One of the most common concerns a client will have is the fear of being sentenced to jail or prison. When facing criminal charges, these are not uncommon concerns to have. If you are looking at serious felony charges, the concern may be warranted.
Truth is, whenever you are facing criminal charges - even misdemeanor charges - there is always the chance that a judge could sentence you to jail or prison. If you are facing a misdemeanor, maximum jail terms range from 60 days up to a year. If you are facing felony charges, maximum prison terms range from 5 years up to life without the possibility of parole.
Now just because you are facing the possibility of prison or jail doesn't mean that you are going to get it. Obviously a sentence for a first-time offender will be different that the sentence for a repeat offender...at least as far as most charges go.
A first-time shoplifting offender isn't going to receive the same sentence as a ten-time felon charged with aggravated assault. But in both cases, the possibility of incarceration is real.
Don't brush your charges aside simply because you have no prior history, or the offense isn't "serious." Anytime the State of Florida is charging you with a crime, it's serious.
There are a number of case resolutions in Miami-Dade County criminal courts (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach) that may be available to you. This is something that you should discuss with a criminal defense attorney.
Programs such as Drug Court and Pretrial Intervention or Pretrial Diversion may be available. You may also want to ask about whether your case can be resolved with probation. You will also definitely want to see what legal remedies exist - suppression motions, motions to dismiss. There are a number of things that must be addressed when facing criminal charges.
If you have been charged with a crime in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, or Palm Beach County, call me today to discuss your case.