Criminal Defense in Orlando

If you are arrested for a crime, whether it’s a misdemeanor, felony, or a DUI charge, you need a skilled criminal defense attorney in Orlando to defend you and protect your rights. Criminal defense is a complicated area of the law, and you need someone who is familiar with Florida’s laws and courts.

While you are entitled to represent yourself in a criminal action, the odds are against a favorable disposition of your case. Retaining a qualified Orlando criminal defense lawyer is your best chance at getting the charges dropped or reduced. With 40 years combined experience and the convenience of local offices, Carsten & Ladan, P.A. can represent your interests from arrest to resolution.

Orlando Criminal Defense Lawyers

If you have been arrested for a crime, you need an Orlando criminal defense lawyer. Criminal lawyers handle cases such as burglary, DOMV injunctions, domestic violence, sexual battery and rape, weapons and firearms charges, and lewd and lascivious behavior, just to name a few. Here is some additional information on a few common charges:

Assault & Battery – The specific crime you are charged with may be assault, aggravated assault, battery, felony battery, or aggravated battery. Each has a slightly different definition as well as different punishments. Just by threatening someone, you can be charged with an assault. A good Orlando criminal defense lawyer will explain to you the specifics of your case and can work to get your charge reduced if it is possible and in your best interest.

Drugs – The laws on drug possession, distribution, and use are so complex in the state of Florida that the statues are 39 pages long. If you have been charged with a drug-related crime, consult your Orlando criminal defense lawyer to find out the potential punishments you face.

DUI – If you are convicted of driving under the influence in Florida, you may face fines, jail time, community service hours, and a driver’s license suspension. What type of penalties you face will depend highly on how many past convictions you have and your level of blood alcohol at the time of arrest. But even if you failed a breathalyzer test, there are ways to work towards getting the charges dropped or reduced with the right Orlando criminal defense lawyer by your side.

One of the most important aspects of criminal defense in Orlando is detailed attention to the components of a criminal defense matter. A good Orlando criminal defense attorney can address your concerns, reflect on the trajectory of your case, and negotiate with court officials—all at the same time. Assistance to you may take the form of these services:

• Accompanying you at arrest
• Managing bail
• Providing skilled representation in and out of court
• Discussing your concerns, providing education on criminal process
• Providing honest assessment of the facts of your case

While grounds for arrest are categorized, the details of every arrest are different. Criminal defense lawyers in Orlando use experience with the law and knowledge of the court system to determine possible defenses, for example:

• Proving you did not commit the crime
• Pressing presumption of innocence until proven guilty
• Self-defense
• Impaired judgment / mitigating circumstances
• Justification for commission of illegal act

Orlando criminal defense attorneys also work within the criminal system by:

• Discussing facts and plea bargains with officers of the court
• Creating solutions to meet the needs of clients and the government

Orlando Criminal Defense: The Process

When you are arrested in Florida, there are specific procedures as outlined by the law that must be followed. It may be weeks or months before you learn what is going on with your case. Unfortunately, by law, your Orlando criminal defense lawyer cannot guarantee any outcome, but they can provide you with potential strategies for your defense and explain the pros and cons of each one. The job of your Florida criminal lawyer is to arm you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about your case in order to work towards the best possible outcome.

Before going into a criminal trial, your Orlando criminal defense lawyer should explain the details of the crime you are being charged with as well as the penalties you may face as a result.

Orlando Police Department

If you are charged with a crime, you will be booked at the police department where the arresting officer is stationed. If you are arrested in Orlando, you will likely be taken to the Orlando Police Department.

Orlando Police Department

100 South Hughey Avenue

Orlando, FL

Phone: (407) 246-2470

Web: cityoforlando.net

Florida Courthouses

When it comes time, you will stand trial in a Florida State Circuit Court located closest to where the arrest took place. In the case of an Orlando crime, this will likely take place at the Orange County Courthouse.

Orange County Courthouse

425 N. Orange Ave., Suite 320

Orlando, FL 32802

Phone: (407) 836-2054

Web: http://orangeclerk.orangecountyfl.net

If your case goes to appeal, it will move to a District Court. In Orlando, this means your case will go to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Fifth District Court of Appeal

300 South Beach Street

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Phone: (386) 255-8600

Fax: (386) 947-1562

Web: http://www.5dca.org/

If you then appeal the ruling of the District Court, the case will go to the Florida Supreme Court, which is the state’s highest court.

Supreme Court of Florida

500 South Duval Street

Tallahassee, FL

Phone: (850) 488-0125

Web: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org

Being Questioned by the Police? Get an Orlando Criminal Defense Lawyer Now

Your need for a criminal defense lawyer in Orlando begins before you are charged. Before speaking to police officers, get advice from an attorney. A good criminal defense lawyer will advise you of your rights and help protect you from criminal charges. Remember, you don’t have to talk to the police without a lawyer present, so protect yourself.

If you believe you are going to be arrested or are a person of interest in a case, contact Carsten & Ladan, P.A.