If you have been accused of criminal activity, then you will need to know how criminal charges can affect your life in personal and professional ways. It is imperative that you get in touch with a St. Petersburg criminal defense lawyer to help you obtain a favorable outcome for your case, regardless of the type of charges that you are facing.
The Law Place has over seventy-five years of collective experience when it comes to fighting criminal accusations at state and federal levels in St. Petersburg and across the State of Florida. Our law firm has extensive knowledge of criminal offenses and the Florida statutes, which means that we can provide your case with vigorous and aggressive representation.
Our team of criminal defense lawyers is highly trained to deal with complex criminal cases ranging from drug crimes, white-collar crimes, violent crimes, and much more. The principal focus of our law firm is to offer guidance and legal advice to each of our clients in St. Petersburg so that you are able to make critical decisions in regard to your case.
Contact The Law Place to schedule a free consultation today, and a criminal defense lawyer will fight against your criminal charges in St. Petersburg.
Types of Criminal Cases in St. Petersburg, FL.
Our law firm has provided successful representation for a number of different criminal cases, such as:
- Drug crimes.
- DUI crimes.
- Sex crimes.
- Domestic violence crimes.
- Theft and property crimes.
- Juvenile crimes.
- White-collar crimes.
- Internet crimes.
- Violence crimes.
- Criminal Mischief.
Our St. Petersburg legal team is committed to protecting your rights and defending your best interests. Our law firm will work hard to suppress damaging evidence, negotiate plea bargains, reduce the amount of fines and punishments, avoid a criminal conviction, and apply for the expunction of a criminal record as written in Florida Statute 943.0585.
How a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you are being accused of a crime, then you should give yourself the best chance of overcoming the criminal charges and securing a favorable outcome for your case by seeking the help of a criminal defense lawyer in St. Petersburg.
It is important that you hire a St. Petersburg criminal defense attorney as soon as possible following a criminal accusation. A criminal defense attorney will fight for your legal rights and work hard to achieve the best possible resolution for your case.
Call The Law Place to set up a free consultation today. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Consequences of a Criminal Conviction in St. Petersburg, FL.
The severity of the punishments and consequences for your case will vary depending on the type of crime that you have been charged with. Most likely, you will face fines, prison time, and a criminal record. If you have been convicted of a criminal offense, then you could face any one of the following penalties:
- The loss of your driver’s license.
- An increase in your insurance rates (if you were convicted of a road crime).
- The inability to secure a professional license.
- The inability to secure a bank loan or a mortgage.
- Stress for family members and loved ones.
- Damage to your reputation.
- A permanent criminal record, which might affect your ability to secure employment.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
Driving Under the Influence in St. Petersburg, FL.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) reported that there are 32,000 DUI arrests made every single year in the State of Florida. Florida Statute 316.193 explains that a driver is guilty of driving under the influence when:
- The person is under the influence of alcoholic beverages, any chemical substance, or any controlled substance when affected to the extent that the person’s normal faculties are impaired.
- The person has a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood.
- Or, the person has a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Drug Crimes in St. Petersburg, FL.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) reported that there are 115,000 drug arrests made every single year, mostly for low-level offenses, such as possession.
A drug offense can be charged either as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances surrounding the case in question. Our law firm has successfully defended many clients who have been accused of drug offenses, and we employ a number of strategies ranging from challenging the legitimacy of the search and seizure to negotiating a favorable plea bargain.
The penalties for a drug crime will depend on a myriad of factors, such as the type and quantity of the drug and whether distribution or an alleged sale was involved, basically, possession of drugs with an intent to sell.
Theft and Property Crimes in St. Petersburg, FL.
The most commonly charged offenses happen to be theft and property crimes in the State of Florida. Florida Statute 812.014 outlines the laws on theft and property crimes:
“A person commits theft if he or she knowingly obtains or uses, or endeavors to obtain or to use, the property of another with intent to, either temporarily or permanently:
-
Deprive the other person of a right to the property or a benefit from the property.
-
Appropriate the property to his or her own use or to the use of any person not entitled to the use of the property.”
White Collar Crimes in St. Petersburg, FL.
A white-collar crime refers to people who are involved in the commission or conspiracy to commit a felony theft or fraud in the State of Florida. White-collar crimes are not strictly committed by people in high-powered jobs. However, most white-collar crimes often involve much more money than an average theft crime, and they are committed using more sophisticated acts than average robbery tactics.
