Sanchez Vaughn, Trial Lawyers

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Plain-English answers on Florida and Federal criminal defense and injury law — written by the lawyers who handle these cases.

When Can Police Search Someone for a Weapon During a Stop? Florida's "Stop and Frisk" Rules Explained
When Can Police Search Someone for a Weapon During a Stop? Florida's "Stop and Frisk" Rules Explained

When police stop someone on the street, the law draws a careful line. A brief investigative stop is one thing. A search of a person's body for a weapon is an...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

Claims-Made vs. Occurrence Insurance: When Does a "Claim" Actually Trigger Coverage?
Claims-Made vs. Occurrence Insurance: When Does a "Claim" Actually Trigger Coverage?

When something goes wrong at a care facility, families often assume that any insurance the facility carried will be there to help. But insurance coverage doe...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

When Can the State Subpoena Your Medical Records in a Criminal Case? A Look at Certiorari Review
When Can the State Subpoena Your Medical Records in a Criminal Case? A Look at Certiorari Review

When someone is under investigation in a criminal matter — often a driving case — the State may try to obtain that person's medical records. Those records ca...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

When New Witness Affidavits Can Reopen a Criminal Case: Understanding "Newly Discovered Evidence" in Florida
When New Witness Affidavits Can Reopen a Criminal Case: Understanding "Newly Discovered Evidence" in Florida

Long after a trial ends and an appeal is over, new information sometimes surfaces. A witness may come forward with a different account, or the people who tes...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

What "Reasonable Suspicion" Means When Police Make an Investigatory Stop in Florida
What "Reasonable Suspicion" Means When Police Make an Investigatory Stop in Florida

When a police officer stops someone to investigate possible wrongdoing, the law does not require the officer to have proof of a crime. But it does require so...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

Why the Court That Sentenced You—Not Where You're Held—Usually Decides Challenges to a Sentence
Why the Court That Sentenced You—Not Where You're Held—Usually Decides Challenges to a Sentence

When someone is in prison and believes their conviction or sentence was unlawful, one of the first practical questions is not just what to file, but where to...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

When a Charging Document Must Spell Out the Elements for a Minimum Mandatory Sentence
When a Charging Document Must Spell Out the Elements for a Minimum Mandatory Sentence

When someone is convicted of a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence, the paperwork that starts the case matters a great deal. The document the Sta...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

What It Means When a Florida Appeals Court Summarily Affirms After the Opening Brief
What It Means When a Florida Appeals Court Summarily Affirms After the Opening Brief

When someone loses in a Florida trial court and files an appeal, the appeal does not always run its full course. In some situations, the appellate court can...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 7, 2026

When Saying "No Objection" at Trial Can Waive a Pretrial Suppression Argument
When Saying "No Objection" at Trial Can Waive a Pretrial Suppression Argument

People charged with crimes often fight to keep certain evidence out of their trial. One common tool is a pretrial "motion to suppress," which asks a judge to...

Written by Sanchez Vaughn on August 3, 2026

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More topics we’re writing about.

  • Drug trafficking thresholds in Florida
  • How a motion to suppress works
  • Stand Your Ground immunity hearings
  • Your license after a DUI: the 10-day rule
  • Florida’s Wrongful Death Act, explained
  • Qué hacer si lo arrestan en Tampa

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