Criminal Defense

The relationship between marijuana odor and probable cause for a vehicle search in Florida has shifted significantly in recent years, and understanding the current legal landscape is important for anyone who encounters law enforcement on Florida’s roads. Florida voters approved recreational marijuana legalization through Amendment 3 in November 2024, and courts have since grappled with

A conviction does not necessarily end the legal fight. Florida law provides multiple avenues for challenging a conviction after the trial court proceedings are over — both through the direct appeal process and through postconviction motions that can be filed even after appeals are exhausted. Understanding the difference between these remedies, the deadlines that govern

Battery charges in Florida range from a first-degree misdemeanor all the way to a second-degree felony, depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense. The difference between simple battery, felony battery, and aggravated battery is not just a matter of degree — it determines whether you are facing up to one year in jail or

Learn Florida felony degrees, ordinary maximum penalties, first-offense considerations, and how sentencing points can affect a case.

Updated September 30, 2026 A victim cannot dismiss a Florida criminal case simply by asking to “drop the charges.” The State Attorney’s Office decides whether to pursue the prosecution, and it may proceed even when the alleged victim does not want the case to continue. The Sixth Circuit State Attorney’s Office explains this distinction in

A first DUI in Florida is a serious matter, but it does not have to define the rest of your life. Florida law imposes real penalties — including fines, a license revocation, and the possibility of probation or even jail — but there are also paths through a first offense that can minimize long-term consequences,

A probation violation in Florida is one of the most serious situations a person on supervision can face — and it is more common than most people expect. A single missed appointment, a failed drug test, or a new arrest can trigger a violation of probation proceeding that puts you at risk of serving time

Arrest in Tampa Bay? Learn how first appearance, bail, bond reduction, and release conditions work in Florida—and what families can gather to help counsel.

Florida’s Stand Your Ground law is widely discussed but frequently misunderstood — including by people who need to invoke it in court. Unlike the self-defense argument most people picture from television courtrooms, Stand Your Ground immunity in Florida is litigated at a pretrial hearing before a judge, not at trial before a jury. That hearing