We are four days away from an election and as a criminal defense attorney the question I am being asked the most by former clients is—how do I get my voting rights back? The answer—as everything else in Florida—is not simple.
To understand the complexity of Florida election law, with respect to felons restoring their voting rights, we need to start at the beginning. For almost 200 years, Florida has, in one way or another, prevented former felons from being able to vote in federal or state elections. In the last 10 years that changed a bit– former felons would be required to petition the state’s parole commission board to ask for the restoration of their civil rights.
However, in November of 2018, Florida voters took to the polls and overwhelmingly voted to allow former felons—except those convicted of murder and sexual offenses—the right to vote. Done deal, right? Not quite. Remember, this is Florida.
Governor DeSantis issued an executive order preventing former felons from voting until they have completed their “entire” sentence— including all fines and court costs. As a criminal defense attorney, these fines and court costs are usually astronomical sums of money for people who have been incarcerated.
My advice to clients facing this situation? Hire a lawyer AFTER this election cycle. There are lawsuits running through our judicial system regarding this very issue. Former felons are filing suit to have their right to vote restored. Be very cautious of any lawyer promising to get your right to vote restored PRIOR to this election cycle. This is currently being litigated in our judicial system and as we all know, these things take time.
Wishing everyone a safe and fun election season.
A South Florida couple claims in court that a Miami hospital threw out the body of their stillborn daughter while they were making arrangements to give her a proper funeral.
In a complaint filed in Miami-Dade County, plaintiffs Pedro Cruz and Christina Ruiz say they learned that they were expecting their fourth child in August 2016, and shortly afterward decided to name her Fatima Christina Cruz.
Cruz says that on December 2016 his wife Christina was admitted to North Shore Medical Center where she was treated for issues with her pregnancy.
“To the devastation of both Christina Ruiz and Pedro Cruz, their daughter, Fatima Christina Cruz died of a spontaneous fetal demise in her womb, otherwise known in layman terms as a miscarriage,” the complaint says.
Ruiz says after the stillborn child was delivered, she completed and signed two documents in front of hospital staff in which she specified she wanted to give her daughter a proper funeral in accord with her religious beliefs.
But the couple says when they returned to the medical center in January 2017 to retrieve the baby’s remains, they were told the body had been lost.
Ruiz and Cruz say that North Shore Medical Center denied them the “right to give their baby daughter a proper funeral.”
The couple is seeking compensatory damages on claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress, tortious interference and negligence.
They are represented by Raphael Lopez and Sonia Roca from Lopez Roca PA in Miami, Fla.
“Our hearts go out to all families affected by pregnancy loss. We are unable to comment on pending litigation,” said Patty Vila, a spokeswoman for the medical center.
