Miami-Dade County - namely Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale - are popular Spring Break destinations for college students all across the country. With an influx of tourists comes an influx of arrest. Most Spring Break arrests are for alcohol-related crimes such as disorderly intoxication and DUI. Drug possession cases - such as misdemeanor possession of marijuana to possession of cocaine, MDMA, or prescriptions - are also common.
One thing that most Spring Break arrests have in common is that the majority of defendants are not from Miami-Dade County. Getting arrested on vacation means more than a ruined trip. It means that you may have to navigate a court system in a strange land. It also means that you may have to come back to Florida at a later date to go to court.
The good news is that for most misdemeanor offenses, your attorney can waive your presence. It may also be possible for your attorney to resolve your case without you having to appear in court.
For felony cases, if formal charges are filed, you will likely have to appear. However, your attorney can waive your presence at the arraignment (first court date) and set the case out for a date that more conveniently accomodates your travel plans.
If you are arrested while on Spring Break in Miami-Dade or Broward, call me.