Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving Lake Nona, Florida

The Stresses of the Criminal Justice System

If you find yourself in the criminal justice system, whether it is for a DUI or other offense, you will be facing many potential difficulties. The first threat is to your freedom, as you may face jail time for an offense. If you have been charged with DUI, there is even a chance of jail time on a first conviction. The chances may rise if prosecutors allege that you had a very high blood alcohol content, or there were serious injuries resulting from the accident.

Besides jail time, you are also facing collateral effects that can follow you for the rest of your life. When you have a criminal record, you may find it harder to get a job and even housing. Your criminal record may follow you forever because Florida has tough laws on expunging convictions. You may even feel the effects of your conviction years later.

The Penalties for a Criminal Offense in Florida

The potential penalties for a criminal conviction vary based on the type and severity of the offense. If you have been convicted of DUI in Florida, you may face the following penalties.

• The first offense can lead to up to six months in prison and a fine of $500-1000
• The second offense can result in a prison sentence of up to nine months, with a minimum of ten days in prison if the two convictions were within five years of each other. You could also be fined $1,000-2,000
• The third conviction can lead to a mandatory 30-day sentence if it was within ten years of a prior conviction. If it was more than ten years from a prior conviction, the third offense could mean a sentence of up to one year in jail. The fine can be between $2,000-5,000.

The DUI penalties can increase based on your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) at the time of the traffic stop or blood test. If your BAC was above .15, or there was a minor in the car, there would be a longer potential jail sentence and fine.

Generally, criminal offenses are classified as felonies or misdemeanors. Each has the potential to result in jail time. If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, you may face up to a year in prison. If you are convicted of a felony, you could face a jail sentence of over one year, based on the type of felony.

Your Legal Options When You Have Been Charged with a Crime

Generally, you have two options in a criminal case. You can choose to plead guilty, or you can fight the charges against you at trial. The choice is not necessarily black-and-white at first. Immediately, you would always plead not guilty at your arraignment. Then, your attorney would investigate and assess your case before they explain your legal options and what you are facing.

Your attorney could help you mount a vigorous legal defense. Their efforts could even result in some (or all) charges being dropped and key evidence being suppressed. You could choose to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor from more of a position of strength once you have already put on a strong legal defense. An experienced criminal defense attorney has a sense of what strategy may work in your individual case, based on their experience and knowledge of the prosecutor.

Of course, there is nothing that says that you have to plead guilty. In the end, the choice of whether to take your case to trial is up to you, working in conjunction with your lawyer.

Why You Need an Attorney to Defend You from Criminal Charges

It does not matter whether you intend to fight the charges against you or plead guilty. You need an attorney for every criminal case without fail. Without a lawyer, your legal rights could be at risk, and you may even receive more serious punishment. Your attorney could stand up for your rights and work for you to receive the best possible outcome for your case.

The attorneys at the Alers Firm can do the following when you hire us to represent you:

• Answer all of your questions patiently and make sure that you understand the legal process and what is happening in your case
• Investigate your case and help determine whether there are any defenses that you can use and evidence that could be used to undermine the prosecutor’s case
• Learn whether your legal rights have been violated and work to prevent any further violations
• File motions to challenge evidence that is being used against you for various reasons, including the fact that it may have been improperly seized
• Work to get you the best possible plea deal from the prosecutor should you choose to plead guilty
• Take your case to court if you choose to fight and present your side of the story

In the end, you need someone who will both work to protect you and will advocate for you. That is exactly what the Alers Law Firm does for our clients.

Contact a Lake Nona, FL Criminal Defense Attorney Today

Hire an experienced criminal defense attorney at the Alers Law Firm to represent you in your legal case. When you get help from a lawyer, you can gain some peace of mind during a very difficult process. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys by calling us today at (407) 930-4888.