Attorneys at Musca Law stress the importance of retaining experienced criminal defense counsel to protect your constitutional rights after an arrest. A defendant may retain an attorney at any stage of their case, whether it is during the investigation, or the night before their arraignment.
Lawyers have become increasingly specialized, so it is important to retain an attorney with experience in your type of legal issue. While an attorney may claim they can handle your criminal case, if it is not an area they typically practice, you may want to reconsider their claim. The representation may cost more because the attorney must put time and effort into researching the particularities associated with the issue. As well, an experienced criminal defense attorney will be much more familiar with the proper channels and people to deal with in order to obtain the best possible outcome on your behalf.
Punishment for a criminal conviction can be severe, emphasizing the importance of retaining counsel with experience in protecting the rights of clients. Maintaining an aggressive defense to avoid a conviction is especially important for an enhanceable offense. An enhanceable offense is one that results in a tougher sentence for each additional time there is a conviction. For example, driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence (DUI) are both enhanceable crimes. The first and second DUI convictions are misdemeanors, but if a person is convicted of two DUI's, they will face felony charges for the third arrest in that time frame.
At Musca Law our clients know they can rely on our attorney's thorough knowledge of the law to defend their freedom and protect their rights. While Courts do not intentionally impose illegal sentences, mistakes do happen. Those mistakes can cost a defendant in many ways, and certainly justifies the expense of retaining an experience criminal defense attorney.
The following case example is one in which our knowledgeable attorneys recognized the Court's error and we were able to assist our client in having an illegal sentence set aside. Our client was arrested for Driving While License Suspended (DWLSR). Without the assistance of counsel, he entered a plea of No Contest on the charge of DWLSR, a second degree misdemeanor, and an enhanceable offense. His plea was accepted and he was sentenced to a period of twelve months probation. Police located an active warrant for the man on a Violation of Probation Charge and arrested him at his residence. He was transported to jail and held without bond.
With his freedom now at stake, the man sought assistance from Musca Law. After reviewing his plea, we recognized his twelve month probation exceeded the six month maximum period of probation allowed under Florida Law for a second degree misdemeanor. Our attorneys filed a Motion for Post Conviction Relief on behalf of our client. As a result of our efforts, the Court dismissed the Violation of Probation warrant. His original sentence, which our attorneys discovered was illegal, was set aside. Our client was resentenced to Adjudication Withheld and time served on the DWLSR 1rst offense.
Your choice in a Florida defense lawyer will directly impact the outcome of your criminal case. By choosing a law firm that has the proven track record, experience and dedication that you need, you have the opportunity to avoid a conviction and the penalties associated.
At Musca Law, our Florida criminal defense attorneys have over 100 years combined legal experience. We take a team approach, using the advantage of each attorney's strengths. We provide an aggressive defense designed to build upon our strengths and exploit the prosecution's weaknesses.
