“Guns can seriously damage your health, you know!”
quote from The Doctor, Doctor Who
If you are arrested in Florida, it may take an experienced Miami attorney to navigate Florida’s legal system including some of the crazy laws we have on the books.
Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill into law last year making Florida the first state in which it’s illegal for any physician to “ask questions concerning the ownership of a firearm” or “harass a patient about firearm ownership during an examination.” The law has since been struck down by a federal judge who stated that it violated doctors’ freedom of speech. The State of Florida is appealing the decision.
This controversial law was created in response to a situation when a pediatrician in Ocala asked a young child’s mother if they kept guns in their home. It is common for pediatricians to assess potential health and fatality risks in the home during well child examinations by asking about swimming pools, location of poisons, and other hazards, but this Florida mother felt that gun ownership is too personal a matter to share with the family doctor.
She refused to answer because, as she put it, “whether I have a gun has nothing to do with the health of my child.” When the pediatrician dropped her family over the incident, the mom sought out legal representation.
What do you think? Will doctors soon be seeking out Miami criminal attorneys to represent them for violations of this controversial law? Or will the state of Florida be found in the wrong when it comes to the constitutionality of the law?
If you or someone you know is facing serious criminal charges, don’t risk your future. Contact an experienced Miami FL criminal defense attorney who can investigate your situation, protect your legal rights, and aggressively defend you in court.