Author: Stephen K. Brooks

What Happens When I Call a Law Firm?

When you realize you need an attorney’s help, the first step is making that initial phone call. But if you’ve never called a law office before, you may not know what the intake process will be like. We can assure you, at Brooks Law Group, there’s nothing to worry about. All law firms are different,…

I-4 Construction Updates for Commuters

Commuting on I-4 is a struggle that Polk and Hillsborough County residents know well. Whether you commute to Tampa or Orlando, you’ve surely been caught in some rush hour traffic. It looks like the new year will bring some I-4 construction changes that might help you out! Did you know that I-4 is one of…

Looking Back at 2020: Year in Review

We think it’s pretty safe to say that 2020 has been a year unlike any other. This year we’ve made it through lockdowns, masks, elections, and those murder hornets. Through it all, Brooks Law Group remained here for our clients and our community. Although it’s easy to say we want to leave 2020 behind us,…

Drunk Driving in Florida: The Holiday Danger

For residents of Florida, driving is a bit unusual. As a visitor, you may believe that turn signals are optional here—they are not. You might think that the left lane is no longer for passing in this state—it still is. Maybe you think it’s perfectly legal to drive with faulty brake lights (since every car…

California Proposition 22 and the Future of Ride-Share

Since their inception in the early 2010s, ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft have been growing more successful and popular. In 2019, Uber alone completed nearly 7 billion trips. Needless to say, this powerful technology is changing the way we see transportation today. This is why the decline of its workers’ rights via California Proposition…

Owen King: Fall 2020 Scholarship Runner-Up

Our Fall 2020 Scholarship essay prompt asked students, “How have you personally been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what have you learned? What have you done to help others in your community during this time? If you were in charge, how would you have addressed the concerns we’ve seen?” Owen King won second place…

Evan Kauffman: Fall 2020 Scholarship Winner

Our Fall 2020 Scholarship essay prompt asked students, “How have you personally been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what have you learned? What have you done to help others in your community during this time? If you were in charge, how would you have addressed the concerns we’ve seen?” Evan Kauffman is our first…

Deceit and Assault: Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard

News and social media have been surging with support for Johnny Depp as he appeals to the courts of England. His goal? To set the record straight and restore his name in the eye of the public. The issue? The courts have been unwilling to overturn the previous rulings. This case started with domestic assault…

Dangers of Driving After Daylight Saving Time Change

An unintended by-product of the switch to and from Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a marked increase in deadly car accidents. The spike is especially notable in the spring, when we lose an hour of sleep. In fact, fatal car wrecks go up by six percent in the week following the start of DST. This…

Nursing Home Abuse in the Face of COVID-19

Assisted living centers and nursing home facilities are there to care for those who most need it. As a consequence of COVID-19, these facilities had to double-down on resident safety. Unfortunately, this made nursing home abuse and suffering characteristic of nursing home stays. If you or a loved one have experienced nursing home abuse, you…

Why Wasn’t Uber Charged in a Fatal Self-Driving Car Crash?

The news of an Arizona bicyclist who was struck and killed by an autonomous Uber vehicle in 2018 made national headlines. At the time, the public wondered if the company would face charges. But recently, the safety driver hired to oversee the autonomous car was charged with criminal negligence. However, neither Uber nor the company…

Protests and Riots: How to Stay Safe in Civil Unrest

Since the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, many across the nation have joined both nonviolent protests and riots. During this time, people have been victimized by both demonstrators and law enforcement. As protests become more common, local streets seem to become more and more dangerous. With some forethought and understanding, it’s easy to…

Young Men Driving Dangerously During COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has infiltrated nearly every aspect of American life. When the nation was shut down in early spring, there was a rise in unsafe driving habits nationwide, especially among young men. Chief among them was driving under the influence of alcohol or mind-altering drugs. But a rise in other risky behaviors, such as…

What Is SB-145: California’s “Pedophile Bill”?

If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve likely encountered posts about California’s Bill, SB-145. Some people have taken to calling it “The Pedophile Bill.” Many posts misconstrue the intent of the bill as “supporting pedophilia and other sex crimes.” Well, today we’re going to see what SB-145 is really about. Here at Brooks Law…

Preventing and Preparing for a Slip and Fall

October is the scariest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean you should be scared of the legal world! Brooks Law Group aims to clear up legal confusion and make it easier to understand. That’s why we’ve joined with the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce for a series of networking calls throughout October….