Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Two Florida men wreaked havoc at a party celebrating a prison release recently. Obviously not really realizing how good being out of prison can feel one ex jail inmate and his buddy hosted the prison release party at a house they had broken into. The owner of the house was away for a few days […]
If you saw a couple of shifty looking people idling around a parking lot as dusk was about to fall you might think that a car theft was about to take place or some car windows were going to be smashed in order to relieve the vehicle’s owner of valuable possessions left conspicuously on the […]
A would be robber who already had a conviction for a previous felony got more than he bargained for when he attempted to rob a convenience store in Jacksonville Beach recently. The 32 year old man, Jacob Mercer, wore a Darth Vader mask and dark clothing when he entered the convenience store and allegedly pointed […]
There has been a recent outbreak of thieves stealing credit card information at ATMs and gas stations in Florida prompting legislators to toughen up on penalties associated with this kind of theft. You may not even notice it when you gas up or put your credit card into an ATM machine, your card information may […]
A 22 year old man suspected of burglary has been found dead some time after his alleged crimes in Palm Bay Florida in mid November. His name was Matthew Riggins. He went missing after law enforcement tried to track him down when he was observed trying to break in to homes near a pond. Investigators […]
Late last week a Florida woman was caught on a surveillance camera stealing 2 boxes of Christmas presents from her neighbor’s porch. It just happened that she was the wife of a Florida policeman and the neighbors were also a police family. The incident took place and was filmed last Friday but the arrest of […]
Sex crimes, especially those that allegedly involve minors, tend to raise a lot of emotion and can easily become media fodder so much so that sometimes those who have been accused of crimes like child porn or child molestation find it hard to get a fair hearing in the state they have been charged in. […]
An individual or business entity that is investigated or charged with criminal activity requires the professional guidance offered by a criminal lawyer. However, if you are looking to select a criminal lawyer in Florida, here are some pointers to find adequate legal representation from one who has been fighting criminal cases here since Ronald Reagan […]
A high speed chase recently led to a man who had apparently just been released from jail being arrested on An Edgewater, Florida man freaked out after hearing a helicopter flying close overhead above his storage unit. He apparently had been growing cannabis plants in the storage unit and assumed that the chopper carried a […]
A high speed chase recently led to a man who had apparently just been released from jail being arrested on a number of charges including leaving the scene of an accident without stopping. This case is a little different than the one we recently reported on where a Hit and Run Driver’s Car Turned Informant […]
33 year old Florida resident Christopher Masters was charged with shoplifting when he was caught in the act of stealing sex toys from a store in Vera Beach. The manager of Spencer’s gifts caught Masters red-handed as he placed the toys into one of the pockets in his pair of shorts. The Indian River County […]
It would be rare for a sane person to commit the same crime twice without realizing that they were committing a crime, but that is what Virginian resident, Frank E. Blake Jr., claims is the case. He is alleged to have committed bigamy as it is defined in the state of Virginia twice and has […]
A 55 year old woman was arrested on domestic violence battery charges after attacking her husband, who had been repeatedly passing gas in their shared bed, it has been alleged. She has been accused of elbowing, kicking, and scratching her spouse. Dawn Meikle will have to face a misdemeanor charge after the confrontation that took […]
Drug arrests are common in Florida and this time it is the turn of 43 year old Aundra Recardo Paisley, who was taken into custody recently and charged with possessing at least 25 pounds of marijuana worth $1.2 million and having a vehicle to transport the controlled substances. His suv was also seized for forfeiture. […]
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 […]
Florida Driver Reportedly Had a .377 Alcohol Level: What a High BAC Means for Your DUI Case By Albert Quirantes, Esq. A recent Florida DUI arrest made headlines after a driver reportedly registered a blood alcohol concentration of .377, nearly five times Florida’s .08 threshold. That number gets attention. But as a criminal defense attorney, […]
What Is a Second-Degree Misdemeanor in Florida? A second-degree misdemeanor is Florida’s lowest misdemeanor classification. That does not make it a civil infraction or something that should be ignored. The charge can lead to jail, probation, a fine, and a criminal court record. It may also appear on background checks and create problems involving employment, […]
What Is a First-Degree Misdemeanor in Florida? A first-degree misdemeanor is the most serious misdemeanor classification under Florida law. It is not a felony, but it can still result in county jail, probation, a fine, and a criminal record that creates problems long after the court case ends. Common examples include simple battery, petit theft […]
What Is a Third-Degree Felony in Florida? A third-degree felony is Florida’s lowest felony classification, but the word “lowest” should not be confused with minor. A conviction can result in state prison, probation, a $5,000 fine, and a permanent felony record. It can also affect employment, professional licenses, housing, immigration status, and the right to […]
What Is a Second-Degree Felony in Florida? A second-degree felony is punishable by as much as 15 years in Florida State Prison. That makes it a serious criminal charge, even for someone who has never been arrested before. Examples include aggravated battery, manslaughter, vehicular homicide, unarmed burglary of a dwelling, certain theft and exploitation offenses, […]
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 […]