Posted by: Thomas Grajek
On Thursday, it was again my pleasure to teach future bondsmen and women about the criminal court system. If you would like to be a bail bond agent and help assist people to get out of jail, you can more information at http://bailbondedu.com/, Florida’s leading bail bond educator. In order to become a bondsman there are number of steps including education and training under a bail agent. I was asked to explain what happens in the criminal court system. This was a really great class of students. We covered the entire process from arrest through an appeal of a criminal conviction. [...]
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Saturday, June 8th, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: bail bond agent, Bartow, Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, breath test, criminal process, diversion, diversion program, evidence, FL, jury selection, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Office Lakeland, opening statement, Polk County, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
Many people are asking what is the status of the Motion to Declare the Prostitution “civil penalty” unconstitutional that I filed a couple of months ago. Many Polk criminal defense attorneys taking these prostitution cases are not filing a motion or fighting the $5,250.00 civil penalty. Some lawyers are waiting for the ruling on my motion, but did not assist me or file a motion in their client’s case. There are a couple of attorneys who have filed a motion and I will gladly give you the names of those that are willing to fight for their clients. Who do [...]
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Sunday, June 2nd, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal lawyer, civil penalty, Grady Judd prostitution, Judge Kirkland, Judge Ojeda, Lakeland criminal attorney, pimp, Polk criminal defense lawyer, Polk prostitution sting, prostitution, prostitution civil penalty, sex crime, sexual offender, sexual predator, sting operation
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
In April, I attended the NACDL legal seminar “Making sense of Science.” This continuing legal education seminar focused on how science plays a role in criminal cases. A main topic was DNA evidence in criminal cases. This evidence is found in rape or capital sexual battery and there is DNA evidence on the body. Or, DNA evidence left at a crime scene such as a burglary. This occurs when someone breaks into a house, cuts themselves on the window, and leaves traces of blood behind. This criminal defense seminar dealt with defending against this type of forensic evidence, taught by [...]
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Saturday, June 1st, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal lawyer, Bartow murder, battery, DNA, DNA evidence, DUI, evidence, Lakeland DUI Lawyer, NACDL, Polk County, polk criminal lawyer, rape, sexual battery, Winter Haven FL criminal attorney
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
Two undercover Tampa Police Department officers were fired today for hanging out and drinking in a strip club while on duty. Officer Ortega and Officer Madsen were in a strip club drinking. When it was time to go to work, the officers logged into work remotely from a computer. The were on the Rapid Offender Control undercover squad. As undercover officers they wore everyday street clothes and drove an unmarked car. Their duties required them to respond to violent and any in-progress crimes. The officers reportedly were still drinking alcohol 4 hours into their shift and never left the strip club. [...]
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Friday, May 31st, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: alcohol, Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, battery, breath test, DUI, DUI serious bodily injury, FDLE, internal affairs, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, Lakeland Police department, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, Public Record Requests, Rapid Offender Control, undercover officer, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
Polk County law enforcement agencies ran another prostitution sting this week. This appears to be similar to the prostitution stings recently done this past January and last August. The prostitution law increased the “civil penalty” for “johns” from $500.00 to $5,250.00 on January 1, 2013. I am the only Polk County criminal defense attorney who has challenged the constitutionality of this increased “civil penalty”. I also have a motion pending challenging the increased monetary penalty being applied to those arrested in the August 2012 solicitation sting. I expect a ruling very soon on my motion. If you have been arrested in the latest solicitation for [...]
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Saturday, May 11th, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, civil penalty, expunge arrest, Haines City, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, lewdness, Office Lakeland, POLK, Polk County, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, prostitution, prostitution sting, seal record, Sex Crime attorney, solicitation for lewdness, Winter Haven, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
Do not go to court alone if you have been charged with domestic violence. You need experienced legal counsel. There is one very important thing that you need to know if you are considering pleading guilty, or no contest, in regard to a domestic violence charge in Florida, and that is you cannot have your arrest expunged or your record sealed. In short, if you want to still be eligible to have your domestic violence arrest expunged, you must contact an experienced criminal defense attorney for assistance. Going to court alone and winging it will leave you in an untenable [...]
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Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal lawyer, criminal defense lawyer, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, Polk domestic violence lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
Many people want to know if they are able to obtain or possess a firearm if they have been convicted of domestic violence or currently have an injunction for protection against domestic violence ordered against them. The 1968 Gun Control Act at 18 U.S.C. § 921 prohibits anyone convicted of a felony or subject to a domestic violence protective order from possessing a firearm. The intended effect of this legislation is to extend the firearms ban to anyone convicted of a “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.” Under Federal law, more specifically Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(9) (the Lautenberg [...]
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Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, domestic violence, felon in possession of a firearm, felony, harass, harassment, injunction, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, polk county criminal lawyer, possess firearm, stalking, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
My client was charged with the crime of battery. This is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in the Polk County Jail. The allegations against my client were that he had hit a female at a fight outside a bar. Allegedly, there were numerous patrons outside the bar and, during the fight, the alleged victim got punched in the face and knocked out. The police never spoke to my client to get his side of the story. Unfortunately, this happens in many criminal cases. That is why you need an attorney that can explain what really [...]
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, battery, domestic violence, expunge record, Lakeland criminal attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, self-defense, stand your ground, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
When someone represents themselves in court, it is called pro se. Before a court can allow someone to go forward without the aid of an attorney, they must perform a Faretta inquiry. This inquiry insures that the defendant properly waives his right to counsel. As the old saying goes “he who represents himself has a fool for a client.” It is very dangerous to represent yourself. There are collateral consequences to your criminal case or plea that you may not be aware of. You could lose your license for 5 years, you could lose the ability to seal or expunge [...]
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Sunday, February 24th, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, Bartow DUI attorney, Bartow DUI lawyer, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, Lakeland DUI attorney, Lakeland DUI Lawyer, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, Polk County DUI attorney, Polk County DUI lawyer, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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Posted by: Thomas Grajek
What should you do if there is a warrant out for your arrest? My client was on felony probation for Domestic Violence. He had previously violated his probation and was reinstated by the court, but had violated again only six (6) months later. This time the affidavit for violation of probation alleged that he: failed to pay his cost of supervision, failed to perform his community service hours, and committed a new law violation by driving without a license which was in violation of his probation officer’s instructions not to drive without a valid license My client knew that the [...]
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Posted on
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013 and filed under Lakeland Criminal Defense.
Tags: Bartow criminal defense attorney, Bartow criminal lawyer, capias, felony VOP, Lakeland criminal defense attorney, Lakeland criminal lawyer, misdemeanor VOP, Polk County criminal defense attorney, Polk County criminal defense lawyer, polk county vop lawyer, VOP, VOP warrant, Winter Haven Criminal Defense Attorney, Winter Haven criminal lawyer
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