Miami Criminal Law Office

Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been charged with a crime in the state of Florida, you need to act quickly. You have a very limited time in which you can get a Miami criminal defense lawyer working on your behalf. Once you select a lawyer, he or she will immediately begin to represent you, advising you on what you should and should not say to the police and prosecution. Until you have a lawyer working on your behalf, it is important not to give a statement, as anything that you say can and will be used to the advantage of the prosecution in court.

Criminal charges can carry harsh penalties if you are found guilty, including steep fines, jail time, and loss of the rights that come with citizenship. This is why it is so important to have an experienced Miami criminal defense lawyer representing you. Depending on the evidence against you, it may be possible to prevent your case from going to trial at all, by arranging a plea agreement with the prosecution. Your Miami criminal defense lawyer will most likely have dealt with the prosecuting attorneys in the past, and will know how best to communicate with them. As part of a plea agreement, you may be able to avoid jail time by agreeing to plead guilty to a lesser charge and enter into probation.

If your case does go to trial, you have a distinct advantage on your side: the judge or the jury will begin by presuming that you are innocent. The prosecution must prove beyond all doubt that you are guilty, which can not be done without a preponderance of evidence. It will be the job of your experienced Miami criminal defense lawyer to illustrate to the court that there is not enough evidence to prove your guilt, or to show that you were searched or arrested under circumstances that were illegal, as a search of your person or property could not have taken place without probable cause.

Conviction of a criminal charge can have far-reaching effects on the rest of your life, by limiting your ability to obtain employment and an education; and no one wants to spend time in jail. Even if you are found guilty, your Miami criminal defense lawyer will work to minimize the sentence, possibly helping you avoid jail time and the damage that a permanent criminal record can cause by illustrating to the court that you are of strong character and willing to be helped and reformed.