South Florida criminal defense attorney Richard Ansara was recently interviewed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel for an article about a proposed Florida bill that would increase the severity of stalking offenses involving the unauthorized use of wireless tracking devices. As a criminal defense lawyer representing South Florida clients accused…
When it comes to criminal allegations, judges are generally reluctant to allow consideration of a defendant’s “prior bad acts.” The reasoning here is pretty straightforward: Providing proof of previous misconduct has the potential to poison juror perception of the defendant, leading to potentially unfair outcomes. The fear is that a…
The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide whether to uphold a federal law that prohibits individuals subject to a domestic violence restraining order from possessing firearms. The case is U.S. v. Rahimi, and it involves a Texas man accused of striking his girlfriend during an argument and later threatening…
The charge of domestic violence often conjures up images of bruises, black eyes, and broken bones. But one of the most serious Florida domestic violence offenses often leaves no marks at all. If you are arrested for domestic violence by strangulation in Fort Lauderdale, it’s important to understand that this…
Broward domestic violence cases often arise in the heat of the moment. Often by the next morning, both parties have cooled considerably and clearer heads prevail. It’s at this point the alleged victim may start looking into the possibility of signing a waiver of prosecution. A waiver of prosecution, also…
If you’re arrested for domestic violence in Fort Lauderdale, the very best thing you can do to minimize the impact this will have on your life is to immediately hire a Broward domestic violence defense lawyer. Even if you’re “only” facing misdemeanor assault or battery charges, the classification of this…
Recently, Florida prosecutors dropped criminal domestic violence charges against a professional boxer who had been accused of striking his ex-girlfriend in front of their child. Part of what factored into that decision was that the defendant agreed to complete an Anger Management class and both agreed to begin meeting with…
Much of the focus on Florida domestic violence prosecution centers around cases involving adults – co-parents, estranged spouses, dating partners, etc. But as our Broward domestic violence defense lawyers can explain, teens can be involved too. The U.S. Department of Justice reports 1 in 11 teen girls and 1 in…
This is arguably one of the most common questions I get asked as a Fort Lauderdale domestic violence defense lawyer. The short answer is: Probably. That said, without the cooperation of the alleged victim, the foundation for the prosecution’s domestic violence case is undeniably weakened. If the alleged victim is…
Defendants in Florida domestic violence cases should understand that while they still have the rights of most other criminal defendants, the justice system does deviate in its approach and practices in several respects with these cases. For example, you’re still presumed innocent until proven guilty, but if there is a…