Florida Criminal Law Overview

An Orlando criminal lawyer will tell you that if you are arrested in Florida, state law requires specific procedures to be followed that can take weeks or even months. This leaves defendants waiting and agonizing over what’s going on with their case. Often, clients will turn to their lawyers with questions like “what’s going to happen?” or “am I going to get off?” Unfortunately, criminal attorneys in Florida aren’t allowed to guarantee wins or promise a specific outcome, but there are things they can tell you.

When clients ask questions like the ones above, a Longwood violent crimes attorney will use his or her years of experience to try to outline strategies that are specific to that client’s case and talk about the different lines of defense they can pursue, explaining the positives and negatives of each one. Criminal lawyers want to make sure that all of their clients know as much as possible so that they can make informed decisions about their defense.

There is also a wealth of general information that every Orlando criminal lawyer should provide to any client going through a criminal trial. This information seems obvious, but often people don’t think about it until they are stuck in the system. So even though it might seem simple and superfluous now, having the information at hand when you’re in the middle of a case can make all the difference.

Police Departments

In Florida, whether you are arrested for drug possession, assault, and battery, or charged with a DUI, the first thing that will happen is that you will be taken to the local police department to be booked on charges. You’ll end up wherever the arresting officer is stationed, so it’s good to have an idea where the police departments in your area are located. You can find a list of police departments throughout Florida here. For those facing arrest in Orlando, Kissimmee, or Longwood, you’ll end up at one of the below departments.

Orlando Police Department

100 South Hughey Avenue

Orlando, FL

Phone: (407) 246-2470

Web: cityoforlando.net

Kissimmee Police Department

8 North Stewart Avenue

Kissimmee, FL

Phone: (407) 847-0176

Web: kissimmee.org

Longwood Police Department

235 West Church Avenue

Longwood, FL

Phone: (407) 260-3400

Web: longwoodfl.org

Remember your Miranda rights! Say nothing to the police until you can consult with your Orlando criminal attorney.

Courthouses

If you end up having to stand trial, you’re going to be doing so in a Florida State Circuit Court – likely the one closest to where the arrest occurred. Most criminal trials originate at the circuit court level. A comprehensive list of Florida Circuit Courts can be found here.

Anyone arrested in Orange or Osceola County – which includes Orlando, Kissimmee, and Longwood – will stand trial at either the Osceola 9^th Circuit Court or the Orange County Courthouse.

9th Circuit Court
2 Courthouse Sq.
3rd Fl Suite 3100
Kissimmee, FL 34741
Phone: (407) 742-2462
Web: http://www.ninthcircuit.org/index.asp

Orange County Courthouse
425 N. Orange Ave., Suite 320
Orlando, FL 32802
Phone: (407) 836-2054 (Domestic Relations Division)
Web: http://orangeclerk.orangecountyfl.net

If an appeal is filed by your Orlando criminal lawyer, the case will move from Circuit to District Court. Information about each of Florida’s five District Courts can be found here. Defendants who appeal cases from the 9^th Circuit will move on to the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach.

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/

Appealing the ruling of a District Court sends a case directly to The Florida Supreme Court. It is the state’s highest court and is located in Tallahassee.

Supreme Court of Florida

500 South Duval Street

Tallahassee, FL

Phone: (850) 488-0125

Web: floridasupremecourt.org

Areas of Criminal Law

How do you know if you need an Orlando criminal lawyer, a Longwood violent crimes attorney, or a Kissimmee DUI lawyer? Criminal attorneys in Florida have the depth and breadth of knowledge to handle a wide variety of cases. If you have been arrested for a crime, finding a lawyer should be your utmost priority. Criminal lawyers tackle cases including but not limited to:

Assault & Battery – Includes assault, aggravated assault, battery, felony battery, and aggravated battery. Did you know that simply threatening someone could be considered an assault? A Longwood violent crimes attorney can lead you through the legal complexities contained within each definition and let you know what your charges really mean.

Drugs – Laws on drug possession, use, and distribution are complicated everywhere, but Florida’s extensive statutes take up 39 pages. An Orlando criminal lawyer can help you sort through this to better deal with the specifics of your case.

Forgery – Florida state law on forgery is divided into 32 parts!. You need an experienced Orlando criminal lawyer to cut through it all and help you make sense of it.

BUI & DUI – An experienced Kissimmee DUI lawyer can explain several things to you about your case, including what changes to Florida BUI and DUI law have been made in recent years, what punishments you can expect for your first or second offense, and what level of conviction you will face.

Florida criminal lawyers also deal with cases related to burglary, domestic violence (which can include assault and battery), DOMV injunctions, weapons and firearms charges, sexual battery and rape, and lewd and lascivious behavior, among others.

If you are charged with any of these crimes, seek out an experienced Orlando criminal attorney today.