Check out our July newsletter!
THE KONECKY
JULY 2020
JOURNAL
561.671.5995 | 954.272.6187 | www.matthewkoneckypa.com 110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 4440 PGA Blvd., Suite 204 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Keeping UpWith the Courts
You learn a lot when you have to adapt to change. Over the past few months, I can say I have learned a lot while adapting to a changing court system in the wake of the pandemic. Going into July, many of the courts in Florida are focused on getting back on track. As a result, we have been able to clear out a number of cases so our clients don’t have to wait until things “normalize” before they see results. Technology, for example, has been on our side. The courts have been able to implement new ways of working through cases without having to organize courthouse appearances. Thanks to software like Zoom, the court system has been able to keep things moving along at a remarkably quick pace. Plus, we’re not sitting outside of the courtroom for hours waiting to be seen. In fact, we recently cleared out a case through a “plea in absentia.” My client was able to take a plea without needing to be present before a judge. In this case, the defendant (my client) went over the plea agreement. We had it notarized with the individual’s signature and I took that document, along with a copy of the defendant’s fingerprints, and submitted it to the court for approval. Then, we had a Zoom hearing and the court approved it. The client was able to serve their probation, and there was no wasted time and no waiting around. We’re doing this for a few more cases, as well. I’m excited that we don’t have to wait an extended period of time to get results. That alone has been a huge relief for clients. Strangely enough, one of the more challenging parts of this process wasn’t dealing with the courts or the prosecution. Rather, it was trying to get my clients’ fingerprints before we submitted everything for court approval. Over the past several months, many local police departments were not offering fingerprinting because they didn’t want people coming in unless there was an emergency. This meant we had to coordinate without outside vendors who were capable of providing this service. In Changing Times
a second wave. The courts have been advancing the dockets at a speedy pace and this will help smooth things out once things do normalize — at least when it comes to scheduling. There won’t be a huge backlog going in to the next few months. On the civil side of things, everything has been moving forward except jury trials. However, Jeff Adelman, a good friend of mine, has been working with other trial and defense attorneys to set up a way to do remote jury trials. They recently held a mock jury trial over Zoom to see what it might look like in the event that something like this is needed. Whether or not it gets implemented is hard to say, but the courts have learned how to keep things moving forward. Should the pandemic continue for a long time, or should there be a second wave, we can take what we’ve learned over the past several months and put it to good work. In theory, that might even include jury trials over Zoom. Time will tell. For now, though, our clients can rest assured we’re still completely focused on their cases. As challenging as the last several months have been, we’ve never stopped working. And if you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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It likely won’t be long before the court system is largely back to normal, barring any further complications due to the pandemic or
–Matthew Konecky
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Be Your Best Self With the Help of Others
HOW TO IMPLEMENT A VIRTUAL WELLNESS CHALLENGE
A lot of people struggle to keep up with a regular wellness routine because they lack accountability to hold them to it. Whether it’s exercise, meditation, or healthy eating, if you go through the process alone, it’s that much harder to will yourself to see it through. But at a time when isolation is still one of the best ways to stay healthy, how can you involve others in your wellness plan? The answer is simple: Create a virtual wellness challenge!
virtually, participants have more freedom and flexibility in their routines without missing out on any of the social interaction that makes it fun.
Get Started
Every challenge should have a quantifiable goal depending on the theme. Challenges like working out for 30 minutes a day, getting seven hours of sleep at night, eating 1 cup of leafy greens with every meal, or meditating for 15 minutes every day are all great examples. Whatever it is, the target should be clear and reasonable in order to encourage maximum participation and low burnout.
Stay Accountable
Download these books today ! When it comes to the legal process, you may have a lot of questions. Well, I have answers! Right now, I am offering my two resource books for free. YOUR LEGAL RESOURCE Treat the challenge like you would a weekly book club. Set a time every week to meet via a video call to share wins and setbacks, discuss necessary changes to the challenge, plan for the next week’s challenge, and offer encouragement. If you really want to up the inspiration, determine a prize to be awarded to the person who actively participates the most. Just be sure you have a tangible way to record and share those results, like video evidence of the activity. A wellness challenge shared among friends and family is a great way to work on your physical or mental well-being and stay connected with loved ones when you aren’t able to visit them in person. That kind of consistent personal connection can be wellness in and of itself.
Understand the Process
A wellness challenge cultivates healthy competition among participants that keeps them motivated to stick with their wellness regimens. Challenges can be fully customized depending on the goals and abilities of those participating, and when the challenge is carried out
AMESSAGE FROM THE FAITHFUL
“We’re very pleased with the service we’ve received from Matt and his office staff, specifically Tee, paralegal, and Raz, legal assistant. The investigative work has left no stone unturned, and they have all been very responsive regardless of our questions. We would highly recommend them!” –Trish
‘My Loved One Has BeenArrested’ The 2nd edition of my first book is now available for download. Inside the 2nd edition you will find out what happens after your case, how to remove mugshots, and what to do if you were the one arrested. If you want a physical copy, please contact our office today. ‘What You Must Know About Your DUI Case’ Being convicted of a DUI charge can drastically change your life. Learn what goes into a DUI case and what your first step should be. Head over to MatthewKoneckyPA.com today for your FREE downloads!