A list of white-collar crimes includes extortion, embezzlement, counterfeiting, forgery, issuing worthless checks, insurance fraud, pyramid schemes, racketeering, financial transaction offenses, and the exploitation of elderly or disabled people. A white-collar crime frequently involves the usage of advanced technology, and an aggravated white-collar crime involves two or more offenses and 20 or more people.
Most white-collar crimes will face between 5 to 30 years in prison, but the sentencing guidelines will depend on the type of crime, the amount of money that was stolen, the amount of victims involved, and the criminal history of the defendant.
Domestic Violence in St. Petersburg, FL.
The most common type of calls that the police department receives are disputes among spouses and loves ones. Police officers are facing great public pressure to make arrests when responding to one of these calls due to the shift in cultural attitudes towards domestic violence. However, an arrest is not always warranted as evidence is usually limited to “she said, he said” detail, which does not really hold weight in the court of law.
There are potential consequences for accusations of domestic violence, including serious criminal penalties, strains on relationships, and affecting jobs. Almost three-fourths of domestic violence arrests are for simple acts of assault, which are classed as second-degree misdemeanors. The penalties include spending up to 60 days in jail, along with paying fines and court-ordered rehabilitation programs. However, there are more severe penalties and long-term consequences in place for domestic violence cases where someone is seriously injured, if there is stalking involved or whether the incident is one in a series of incidents.
Internet Crimes in St. Petersburg, FL.
The rise of the internet in the early 1990s changed almost everything about the modern world, including how we work, communicate, socialize and share information. However, the downside is that the internet also changed the way crimes are committed. Crimes are not only committed on the street, but they are also now committed on the internet.
Internet crimes can fall into two different categories – theft and fraud or sex crimes – and they happen with the assistance of computer technology. A list of internet-related offenses includes hacking, phishing, identity theft, illegal marketing schemes, child pornography, child solicitation, and even human trafficking. More information on computer-related crimes can be found in Florida Statute 815.01 and Florida Statute 815.07
Juvenile Crimes in St. Petersburg, FL.
A person under the age of 18 who is being charged with a crime will be handled in the juvenile justice system in the State of Florida. The main difference between the adult criminal justice system and the juvenile criminal justice system is the ultimate goal in the end. The goal with adults is to penalize, while the goal with juveniles is to rehabilitate.
However, the prosecutor will sometimes ‘direct file’ a juvenile case to adult court. There are certain felony offenses, such as robbery, kidnapping, arson, manslaughter, murder, sexual battery, aggravated child abuse, and more, that will require a mandatory direct file to adult court.
Personal Injury in St. Petersburg, FL.
Our law firm does not only represent criminal defendants. We also provide guidance for people who have been injured in accidents that were not their fault in the State of Florida. Our team of personal injury lawyers is committed to fighting for the rights of people who have been hurt in car accidents, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, and many other types of accidents.
If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, then you could be owed compensation for your medical expenses, lost income and a reduction to your earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, and much more. However, there is a statute of limitations for accident cases, so it is important that you get in touch with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible in the State of Florida.
Contact The Law Place Today in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you are facing criminal accusations in the State of Florida, then you might be fearing for your future. A criminal conviction carries a number of penalties, varying in degrees of severity depending on the type of crime that was committed. If you wish to protect your rights, then you will need to seek legal counsel with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience when it comes to offering criminal defense representation for clients in St. Petersburg and all over the State of Florida. Our team of criminal defense lawyers is skilled at managing criminal cases and helping clients to achieve favorable outcomes, regardless of the charges that they are facing.
Our law firm can help if you have been charged with a crime, under investigation, wanting to get released from jail, or looking to clear your record in the State of Florida. We understand that getting arrested for a misdemeanor or a felony offense can be a helpless and frightening experience. If you wish to give yourself the best chance of securing a reasonable outcome for your case, then it is imperative that you call our law firm as soon as you have been charged, and we will immediately get to work. Our criminal defense lawyers will develop a strong defense strategy and negotiate with the prosecution in order to get your charges reduced or dropped completely.
Contact The Law Place to schedule a free consultation today, and a criminal defense lawyer will fight against your criminal charges in St. Petersburg.