Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Twenty seven year veteran South Florida criminal defense lawyer and founder of CriminalDefendant.com, Albert Quirantes, was just inducted into The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Lawyers organization. Only the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet the most stringent qualifications as a criminal defense trial lawyer or civil trial lawyer are invited […]
A Gainesville Florida resident, 38 year old Stephen W. Maxwell, was arrested when it was reported to police that the man had used a “Discover” credit card belonging to his father without prior permission. He allegedly spent at least $44,000 over a period spanning more than 12 months. It has been reported that he undertook […]
Miami was the first court system in the entire nation to set up a drug court. This began back in 1989 with the 11th Judicial Circuit Court. This program is part of what the city and state consider a diversion program that will stop drug seeking behavior and use before it progresses and becomes a […]
Recently, Devonte Levoris Pace, along with some associates, walked up to a group of men near a bar in the Florida Panhandle, pulled out guns and stole cash valued at $600 dollars. There was little more that the victims could do than hand over their wallets and continue on their way thinking to themselves that […]
A kid who stole a car from an 89 year old man at a gas station recently was only 12 years old and had been arrested 20 times already. He has been arrested again and charged with grand theft auto. Grand theft auto is a very serious charge for anyone 18 years old and over […]
Florida courts do not appoint attorneys when someone is arrested. They don’t appoint one until someone has been accused and they show that they are indigent for costs. This is why so many people end up in the court system in the first place. Cops have excellent methods, and they are legally allowed to lie […]
60 year old Randy Iannacone from Port St. Lucie, Fla. finally decided it was time to own up for a TV theft. There had been a warrant out for his arrest for 27 years since the theft took place in Connecticut from the Norwalk Jewish Center. The man was so determined to admit to the […]
Miami criminal lawyers field a lot of questions, most of which deal with your rights. Despite the fact that 9/11 did serious damage to the Bill of Rights, particularly the 4thAmendment, we still have many legal protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and our 5th Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. Understanding these rights can be […]
Young people, for various reasons, like to feel the power of an auto and depriving owners of their cars is one way they do this in Florida. The alarming thing is that in some counties throughout the state auto theft is worse than others. Pinellas county is coming out worse than any other county at […]
Child neglect is a criminal offense in Florida as it is many other states, but it is hard to prove conclusively and Florida authorities are sensitive to the fact that imprisoning a caregiver may be harder on a young victim of neglect than the supposed neglect itself. Allegations of child abuse or neglect will often […]
There are some pretty amazing places where drug offenders choose to conceal their drug stash, but none could be more unusual than behind their genitals. This is precisely what happened when Deondre Lumpkin was stopped while allegedly committing a driving offense. The police officer was not happy about the smell inside Lumpkin’s motor vehicle, even […]
Some family situations are hard to understand, especially when the parents are educated professionals yet their behavior towards their children seems to be neither educated nor professional. We Florida criminal defense attorneys are often asked to represent some defendants in what can turn out to be very difficult cases, both morally and legally. A recent […]
Anthony Bosch, a fake doctor who sold illegal muscle-building steroids to Alex Rodriguez and other leading League Baseball stars could get a 1/3rd of his 4 year sentence commuted after giving away the names of at least 12 associates who collaborated with him while he was engaged in the illegal distribution of illegal drugs in […]
A 25 year old homeless Lecanto, Florida woman was arrested at a Wal-Mart just before Christmas on a charge of petit theft which is considered a misdemeanor here. Josseleen Lopez’s troubles began when she was spotted driving around the large Wal-Mart store on a motorized shopping trolley, helping herself to some of the store’s produce. […]
If you tell most people that someone was arrested for soliciting a prostitute, they might imagine some guy driving late at night in a run-down neighborhood offering money to random prostitutes on the street. Any experienced criminal defense lawyer in Miami knows that there’s potentially a lot more to it – or, quite possibly, a […]
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 […]