954-998-4567
300 S. Pine Island Rd, Suite 228, Plantation FL
Confidential consultations
Home Practice Areas Criminal Defense
Criminal Defense

Trial-Tested Criminal Defense
Across South Florida

Every criminal case is built or broken on the same foundations: the lawfulness of the stop, the integrity of the evidence, the credibility of the witnesses, and the work the defense puts in before trial. The firm represents clients facing Florida state criminal charges across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties, with a focus on the cases where the stakes and the case complexity demand a fully resourced defense.

Schedule a Confidential Evaluation Call 954-998-4567
Charges We Defend

From Misdemeanors to Major Felonies

The firm handles the full range of state criminal charges in Florida courts. Below is a non-exhaustive overview of charge types regularly handled.

F.S. § 316.193(3)(c)3
DUI Manslaughter
Second-degree felony with a four-year mandatory minimum and up to fifteen years in prison. The most serious DUI charge in Florida.
Dedicated Page →
F.S. § 327.35
Boating Under the Influence
BUI, BUI with serious bodily injury, BUI manslaughter. Marine procedures, FWC stops, and Coast Guard cases.
Dedicated Page →
DUI Defense
Driving Under the Influence
First offense through felony DUI. Suppression of the stop, breath-test reliability, blood draw chain of custody, and ALR hearing representation.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. Ch. 893
Drug Charges
Possession, sale, manufacturing, and trafficking. Florida trafficking minimums under § 893.135 carry 3, 7, 15, or 25-year mandatory minimums based on weight.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. Ch. 784
Assault and Battery
Misdemeanor and aggravated assault and battery, including domestic battery and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. Ch. 812
Theft and Fraud
Petit theft, grand theft, organized scheme to defraud, embezzlement, identity theft, and other property crimes.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. § 741.28 et seq.
Domestic Violence
Domestic battery, violation of injunction, and related offenses. Mandatory minimums and conditions of release apply in these cases.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. § 782.07; § 782.04
Manslaughter and Homicide
Manslaughter, vehicular homicide, second-degree murder. The most serious classes of charges, where every element matters.
Discuss Your Case →
F.S. § 322.34
Driving Offenses
Driving while license suspended, habitual traffic offender, reckless driving, and serious traffic offenses with criminal exposure beyond a routine citation.
Discuss Your Case →
The Process

Stages of a Florida Criminal Case

Every case follows a sequence of formal steps. Understanding the process makes the experience less alarming and helps clients participate meaningfully in their own defense.

01
Arrest and First Appearance
Within 24 hours of arrest, a magistrate sets bond and conditions of release. Counsel can argue for reduced bond or release on own recognizance.
02
Filing of Charges
The State Attorney's Office files an Information (or seeks a grand jury indictment in capital cases) within 21 days of arrest, or longer with continuances.
03
Arraignment
Formal entry of plea. Most defendants plead not guilty in writing through counsel and waive personal appearance at arraignment.
04
Discovery
The State and defense exchange evidence, witness lists, and reports under Rule 3.220. Depositions of key witnesses are noticed and taken.
05
Pretrial Motions
Motions to suppress, motions to dismiss, motions in limine. The strongest defenses are often resolved before trial through written motion practice.
06
Plea Negotiation or Trial
Where favorable resolution is available, plea agreements are negotiated. Where the State's offer does not reflect the case, the defense prepares for trial.
07
Trial
Jury selection, opening statements, the State's case, the defense, closing arguments, jury instructions, deliberation, and verdict.
08
Sentencing or Appeal
Where conviction occurs, sentencing follows, often after a presentence investigation. Appellate rights are preserved by timely notice of appeal.
Approach

How the Firm Defends Criminal Cases

Every case is different. The discipline that wins them is the same: investigate everything, challenge every constitutional shortcut, and out-prepare the State at every stage.

Independent Investigation
The State's narrative is one version of events. The defense investigates the scene, the witnesses, the records, and the physical evidence to develop the version the State did not see or did not pursue.
Constitutional Challenges
Every stop, every search, every interrogation is examined for constitutional defects. Suppression of unlawfully obtained evidence is often the most efficient path to dismissal or major reduction.
Trial-First Mindset
Cases are prepared as if they are going to trial from day one. The State's offers often improve when the prosecution sees the defense is ready to make them prove every element to a jury.
Direct Attorney Access
Clients work with a managing attorney throughout the case, not a rotating cast of associates and paralegals. Cases of this consequence require continuity of counsel.
Retained Experts
Toxicologists, accident reconstructionists, forensic accountants, and digital forensics experts are retained when the facts of the case warrant it. The defense matches the State's resources where it counts.
Honest Counsel
Clients receive a clear-eyed assessment of the case, including the risks, the realistic outcomes, and the cost of pursuing each path. No false promises and no marketing-driven advice.
Frequently Asked Questions

Florida Criminal Defense: Questions Answered

Invoke your right to remain silent and your right to counsel. Do not consent to searches. Do not give a recorded statement, sign a waiver, or attempt to explain the situation to law enforcement. Contact a criminal defense attorney before any post-arrest interview. The first 48 hours after an arrest often shape the rest of the case.
A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in county jail. A felony is punishable by more than one year in state prison. Florida classifies felonies as capital, life, first-degree (up to 30 years), second-degree (up to 15 years), and third-degree (up to 5 years). Felonies cannot be expunged in most circumstances and result in the loss of certain civil rights.
A Florida sentencing option in which the court declines to formally adjudicate the defendant guilty despite a plea or finding. A withhold may preserve eligibility for sealing the record and may avoid certain collateral consequences. It is not available for capital, life, or most second-degree felonies, and not all judges grant it.
Yes, in many cases. Charges may be reduced or dismissed through pretrial motion practice (motion to suppress, motion to dismiss), through negotiation when the State's case has weaknesses, through participation in diversion programs (PTI, drug court), or through trial. The path depends on the facts and the leverage available.
Florida's speedy trial rule sets 90 days for misdemeanors and 175 days for felonies from the date of arrest, but waivers are common and most cases take longer. Misdemeanors typically resolve in 3 to 6 months. Felonies typically take 9 to 18 months, with the most serious cases (DUI manslaughter, homicide) taking 18 to 36 months.
No. The Fifth Amendment protects you from being compelled to testify. The decision to testify is yours, made in consultation with counsel after reviewing the State's evidence. Many defendants do not testify, and the jury cannot draw an adverse inference from the choice.
Yes. The firm represents clients in Florida state courts throughout South Florida, including Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.

Charged with a crime in Florida?

The first conversation is confidential and direct. Call to discuss the charge, the timing, and what comes next.

954-998-4567
Or Send a Confidential Message
Call 954-998-4567