About Misdemeanor Charges in Florida.

How Our Jacksonville Misdemeanor Lawyers Can Help!

If you have been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor, as we noted above, you are not automatically guilty! Our first concern will be to understand the details of your arrest and the charges against you. We will then prepare you for your hearing. The initial hearing is where you will be asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. In many cases we immediately see opportunities to discredit the charges, violations of our client’s rights and other errors that cause us to advise our clients to plead not guilty. When a not guilty plea is entered, a court date is scheduled and we begin to prepare your defense.

If you appear for your hearing without defense counsel by your side, it is important to understand that this initial hearing is supposed to be a plea hearing, But sometimes, the judge will suggest that if you plead guilty, they will impose a sentence and you’ll be released and can go home. Too often in the stress of the moment, defendants jump at the chance and enter a guilty plea and accept a conviction without any defense. They may be out of jail, but now they have a criminal record and likely had to pay a fine.

There are many ways to fight misdemeanor charges. From challenging the maintenance records of breathalyzer equipment to challenging witness accounts, to unlawful search and seizure. We know the law and we know where to look for evidence that can be used in negotiations with prosecutors to either reduce your charges or drop them all together, before court. Or that may cause the prosecutor to offer a plea agreement that could be in your best interest. But if they feel they have a strong enough case to proceed with a trial, our experienced trial defense attorneys will motion to suppress evidence that could unfairly sway the jury, present a strong defense strategy including evidence and available witness testimony that has been carefully designed to prevent prosecutors from proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

We may have to fight through negotiations with prosecutors and even a trial. But your reputation and future deserves an aggressive defense. Contact our Jacksonville misdemeanor lawyers at (904) 358-3300 and let’s discuss your case.

Misdemeanor Charges & Penalties.

Misdemeanor cases and trials generally fall under the jurisdiction of County courts. And if a case does go to trial, we almost always prefer a jury trial over a judge. We will of course make every effort to arrange a plea agreement with reduced charges or seek to have the charges dismissed before a case actually goes to trial.

Time can also be on your side. The prosecutor must gather evidence, interview witnesses, build a case that will prove your guilt to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, and bring their case to trial within 90 days. If we have a strong defense or your case requires in-depth investigation by the state, this time limitation can sometimes move prosecutors towards reducing charges with a favorable plea agreement. Below are some of the more common misdemeanor charges that we fight for clients.

If you are facing a misdemeanor charge, the charges and possible conviction should be taken very seriously. And before entering a guilty plea, you should understand that there is always the possibility that your rights were violated in some way or there are factors that could lead to your charges being reduced or completely dropped. It is best to seek the council of an experienced Jacksonville misdemeanor lawyer to review your case before making any decisions that could result in extremely high auto insurance rates, interfere with employment opportunities and cause other problems that can make your future more difficult than it could have been.

Our Jacksonville misdemeanor lawyers are very familiar with Florida’s laws and have extensive criminal defense trial experience. This experience and investigative knowledge allows us to assemble evidence, identify violations of your rights, uncover administrative and procedural errors, and gather witness testimony to build a solid defense. And then use our findings to negotiate with prosecutors to reduce your charges or drop your charges all together. And if your case somehow goes to trial, we will motion to suppress evidence that would cause the jury to unfairly judge you, present the facts of your defense and show the jury that the prosecution has not proven your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Put our criminal defense knowledge and experience to work for you by calling our Jacksonville misdemeanor lawyers at (904) 358-3300. Our case reviews are free and we will provide important information and guidance.