ARRESTED? INVESTIGATED?
ARRESTADO? INVESTIGADO?
Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Carjacking in Florida Can Carry a Life Sentence: What the Law Says and How a Defense May Work A person gets into a car. Someone approaches. A threat is made. The driver is forced out, or the vehicle is taken through force or fear. Within minutes, what may have started as a vehicle theft can […]
Your Child Was Arrested in Florida: What Parents Need to Know About the Juvenile Justice System Few phone calls are more frightening for a parent than this one: “Your child has been arrested.” Everything can feel urgent at once. Where is your child? What happens next? Will there be a court date? Will this stay […]
Hit and Run in Florida: Leaving the Scene Can Be a Felony, Even If the Crash Wasn’t Your Fault A crash can happen in seconds. You hear the impact. Your heart starts racing. Maybe the other driver is yelling. Maybe you realize your license is suspended. Maybe you had been drinking. Or maybe you honestly […]
Sex Offender Registry in Florida: What It Really Means for Your Life A sex offense conviction in Florida can follow you long after a sentence is over. For many people, the biggest surprise comes afterward. They learn that registration is not simply a name appearing on a government website. It can affect where they live, […]
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud in Florida: Federal Charges That Can Put Your Career at Risk A Medicare or Medicaid fraud investigation can put far more than money on the line. For a doctor, clinic owner, billing manager, pharmacy owner, or medical equipment supplier, a federal investigation can threaten a professional license, a business, future billing […]
Charged With Burglary in Florida? What You Could Be Facing, Even If Nothing Was Stolen When most people hear the word burglary, they picture a broken window, a stolen television, or someone sneaking into a house at night. Florida law is broader than that. A burglary charge does not necessarily require theft. It may not […]
What Nobody Tells You About Bond Hearings in Florida: Why the First 24 Hours Matter The first 24 hours after an arrest can have a major impact on what happens next. In Florida, an arrested person will generally appear before a judge for a First Appearance hearing shortly after being booked into jail. The hearing […]
ICE Is Arresting People in Florida During Traffic Stops. Know Your Rights. A traffic stop can become much more serious when immigration enforcement gets involved. Miami’s ICE field office has made more arrests than any other ICE field office in the country. If you or a family member is undocumented, has an unresolved immigration matter, […]
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Florida Criminal Court Process Being arrested in Miami-Dade County can be frightening and confusing, particularly if you or a family member has never been involved in the criminal justice system. One of the first questions we hear is: “What happens next?” A criminal case does not normally go directly from […]
A tragic case out of Miami-Dade County is receiving significant attention after a 29-year-old mother was arrested in connection with the death of her 18-month-old child, who authorities say accidentally ingested fentanyl. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the arrest of Pearlandria Boujolly on August 20, 2026. She has been charged with one count […]
If you’ve been arrested after a physical confrontation in Florida, one of the first things you need to know is whether you’re facing assault, battery, or both. People often use those words interchangeably. Florida law doesn’t. An assault can involve a threat or an act that makes someone reasonably fear imminent violence. Battery involves actual […]
Being investigated or charged in federal court can be confusing, especially if you have only dealt with Florida’s state criminal system before. Federal cases follow different procedures than other cases, involve federal prosecutors and agencies, and can involve sentencing rules that are very different from those used in Florida state court. If the FBI, DEA, […]
Charged With Theft in Florida? Why the Value of the Property Is Only Part of the Story A theft accusation in Florida can look simple at first. Someone says property was taken, the police get involved, and suddenly you are facing a criminal charge. But the value of the property is only one part of […]
Florida Juvenile Court Process Explained Having a child arrested can be frightening, especially when the family has never dealt with the juvenile court system before. The first question is usually simple: What happens now? A juvenile delinquency case in Miami-Dade does not usually go straight from an arrest to a trial. There are several steps […]
They Found a Gun in Your Car in Florida. What Happens Next? A traffic stop can turn serious very quickly. An officer pulls you over, asks a few questions, and then a firearm is found inside the vehicle. Maybe the gun belongs to you. Maybe it belongs to someone else. Maybe you didn’t even know […]
What Is a First-Degree Felony in Florida? A first-degree felony is one of Florida’s most serious criminal classifications. For an ordinary first-degree felony, the maximum sentence is 30 years in state prison. That does not mean every person charged with one will receive 30 years. The actual exposure depends on the offense, the Criminal Punishment […]
What Is a First-Degree Felony Punishable by Life in Florida? A first-degree felony punishable by life is one of the most misunderstood classifications in Florida criminal law. It is not technically a life felony. It remains classified as a first-degree felony, but the statute defining the offense allows the judge to impose a sentence of […]
Florida’s transportation law changes take effect October 1, 2026. One change is already prompting questions from drivers: the amount of apparent property damage that triggers an immediate duty to notify law enforcement after a crash rises from $500 to $2,000. The change is part of Senate Bill 488, Chapter 2026-39. The new threshold appears in […]
What Is a Life Felony in Florida? A life felony is one of the most serious criminal charges Florida law recognizes. It does not expose a defendant to the death penalty, but it does permit a judge to impose a sentence of life in prison. That distinction matters. When someone is charged with a life […]
What Does a Capital Felony Mean in Florida? Florida law places capital felonies in a category of their own. They are not scored and sentenced like ordinary felonies under the Criminal Punishment Code. A conviction can expose an adult defendant to life imprisonment without parole and, in a case where the State Attorney seeks it, […]
The Parent’s Guide to a Juvenile Arrest in Florida A free resource from Albert Quirantes, Esq. Criminal DUI & Ticket Lawyers If your child has been arrested, this guide will help you understand what is happening and what to do next. Keep this page handy, and call us anytime. 1. Take a Breath. Then Take […]
Florida’s July 1, 2026 Criminal Laws: What Changed in Miami-Dade Cases Florida’s new laws took effect on July 1, 2026, and several of them have a direct impact on criminal cases. More than 100 laws took effect that day. Most have nothing to do with criminal defense. But three changes stand out if you are […]
Florida Veterans Can Now Seek Treatment Court Without Prosecutor Approval A new Florida law changed who gets the final say when a veteran asks to enter Veterans Treatment Court. Since July 1, 2026, a prosecutor can still weigh in on the request, but the prosecutor no longer has the power to approve or reject eligibility […]
