Jury instructions in criminal cases in Florida are read to the jury at the end of the trial and serve as a set of directions for the jury to abide by. Jury instructions outline not only how the jury is obligated to evaluate the evidence, but also puts a set of hard rules in place for what is proper and …
False accusations in the criminal justice system are a pervasive issue. It is estimated that between 2% and 10% of all allegations of sex assault alone are likely false allegations. [1] Every time a falsely accused individual is arrested and the blatantly false accuser suffers no ramifications, the countless legitimate victims across the country are set back tremendously. False allegations …
Protect Your Rights When Dealing with Law Enforcement Most Florida residents will go their entire life without being accused of any criminal activity. Very few can go an entire lifetime without having non-consensual contact with the police. Often this takes the form of a traffic stop, but can also be contact on the street, search warrants, arrest warrants, or a …
The news feeds of 2020 in the United States have been dominated by three narratives: a presidential election, a global pandemic of unseen proportion, and the scale of racial inequality in the criminal justice system. By the time this article is published, 150,000 Americans will have likely tragically died from COVID-19, and both major political parties will be gearing up …
Defending a Client who Might be Guilty Some of the most common questions defense attorneys get ask are in regard to the potential guilt of a client: “What if your client is guilty?”, “How can a lawyer represent a guilty client?”, “What if your client confesses to you and you win?” These queries range from the existential to the practical …
After Congress federally legalized hemp due to its industrial and medicinal value, it opened up a metaphorical Pandora’s box with a hemp and CBD industry more-or-less forming overnight. Because of the sudden gold rush of CBD products, there was, and still is, little to no oversight of the industry. CBD products have been found with contaminants such as pesticides, foreign …
E-Scooters Come to Tallahassee The city of Tallahassee has created a test run of an electric scooter rental service for city residents. The program offers 999 scooters to be rented by members of the community. Similar to programs in other cities, the scooters are rented out by using an app to unlock the scooter and then use it. Each ride …
Diving under the influence, commonly referred to as a DUI or DWI (driving while intoxicated), is a serious charge that can be either classified as a misdemeanor or a felony, with the penalties exponentially increasing for a felony DUI. But when exactly does a drunk driving charge go from a simple misdemeanor to a felony? Typically, a first time driving …
What is Marsy’s Law? Marsy’s Law is a constitutional amendment that was passed with 62 percent of Florida voters in November of 2018 voting for this law. Modeled after a similar measure in California, Marsy’s Law broadens the rights of crime victims and ingrains them into the state constitution. These rights include: Considering a victim’s safety when authorities set bail …
Attorney Don Pumphrey, Jr. is a former prosecutor, former law enforcement officer, and a successful and experienced criminal defense attorney. Don has achieved over 100 not guilty verdicts at trial and over 2,000 dismissals.