Many federal sex crime investigations now begin without any direct contact from law enforcement. In Florida, including the Tampa area, cases often start when online platforms identify activity that triggers mandatory reporting obligations. By the time federal agents appear with questions or a warrant, the government may already have months…
Automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) scan millions of plates every day around Tampa Bay. One “hit” can flip a routine drive into a high-risk stop with drawn weapons and a search you never agreed to. If an alert brought officers to your door, you need to understand how these systems…
Families sometimes call 911 when they worry that a loved one may be driving under the influence, and those calls can trigger immediate police contact. A recent Fourth District Court of Appeal decision, State v. Leiby, shows how quickly a welfare check encounter can turn into a full DUI investigation,…
Blue lights pop on in your rearview, you pull over for an expired tag, and a simple “Any weapons in the car?” turns into a search, handcuffs, and a ride you never planned. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. A recent Miami-Dade appellate ruling explains how those quick…
Your smartphone tracks location, searches, and app activity. Police know that. Prosecutors ask judges for “geofence” or “reverse keyword” warrants to sweep up data from every device near a crime scene or tied to a search phrase. If officers linked you to a case using this dragnet, you need to…
The Mayberry Law Firm defends people accused of serious felonies across Florida, and that includes fights over statements you allegedly made to police. In Janssen v. State, Florida’s First District Court of Appeal affirmed a conviction after finding that the Miranda waiver and confession were voluntary. If officers questioned you,…
The Mayberry Law Firm defends people accused of drug crimes and other felonies across Tampa Bay, and you deserve a clear read on what recent decisions mean for your case. A new opinion from Florida’s Second District shows how prosecutors use a traffic stop, a K-9 alert, and your own…
The Mayberry Law Firm knows that one moment behind the wheel can change everything. In Baker v. State, No. 1D2024-0407 (Fla. 1st DCA Apr. 2, 2025), the appellate court upheld convictions for three counts of drug possession after officers found narcotics in a car Baker was driving. The ruling…
You pull into an Orlando gas station. Police watch you chat with a friend, grab something from your car, and head inside. They flag your window tint, stop you down the street, and ask you to roll down a window. The moment you crack the door an officer claims he…
The Mayberry Law Firm knows that one moment behind the wheel can change everything. In Baker v. State, No. 1D2024-0407 (Fla. 1st DCA Apr. 2, 2025), the appellate court upheld convictions for three counts of drug possession after officers found narcotics in a car Baker was driving. The ruling offers…