could put “decorative improvements” ... [Link] - Attorney Fees Awarded After Plaintiff Stopped Pursuing Action
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:35 am
In Frazier v. Dreyfus (4D08-1619), the Fourth District affirmed the award of attorneys fees to the prevailing party. The trial court abated the action, pending arbitration. The plaintiff never instituted an arbitration action and the trial court ultimately dismissed. After the dismissal, the defendant moved for attorneys fees and the court granted the motion. The court held: We affirm the ... [Link] - The Dirty Secret of Exclusions Some Major Insurance Companies Like State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide and even USAA, Do Not Want You to Think About
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:31 am
Why are major insurance companies selling insurance with "feel good" messages rather than explaining how many different types of accidents and catastrophes they will not cover? If they were honest, wouldn't they explain to customers what is not covered before the purchase? Sandy Burnette wrote a comment to "Is the State Farm Policy Really Worth Anything?" As I indicated in ... [Link] - Barry Mukamal Update!
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:23 am
Face it, you guys can't go more than a few hours without thinking about Barry Mukamal.I know I can't.Sometimes it's almost like a weird kismet, I can be walking down the street or having lunch at the Bankers Club, not planning at all to think about Barry, when suddenly -- BOOM -- there he is!True story -- one time I ... [Link] - Award of Attorneys Fees Requires Evidentiary Hearing
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:19 am
In Fareri v. Farmer (4D08-420), the Fourth District reversed an award of attorneys fees because the trial court did not conduct an evidentiary hearing. [Link] - Tampa woman tells deputies her next arrest will be for murder as she’s arrested on a domestic violence charge
Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:12 am
This is a funny yet ominous story. A lady is being arrested for whacking her husband. “It’s okay,” she said, according to an arrest report. “Next time you’re gonna arrest me for murder.” Maybe she was trying to be lighthearted in a tough situation. Maybe she was REALLY mad at him for whacking her. Who knows. But you cannot say ... [Link] - What is the Difference Between Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion?
Thursday, June 18, 2009 4:48 am
In the blistering summer heat especially in Florida, children are at risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. What is the definition of these terms? Heat exhaustion usually involves a fever of 104 degrees or less, thirst, fainting, cool & clammy skin, weakness, aching muscles, sweating, slow heartbeat and dizziness. Heat stroke is a condition that may result from untreated ... [Link] - WHO IS STEVEN FEREN & WHY DID HE WANT TO BE A JUDGE?
Thursday, June 18, 2009 4:48 am
Judge Feren doesn't want you wasting his precious time. If you do, he's going to burn your client... Excerpts from a May 28, 2009 transcript (it starts to get good around page ten):... not all of the felonies ultimately matter down the road. There's really no difference between a grand theft and a petit theft withheld (p.15)...... I don't understand ... [Link] - Blood Alcohol Content Statistics in DUI Arrests
Thursday, June 18, 2009 12:11 am
When you are arrested for DU in Jacksonville or anywhere else in the country, the police will have a test to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC). Their machines give an estimate on how much alcohol is in your system. The most popular way to test the BAC is through the use of a breathalyzer. The police can also test ... [Link] - “I Am My Mom,” Says Wacko Mommy Impersonator
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:50 pm
“A boy’s best friend is his mother” - Norman Bates - Psycho - From the strange-things-people-will-do-in-a-recession department meet Thomas Prusik-Parkin of Brooklyn, N.Y. Shannon Bell of RightPundits.Com has the story: This might possibly be one of the spookiest stories I’ve heard in a while. Thomas Prusik-Parkin, a 49 year old man in Brooklyn NY, impersonated his mother to collect her ... [Link] - GrayRobinson And You Guessed It.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:30 pm
As I've said before, I stand ready and willing to write up a great GrayRobinson story if one of you Brickell shmarties will send me some material.In the meantime I see Billy Shields writes up the School Board selection yesterday of GrayRobinson partner Walter Harvey to serve as General Counsel:Miami-Dade School Board member Renier Diaz de la Portilla quit his ... [Link] - Charlie Rangel, Ways & Means to Consider Taxing Prescription Drug Ads
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:01 pm
Let’s face it, when you spend money like a drunken trust fund baby sailor with a limitless sugar-daddy Platinum Amex card you’re going to have to come up with some novel ways to raise money. Here’s the latest. According to Paul Caron of TaxProf Blog, Congress is now considering taxing prescription drug advertising. Here’s what House Ways & Means Chairman ... [Link] - Drive Carefully … Or Risk Jail for Not Paying Child Support
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:31 pm
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) pulled over a Florida driver recently. And hit pay dirt for two Massachusetts mothers. FHP “ran him” and found a Massachusetts warrant out for the man’s arrest. The man took off from Massachusetts, leaving behind two children from two different relationships, for whom he has allegedly paid no support for six years. The man reportedly ... [Link]
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