Category Archives: Constitutional Rights
Non-English Speaking Defendants: What are their Rights?
For most people who have little to no experience in the criminal justice system, it can be frightening to go to court for the first time, whether it be criminal or civil trial. The terminology can be confusing, the procedure strict and seemingly unfair, and you never know the full extent of the consequences… Read More »
“To Catch a Predator”: Good Police Work or Entrapment?
“To Catch a Predator” has received an incredible amount of attention over the last ten years due largely to our culture’s desire to witness scandal and to catch bad guys who are about to commit a crime. Local law enforcement in South Florida has taken the premise of “To Catch a Predator” to a… Read More »
A New Look at Cruel and Unusual Punishment in Florida
The issue of cruel and unusual punishment for offenders of sex crimes in Florida has recently been pushed into the limelight when a convicted sex offender requested physical castration as part of his sentencing. The controversial use of castration to sentence and punish offenders of sex crime has been a practice seen in several… Read More »
The Constitutionality of West Palm Beach Anti-Prostitution Ordinances
Last year, the Florida Court of Appeals in City of West Palm Beach v. Chatman ruled that the City’s anti-prostitution ordinance, which prohibited “loitering with the intent to commit prostitution,” was unconstitutional. Mr. Chatman, the defendant in the case, was observed by a police officer while—in the officer’s own words—“standing in an area known for prostitution activity dressed as a woman.” On the basis of the… Read More »