Grand Jury proceedings are secret in Florida under state law. Anyone who testifies during the grand jury proceeding cannot disclose the proceedings. The only way that you find out what a grand jury has decided is if they hand down an indictment which then accuses someone of committing a crime. A grand jury is a tool for prosecutors. Most often,…
Your Fight Is Our Fight
Month: January 2014
Can the Police Just Stop Me on the Street and Search Me for No Reason in Florida?
On Behalf of Jonathan B. Blecher, P.A. | Jan 31, 2014 | Criminal Defense
Under Florida’s “Stop and Frisk Law” if a police officer comes sees a person under circumstances which “reasonably indicate” that they have committed, are committing, or are about to commit a crime, the officer can temporarily detain them for the purpose of asking their identity and the circumstances surrounding the person’s presence. The law also provides that you can’t be…
Are Criminal Records Ever Automatically Expunged in Florida?
On Behalf of Jonathan B. Blecher, P.A. | Jan 31, 2014 | Criminal Defense
For adults, Florida does not have an automatic expungement law for criminal records, and no adult criminal history is really even gone once it’s created. Records like booking photos and fingerprints are retained by law enforcement for use in criminal investigations. Additionally, private data-mining companies gather criminal history information for use in background checks, while other companies collect mug shots…