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Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Florida’s New Domestic Violence Law Is Now in Effect: What a Prior Conviction Could Mean for a New Arrest Florida changed its domestic violence laws on July 1, 2026. One of the biggest changes involves people who already have a qualifying domestic violence conviction. If they are later charged with another qualifying offense, the new […]
Florida Passed More Than 100 New Laws: Criminal Law Changes Taking Effect July 1, 2026 Florida’s laws changed on July 1, 2026. More than 100 new laws took effect across the state, and several of them affect criminal charges, domestic violence cases, driver’s licenses, probation, and pretrial detention. For some people, these aren’t changes to […]
Stand Your Ground in Florida: When You Can Use Deadly Force and What the Law Really Requires A self-defense case in Florida can turn on a few critical details. Where were you? What happened immediately before the force was used? Were you facing an immediate threat? And did you have a legal right to be […]
Identity Theft in Florida: When a State Investigation Can Become a Federal Case An identity theft investigation rarely begins with an arrest. It usually starts somewhere much quieter — a suspicious bank transaction, a credit-card alert, a fraudulent account, or a victim reporting that someone has been using their personal information. Then the investigation grows. […]
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 […]
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 […]