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Sealing or Expunging Your Record
A CLEAN SLATE
MEME CORNER If you’re interested in having a clean record and having your mug shot removed from the internet, contact our office and we’ll see if we can seal or expunge your case today! Visit us at MatthewKoneckyPA.com or call us at 561.671.5995. The main difference between sealing and expunging your case is that when the file is sealed with the court, there are very few organizations that can obtain access to it. When your case is expunged, it is actually destroyed. If you have the ability to expunge your file, that is the absolute best option for you to take, as some sealed cases can eventually be reopened. You can see more details about who and who can’t have their case expunged, by searching the terms in the search bar on our website at MatthewKoneckyPA.com. Another advantage of having your case removed from the public record: It actually gives you the right to deny that you were even arrested in most circumstances. There are, however, five circumstances listed on the Florida Department Law Enforcement website that you cannot deny. Visit FDLE. state.fl.us/Seal-and-Expunge-Process/Reasons-for-Denial to learn more.
Interested in sealing and expunging your case? Having a case sealed or expunged essentially removes it from your public record. When you’re arrested, regardless of whether you’re found guilty or not guilty, your case is dismissed, or if the court withholds adjudication, there is still a public record. If you are eligible to have your case sealed or expunged, you can go through a process to have it removed from public records. Many people wonder why they’d need to do this if their case was dismissed. The answer is simply that your record is public, so if you’re applying for a job, promotion, or even to a school, then you want your record to be as clean as possible. In some cases, you may find your mug shot floating around the internet. With a seal or expunge order, it is much easier to have it removed from a private website. If your case was dropped, dismissed by the state (nolle prosequi) , or charges were not filed, you can have your case expunged if you have no other expungements or adjudications of any other crimes. If you have a “withhold of adjudication,” you may be able to have your case sealed. Even though you may have pleaded guilty, you can still have it removed from public records.
Cooking With Ashley
CHIPOTLE HONEY CHICKEN SKEWERS
Ingredients
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4 chicken breasts
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1 tsp chipotle chili powder
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1/4 cup raw, unfiltered honey
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1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
Equipment •
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1/4 cup tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste
Wooden skewers
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2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Directions
1. Slice chicken into very thin strips with a sharp knife. Thread accordion-style onto wooden skewers. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, chipotle chili, and chopped garlic. Spoon sauce over skewers. 3. Cook skewers on a hot grill for 10–12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, basting with sauce and turning every 2–3 minutes to cook evenly. Alternately, skewers can be cooked in an oven at 400 F for 16–18 minutes or until cooked through.
Recipe from SkinnyMs.com
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INSIDE 561.671.5995 | 954.272.6187 www.matthewkoneckypa.com 4440 PGA Blvd., Suite 204 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
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Adapting to a Changing Court System
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Stay Accountable With a Virtual Wellness Challenge Hear From Our Clients
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Can You Expunge Your Record? Chipotle Honey Chicken Skewers
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Taking Art Classes From Home
Nurture Your Creative Passion
With These 3 Online Art Courses instructor at the School of Visual Arts, Shimizu is ready to help you on your journey to learn the essentials of inking. In the 90-minute course, Shimizu covers a lot of ground, which both novice and experienced ink artists will benefit from. Find this course by searching for ink drawing techniques on Skillshare.com. New Masters Academy Known as one of the best art academies online, New Masters Academy (NMA) offers hundreds of hours of prerecorded video lectures that students can watch and follow along with as they paint, draw, and sketch. The standard fee starts at $35 a month, but with a premium membership at $44 a month, students can access NMA’s 3D reference library and over 20,000 reference images. To learn more and become familiar with the academy’s instructors, visit their website at NMA.art.
All forms of art, like painting, drawing, and even sculpting, can be relaxing hobbies, sources of extra income, or professional careers. And with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to begin learning a new art form. If you have an eager student at home who wants to try their hand in the arts or perfect their craft, then look into online art courses. There are many different courses available, and you should do some research to see which course is best for your student, but here are three to get you started. Drawing and Sketching for Beginners by Robin Slee This course is available through Udemy, and, at the reasonable price of $29.99, is perfect for anyone wanting to test the waters. Slee
takes students through the key fundamentals of drawing, such as how to hold a pencil correctly and how to make different kinds of marks. His calm voice and simple explanations in each course help students feel encouraged as they work. The course comes with three hours of video content segmented into 25 modules and a Q&A section where students can post questions, ask for feedback, and share their work. Find this course at Udemy.com/course/sketching-for-beginners. Ink Drawing Techniques with Yuko Shimizu A student who prefers ink over pencil can learn drawing techniques through Yuko Shimizu’s class on Skillshare. As a veteran
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