Fort Myers Florida Criminal Defense Law Blog

Thousands of Florida residents will be taking to the roads during the holiday season around Christmas and New Year's Day this year to visit family members and friends and celebrate. Many of these get-togethers will include alcohol consumption. By now most people know that it is a bad idea to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking alcohol, but hundreds of Florida residents will still likely face a DUI charge this holiday season.

If you find yourself facing a DUI charge, you'll want to consider the full range of the available defense options in your case. For starters, defendants will want to examine the circumstances surrounding the traffic stop that led to the DUI arrest. Did the law enforcement official have a valid reason to conduct the stop? If not, the entire encounter between the defendant and the police officer that occurred in the traffic stop may be called into question.

Every year thousands of Florida residents go through the criminal justice system. Some face misdemeanor charges, while others face more serious felony charges. However, regardless of the severity of the charge in any given case, every person who is charged with a criminal offense has rights to protect. One of those rights is the right to a trial in front of one's peers.

For years, criminal trials have been shown as dramatic, cinematic events in television shows and movies. But, for as much entertainment as a person may get out of a fictionalized version of a criminal trial, the reality is quite different. Put bluntly, someone's freedom is on the line, and there is nothing sensational about it.

A criminal charge can have an immense effect on a person's life. For teenagers, such a situation can be even more pronounced, as even though their entire lives are in front of them, a conviction can set them back from the get-go. This is why it is so important for anyone facing criminal charges to be sure to carefully plan a defense strategy.

That will need to be the plan for three teenagers who were recently arrested in Florida, and who are now facing felony charges. According to a recent article, over the course of the week of Thanksgiving, law enforcement officials received reports of vehicle burglaries that occurred over the course of one afternoon and into the next morning. It appears that surveillance video was the key evidence for police officers to determine the identify of two of the suspects, one who is 18-years-old and a second who is 17-years-old. Both are now facing significant charges.

Florida is one of the most populous states in America, which means that each year thousands of people go through the state's criminal justice system. Some people are quick to equate an arrest to a conviction, but it is important to remember that all criminal defendants have the right to present a defense, including in front of a jury of their peers if they so wish. If one has been arrested and finds themselves in this position, what are the options in the criminal defense process?

Well, for starters, the first step is to evaluate the case and the evidence. What will the prosecution use to attempt to secure a conviction? If the evidence appears to be overwhelming, it may be a good idea to begin exploring plea negotiation options. But, if the evidence is scant or unconvincing, it may be time to start to put together a trial strategy.