Johnny Devine PA | Attorney | Personal Injury | Criminal Defense | Landlord-Tenant Law

“I’ve been arrested! What should I do?”

When a person is arrested, it can be both frightening and confusing. As you may have experienced, persons accused of a criminal offense are often released from custody with little or no information concerning their charges.

That’s why it’s important to know the strengths and weaknesses of your case:

• Were you illegally stopped or detained?
• Were you read Miranda rights?
• Can your statements be excluded because they were illegally obtained?
• Can the evidence in your case be excluded because of an illegal search or seizure?
• Are you eligible for a program where your charges may be dismissed?

It’s also important that you know a criminal charge, as well as a criminal conviction, could drastically affect your life.

For example, a DUI charge can affect your driving privileges, increase your automobile insurance, and negatively impact other areas of your life even if you are not convicted. Often times, officers do not inform you that you only have 10 days from the date of your arrest to challenge any license suspension. Moreover, a DUI conviction could subject you to probation, impoundment of your vehicle, random alcohol screening, loss of driving privileges, driving school requirements, fines, and a jail sentence.

A criminal arrest and/or conviction could negatively affect your ability to find employment or keep your present job, prevent you from obtaining financial aid for educational purposes, cause your dismissal from school, prevent you from obtaining occupational licensing or certifications, cause embarrassment, impede your ability to support your family, cause you to lose your civil rights (such as your right to own a gun, your right to vote, etc.), and much more.

Many times there are defenses available that, if successful, can prevent most, if not all, of the costly penalties associated with your charge.

There are several ways to resolve criminal charges:

• There are motions to dismiss charges
• There are motions to exclude evidence
• Your charge could be reduced to a lesser charge
• Diversion programs which allow for the dismissal of your case
• Jury Trial

You deserve an experienced attorney who will aggressively defend your case and fight for your rights!  Johnny Devine has extensive experience defending criminal cases in Florida, including:

• Assault
• Battery
• Bond Reductions
• Burglary
• Domestic Violence
• Drug Cases
• DUIs
• Expungements / Sealings
• Felonies
• Fraud Charges
• Juvenile Cases
• Misdemeanors
• Passing Worthless Bank Checks
• Possession of Alcohol by Persons Under 21
• Probation Early Terminations
• Probation Violations
• Property Damage / Criminal Mischief
• Robbery
• Theft Crimes
• Traffic Offenses
• Traffic Tickets
• Weapon Charges
• Plus all other charges and offenses

Johnny Devine understands that speaking with an attorney about your case can be an uncomfortable experience, so he offers confidential consultations in a relaxed atmosphere as well as affordable representation.

Remember: If you’ve been arrested or charged with a crime, call your attorney, Johnny Devine!