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DUI: the pretrial fee is lowered and in return, there will be no in-person court or motions to suppress blood, breath, or urine tests to be filed unless there is additional payment. Limited consultations may also be part of the formula. Domestic Violence: the client wants a bond motion filed to get the defendant out of jail and to change the “no contact” provision to “no violent contact” but no further representation because “he/she won’t show” but resides in the local area. This case is not suited for limited representation, but why? (This is one of the most common phone… Read More

“When can I meet you in person?” Every criminal defense lawyer struggles with this question for many reasons. First, we have always done in-person consultations. Personally, I never did a telephone consultation until after Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Second, people want attention and empathy when discussing a legal matter of great personal importance. Third, there is the matter of confidentiality. An attorney-client meeting needs to be in a safe and secure communications environment. A jail Securus tablet meeting does not meet these needs as long as facilities fail to provide a private and quiet setting. Then there is the issue… Read More

Florida’s local bar associations are a key information source during the pandemic. As we end 2020 and head into 2021, here is an example of how the court system is keeping prosecutors and defense lawyers informed about ever-changing courtroom protocols: “A Message from the Honorable William F. Stone Please see Judge Stone’s Felony Court dates for the remainder of the year: November 30, 2020 – Felony VOP Docket, Non-Incarcerated (AM), Incarcerated (PM) December 1, 2020 – Felony Pretrial Conferences, Non-Incarcerated (All Day) December 2, 2020 – Felony Pretrial Conferences, Non-Incarcerated (AM), Incarcerated (PM) December 4, 2020 – Felony Pretrial Conferences,… Read More

Step 5: Expect More Uncertainty   Chaos unleashed by the pandemic will continue for at least two or three years. Everyone still wants to hear that a miraculous cure is a month away and vaccination is right around the corner. Reality will intervene harshly.   The Criminal Justice System (CJS) is never properly funded because tax cuts to the super-wealthy are more important than actually paying for the cost of the most expensive and backward criminal justice system in the world. Now that the pandemic is here, there will be additional money for Florida’s CJS just like there has been… Read More

Step 4: Your Background Information Report is more important than ever   A Background Information Report is also known as a Fact Pattern Report because you must write down each and every fact and circumstance that we need to know about your case.   Many people blow them off. Why? They are hurting emotionally and they want a lawyer “who will listen to me. They want frequent contact in some cases, but all want to vomit out their story and vent the upset and emotional stress in order to feel better.   No, thank you. We are counselors at law,… Read More

Step 3: Raise Money   How are you supposed to raise money when you have lost your job or business? I don’t know. We are all in the same boat with a depression worse than the one before World War II.   As a student of history, I studied lots of pandemic and depressions. This one is a game-changer. So, you don’t have to tell me how hard it is for you on a free consultation.   In fact, I’m going to be blunt: If you can’t or don’t want to pay the legal fee upfront and in full, please… Read More

Step 2: Understand the 80/20 Rule and how it Applies to Violation Cases   This is really short and easy to understand.   The 80/20 Rule, also known as Pareto’s Law, says that 80% of the effort produces 20% of the results and that 20% of the effort produces 80% of the results. This Rule is important in probation violation cases for two reasons:   About 80% of the people charged with violations of probation, house arrest, parole and community control will have better odds of a successful outcome than they would have had before the pandemic wrecked the CJS.… Read More

Step 1: Understand where your criminal case fits in the scope of things The criminal justice system (CJS) is in chaos. COVID-19 had turned the usual order of how courts run their business upside down. Worse, over 130 probation officers supervising 164,000 probationers are closed. No one can do community service work and many other requirements due to social distancing. Then there is the issue of money. Many people on probation have lost jobs and businesses. Virtually no one can comply with probation. The State of Florida is about to face over 150,000 probation, community control and misdemeanor court violations… Read More

An old maxim contends that the “best defense is a good offense.” This saying is certainly true in the context of Florida DUI charges. Although some may tempted to simply wait until the government prosecutors prove their case and hope that they are unable to do so, you can often experience much better results if you and your Fort Walton Beach DUI defense attorney formulate and follow an aggressive defense strategy. The precise strategy that will be utilized in your case will depend (of course) on the unique facts and circumstances present that led to your DUI arrest and charge.… Read More

Disclaimer: This article is in response to questions frequently asked of Mr. Cobb and is an unedited dictation transcript. Just like talk to text on your smartphone, there may be misspelled words or sentence fragments. Good morning and welcome to a very special edition of Florida Criminal Law TV online. Today, I will be interviewing a longtime friend and respected colleague, Florida criminal defense attorney Sherry I. Jones. Sherry, good morning and welcome to the program! Attorney Jones: You and I have joined our firms together by co-founding Florida Criminal Defense Legal Group, PLLC. In your own words, what would… Read More