Author Archives: Jay Butchko

Charged With Loitering Or Prowling In Florida? You Have Options.
Recently a man shot at several witnesses, shot himself accidentally and shot at police, all while standing on the roof of a private building. The incident resulted in a 6 hour standoff with SWAT. It took a response from multiple units to finally get the suspect to cooperate, but Hillsborough County prosecutors have now… Read More »

Can Your License Be Suspended For Too Many Speeding Tickets In Florida?
Andrew has gotten a few speeding tickets in the last few years. He was cited for going 10 or 15 mph over the speed limit on the highway. Another ticket was for running a red light. He also has three violations for driving while talking on a cell phone. Recently he was involved in… Read More »

What’s The Difference Between Carjacking And Vehicle Theft In Florida?
Last week in Tampa, two men crashed a car on I-75 driving at high speeds. When good samaritans pulled over to assist them, the men ordered the couple at gunpoint to drive them to another destination. Fearing for their lives, the couple complied. The men exited the vehicle at which point the victims drove… Read More »

Grand Jury Or Regular Jury: What’s The Difference?
Often in popular media and crime tv shows, a scene will cut to a grand jury after a defendant is charged with a crime. That jury is composed of more than 12 jurors, but what exactly does a grand jury do? Do all defendants in a criminal case face a grand jury? Do you… Read More »

The National Trial Lawyers Announces Bryant Scriven As One Of Its Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers In Florida
The National Trial Lawyers is pleased to announce that Bryant Scriven of Scriven Law, P.A. in Tampa has been selected for inclusion into its Top 100 Area of Practice Trial Lawyers in Florida, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field. Membership in… Read More »

Road Rage Equals Jail Time
2 people are dead and 2 people are in the hospital after an apparent road rage incident in Riverview this past week. Hillsborough County deputies are investigating a shooting between a group of cyclists and people driving in a vehicle. Apparently the driver of the vehicle fatally shot two juvenile cyclists. Road rage incidents… Read More »

How Is A Defendant Convicted Of Battery With Prejudice In Florida?
A Miami doctor is accused of a hate crime, and Florida prosecutors have charged her with battery with prejudice, criminal mischief with prejudice, and tampering with a victim. The doctor allegedly became visibly angered after another shopper in a Hialeah supermarket asked her in Spanish to keep her distance. When the shopper repeated his… Read More »

Can You Be Arrested For Defamation Or Slander In Florida?
Alyssa checked her social media accounts to find someone tagged her in an offense post and claimed she illegally obtained her job through coercion and bribery. The post was shared and reposted multiple times and has gone viral, even reaching her employer. Even though it’s not true, Alyssa is worried about her professional future… Read More »

Florida Businessman Sentenced To Prison For PPP Fraud
As part of COVID-19 federal relief assistance, small business owners applied for PPP (Paycheck Protection Program ) loans with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Over 800 billion dollars in loan assistance was distributed since April of 2020. Unfortunately, some people have been accused of applying for loan assistance under false pretenses or fraud, and… Read More »

Expungement Of Criminal Convictions In Florida
You made a mistake as a teenager that you paid for dearly. You spent a year in jail, paid fines, attended drug and alcohol abuse education courses and participated in more than 100 hours of community service. Since then you have not gotten so much as a parking ticket, yet your criminal record is… Read More »