Andrew D. Stine, P.A. - Florida Criminal Defence Attorney

When a parent is charged with child abuse, there are usually several factors involved in the crime. All too often, alcohol or drug abuse is the common denominator. Child abuse is an extremely serious crime but parents may not even realize they are putting their children in harms way because their judgment is so impaired by the substances they choose to take. One man in Michigan is being charged with felony child abuse for letting his daughter be his designated driver. His daughter is nine years old.

Aggravated battery is the crime of intentionally causing harm to another person using a deadly weapon. A deadly weapon can be considered a firearm, a knife, or even a vehicle. In this case, the deadly weapons used were poles and sticks. Aggravated battery is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Potential fraudulent marriages, also known as sham marriages, are under intense scrutiny by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS targets couples the organization is suspicious of getting married specifically so the foreign national spouse can obtain a permanent residence. The USCIS has stated that over a third of the permanent resident petitions resulting from marriage are in fact, sham marriages. The government will generally scrutinize marriages that bode suspicion and intensely interview the couple. 

Burglary is a crime where the charges can depend on the monetary value of the items stolen. While unfortunate, burglary is very common especially in South Florida. This summer, the rate of stolen AC units for the copper materials reached an all time high. Cars are a constant target, especially for electronics like GPS units and other items of value left in the vehicle.

In simple terms, battery is basically the touching or striking of another against his or her will. This crime can be punished as a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in prison. Be cautious however because the crime can be upgraded to a felony depending on the severity of the injuries inflicted or whether or not there was a weapon involved.

Animal cruelty is a charge that umbrellas several different definitions of crimes within the state of Florida. Animal cruelty charges can include animal neglect, felony or misdemeanor animal cruelty, and even animal fighting. All of these charges are extremely serious and can cost you prison time and expensive fines upon conviction.

What is criminal mischief? Criminal mischief is a fairly vague charge. If you have been arrested and accused of criminal mischief, you may need a criminal defense lawyer to explain exactly what the outcome of this charge might be. Your sentence will depend on the amount of damage caused by the criminal mischief you are accused of.

If you are convicted of a sex crime and required to register as a sex offender, almost all of you rights will be taken away. Sex-offender registration is a system designed to allow the government to keep track of people who have been convicted of serious sex crimes regardless of whether or not they have completed their criminal sentences. It tracks their residency, internet usage, and daily routine. However, should being a registered sex-offender prevent you from using social networking sites?

Theft in the state of Florida is charged at varying degrees depending on the amount stolen. Recently, there have been several people charged with theft around the South Florida are for stealing Air Conditioning units which usually results in a grand theft charge because of the cumulative dollar amount of items stolen.

Fraud occurs in just about every aspect of life that involves monetary transactions. In many cases, fraud occurs in organizations where the treasurer, or person responsible for organizing earned and paid revenues, is aligned with the person allegedly stealing money. Most of the time when the scheme unravels, both parties are prosecuted for organizing a scheme to defraud.