Our criminal defense lawyers represent clients for a wide range of alleged offenses. While many of these cases can be easily labeled, “drug crimes,” “sex offenses” or “violent crimes,” not all will fall into neatly-defined categories.
Some of these are what we refer to as “common law crimes.” These are offenses that are developed by preceding ruling judges, and may or may not be codified in statutes.
Other miscellaneous crimes may be those that have a wide range of penalties and they don’t necessarily fit easily into other criminal categorizations.
At The Ansara Law Firm, our Fort Lauderdale defense attorneys are committed to vigorously protecting the rights of our clients and ensuring we explore every possible legal avenue to further their interests and fight for an outcome in their favor.
Some examples of Miscellaneous Crimes in Florida include:
The penalties vary depending on the severity of the offense, harm to the alleged victim (if applicable) and the prior criminal record of defendant.
By hiring a lawyer with many years of experience, no matter what the category of crime you are facing, you are investing in your future. Many of these offenses are quite serious. Even those that may seem relatively minor can result in lifelong consequences and stigma.
Usually the best case scenario is for the charges to be dismissed even before trial – or to avoid arrest in the first place by “lawyering up” while the case is still under investigation. In situations where that doesn’t seem likely, your attorney may want to approach prosecutors with a plea deal that weighs all the various factors of your case – including the strength of the evidence and the likelihood you will prevail at trial – and jockeying for the most favorable outcome in those circumstances. Most criminal cases do end in a plea deal. However, our defense team begins most cases with a thorough investigation, just in case we need to be prepared for trial.
Fighting for Your RightsAn arrest is often a traumatic event that can have a ripple effect. There is the fear and uncertainty and sometimes physical pain of the actual event. Beyond that, there is the worry about how to come up with the bail money and the amount of time it’s all going to cost you. Then there is concern about who is going to find out and how it may affect your job, your relationship or your future.
This is an extremely stressing time, but you should know you do not need to go through it on your own. You need someone who has successfully guided other through this process. It is true that not all these offenses require a criminal defense attorney, nor will you automatically be granted one by the court. However, there is an old (wise) saying that, “Only a fool has himself for a client.” Even attorneys who are arrested typically do not represent themselves. It’s for the same reason that doctors don’t treat themselves. They know the immense value of having a skilled third party who is detached from the emotion of the experience to advocate on their behalf.
Our Criminal Defense StrategyFor someone who is not familiar with the local legal landscape, the process can seem especially daunting. Our criminal defense attorneys work to achieve outcomes for our clients through diligent case work, attention to detail and skilled oration.
The approach for each defendant, each case, is going to be different, but there are a few tools we use more frequently than others. Those include:
Motions to Suppress Evidence. Here, we are going to look at whether your Fourth Amendment rights have been violated. We’ll check to see if the traffic stop was predicated on reasonable suspicion. We’ll be looking at whether there was probable cause or a warrant to search. We’ll be analyzing whether there was an unlawful stop-and-frisk. Evidence obtained via unlawful means can’t be used against you in court.
Motion to Dismiss. We file a motion to dismiss in cases where there may be a lack of evidence or some reason of law why your case should not continue. For example, if the statute of limitations has passed, we would file a motion to dismiss. If your actions were the result of self-defense or you were protected by “Stand Your Ground” immunity, we would file a motion to dismiss. If there had been some destruction of key evidence, we would probably there too file a motion to dismiss.
Post-Trial Motions. These would include motions to correct sentence, motion to modify the sentence, motion to clarify the sentence, motion to vacate or set aside the conviction or motion for a new trial. All these stem from the assertion that there was some error during the proceeding that needs to be corrected in the interest of justice.
If you have been arrested in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in South Florida, we can help.
Contact Fort Lauderale criminal defense lawyers at The Ansara Law Firm by calling (954) 761-4011 or send us an email. We serve clients in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties.