As soon as a police officer orders you to stop or puts the handcuffs on, you are detained. You have the absolute right to be silent. Exercise that right. Absolutely EVERYTHING you say can be used against you in court. You will be eventually be transported to the Duval County Jail and be processed. Once you reach the your floor of the jail, you can make collect phone calls. Most of the time, you will not be able to bond out of jail in Duval County until you go in front of a judge. This is called first appearance court, or J-1 for short in Jacksonville. When you go in front of the judge, you will be sitting with everyone who was arrested in the last twelve to twenty-four hours. The judge will read the arrest and booking report and make two determinations. First, he or she will determine whether or not there was probable cause to arrest you. This means more likely than not, a crime was committed. Second, the judge will determine your conditions of release. Most of the time, the judge will impose a monetary bond that you will have to post to bond out of jail in Jacksonville. If you can afford to pay the whole amount of the bond, at the conclusion of your case, the entire amount will be returned to you. You can also utilize a bail bondsman. You, or your loved ones, must give the bondsman ten percent of the bond amount and they will vouch for the rest. You must also provide some type of collateral, such as a car title, for the amount above the ten percent. When your case is disposed of, you get the collateral back and the bondsman keeps the ten percent.

Often times in Jacksonville, the bonds are set extremely high. Higher than most every other county around. If your loved one’s bond is set too high for you to meet, there is hope. Contact a Jacksonville Bond Reduction Lawyer immediately. We can move the court to lower the bond at any time, presenting evidence of your ties to the community, employment information and family situation.

If you have been arrested for a felony in Jacksonville, you will be given a future court date about three weeks out. That time in between is the most crucial of any felony case. A prosecutor will get assigned to your case and they will make a decision about whether or not to file the felony charge. It is important to have an experienced Duval County Attorney advocating for you before that decision is made. If you are arrested for a misdemeanor in Jacksonville, you may be given the option to enter a plea in first appearance court. If you have not consulted with an attorney, do NOT enter any guilty or no contest plea in first appearance court. Plea NOT guilty and you will have the opportunity to call a Duval County criminal lawyer to discuss your rights.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Bond Reduction Lawyer, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Police said they chose these parents because they were 44 cases with the highest absentees rates in the county, and the data used covered more than just the current school year. The legal system is supposed to be the very last resort in school attendance cases and school officials say they tried to work with the parents but to no avail, the newspaper reported. But when they do go to the legal system, police, prosecutors and all involved make it a point to go as public as they could with it – trying to use these Jacksonville Misdemeanor Cases to set an example for other parents. And chances are it will work.

Police and prosecutors often try to make headlines to make people aware of the consequences for actions for some seemingly minor crimes, including selling alcohol to minors or hosting an open house party where underage teens are drinking alcohol.

In most of these Jacksonville Misdemeanor Cases, parents do not end up receiving significant, if any jail time. But the shaming of the headlines and the potential of a person losing his or her job because of an arrest like this could be enough for people to think twice. These Jacksonville Misdemeanor Cases on truancy charges are an example of a crime where parents can be held accountable for the actions of the children they are responsible for. Proving how much the parents knew beyond a reasonable doubt in front of a jury could be challenging, but the overall point of these types of arrests is more about changing behavior than putting people behind bars. Our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney has represented thousands of people charged with misdemeanors and knows there’s no such thing as a minor crime when you or a loved one is the one accused.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Misdemeanor Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So what makes one instance a misdemeanor and the other a felony? The amount of damage done to the property. If the damage is less than $200, as was reported in one of these Jacksonville Vandalism Charges, the charge is a second-degree misdemeanor. If the damage is between $200 and $1,000, the charge becomes a first-degree misdemeanor and carries a maximum charge of one year in the county jail. But once it becomes more than $1,000, the charge is a felony and time in state prison is now on the table. The $1,000 threshold applies to whether the damage was more than $1,000, or if the vandalism either cost more than $1,000 in labor and supplies to restore or repair. The charges also become a felony if the defendant has a previous conviction for the same offense, which does not appear to be the case in this Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Case. Now, it is highly unlikely a first-time offender will go to state prison for spray painting a building, but those are the maximum penalties he is facing in this Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Case.

The framework of charges and potential punishment escalating based on the value of the damage is common throughout Florida criminal law. There are similar scales of punishment in Jacksonville theft cases, based on the value of what is allegedly stolen. Charges begin, as Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Cases do, as second-degree felonies and move on up from there. Similar distinctions are made when it comes to Jacksonville Drug Crimes Cases. The larger amount of an illegal substance a person is accused of having, the more serious the charges and the potential penalties. In Jacksonville Vandalism Cases, the more traditional outcome is the defendant agreeing to pay the business owner for the damage that was caused, and likely do some sort of community service or other punishment that does not include time in jail or prison. One element that could change in this case is whether more charges are filed as more businesses come forward, or the defendant talks to police about past acts. In some cases, the cumulative effect will influence sentencing, and lead to a more severe punishment than if the person was simply facing one or two counts.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Misdemeanor Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The artist admitted to police that he was, in fact, the Ghost, the newspaper reported. Police have plenty of evidence against him, the newspaper reported, including his cell phone which contains pictures of his art. Many in the community have taken to social media to come to the artist’s defense, even organizing fundraisers to help pay for his defense and his family’s expenses, the newspaper reported. They argue that Jacksonville has plenty of violent crime that needs police attention and arresting an artist on vandalism charges is a waste of resources. Others argue that rules are rules and there are other canvases artists can use to exhibit their work. Many of the paintings are political in nature, showing support for Jordan Davis, a black Jacksonville teen who was shot killed by a middle-aged white man in an argument over loud music. The case drew national attention when it went to trial earlier this year and the jury could not agree on the first-degree murder charge, but convicted the shooter on several other lesser charges.

Had the paintings been more innocuous, perhaps the charges would have never been filed – particularly as a felony. But police and prosecutors do not take kindly to people openly thumbing their nose at the law and often look to make an example of people in Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Cases like this, showing others that this type of behavior won’t be tolerated. It will be interesting to see how far prosecutors take this case, or if discussion ends up centering on reducing the charge to a misdemeanor. Either way, this Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Case is now firmly in the media spotlight and, if attention is what the artist was looking for, he has it now.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Matthew Sugden-Kirsch and Jason Swanson were both arrested after a citizen flagged down an officer about 4 a.m. and said he saw two men on bicycles putting up the stickers, the newspaper reported. Both had dozens of stickers in their backpacks and officials have reported that hundreds have been removed from various structures since early June, the newspaper reported. Both men were charged with criminal mischief in Jacksonville causing between $200 and $1,000 in damages, a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida punishable by up to one year in the county jail. Criminal mischief is a Jacksonville Misdemeanor Crimes charge that is essentially vandalism. It’s the same charge people would get for spray-painting a building or smashing a window, provided the damage is between $200 and $1,000. If the damage is more than $1,000, the charge can be upgraded to a Duval County felony and the defendant can be facing up to five years in prison. The same is true if the vandalism is done to a business and the labor and supplies to repair the damage or bring it to the prior condition was more than $1,000. It doesn’t take long to get to $1,000, but apparently in this Jacksonville Misdemeanor Case, the property owners were able to just peel the stickers off if they wanted them removed. It also may be difficult for the state to prove just how many of the stickers these two men posted, or if there were others making similar statements in this Jacksonville Misdemeanor Crimes Case.

Another deterrent in these Jacksonville Misdemeanor Cases is if someone is arrested on a criminal mischief and has one or more previous conviction for criminal mischief, he or she can be charged with a felony – regardless of the dollar amount. In most cases, that’s enough for defendants not to do it again. Misdemeanor cases can be positive learning experiences for people – enough of a taste of the criminal justice system to know you want to stay out, but not enough to put a serious damper on someone getting an education or holding down a job. These cases generally get little public attention and defendants can work them out and move on in relative anonymity. This Jacksonville Misdemeanor Case is different. The Memorial Day brawl and its aftermath were covered extensively by the local media outlets, more than one of which published or aired stories about the conflict between some Beaches residents and people they deem as outsiders who just come down to fight and stir up trouble. People will be paying more attention to this Jacksonville Criminal Mischief Case and, in some cases, that alone can lead to a higher sentence.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Duval County Violent Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

When determining whether or not to set bail in any Duval County criminal case, a judge will consider a number of issues. First and foremost, he or she will look at the Jacksonville criminal charges you were arrested for. The more violent the alleged offense, the higher bail amounts generally go. The judge will consider your familial ties to the City of Jacksonville. The more family you have in the area, the better. How long you have lived in the community will be considered. Whether or not you are employed can also be a factor in determining what your bail amount will be. The judge may ask whether or not you have ever failed to appear in court in the past. Every person arrested in Jacksonville has the right to an individualized review of their bail. As a rule, bail amounts are not supposed to punish the accused person. The main purpose of bail is to insure your appearance at future court dates. Often times, bail amounts in Duval County are high. If your loved one is in jail with a high bond or no bond at all, it is important to contact a Jacksonville Bail Bond Attorney. Our Duval County Bail Reduction Lawyer will discuss your loved one’s situation and advise you of your options, including filing a Motion for a Bond Reduction.

Our Jacksonville Bond Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call The Mussallem Law Firm today with any questions you have concerning a criminal matter in Duval, Clay, Nassau or St. Johns County. Our Jacksonville Criminal Law Firm handles 100% criminal cases and our experience can help you.

He was charged with three Jacksonville, Florida misdemeanors: trespassing, disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer without violence. The trespassing and resisting charges are both first-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in the county jail. The disorderly intoxication charge is a second-degree misdemeanor and on that charge Lowery could serve up to 60 days in jail. In most cases, our Jacksonville Misdemeanor Crimes Attorney has seen sentences run concurrent, meaning Lowery is not likely to be sentenced to more than one year in jail for all three crimes – if he was to receive that much time. He was released from jail on a bond of about $9,000 for all three charges combined.

And despite the obvious beating Lowery took from the father — police described it in the newspaper as “minor injuries” but the jail mug shot shows a different story – the father is not expected to face any criminal charges in Jacksonville. First of all, Lowery was on the man’s property committing a crime and the father could argue he was doing what he could to keep Lowery there until police arrived. The law allows a certain amount of discretion for people to use the necessary amount of force to remove someone from their property, especially if the person was committing a crime. Though Lowery is not facing a prowling charge, not yet anyway, the evidence released to date points to the fact he was likely up to no good. More importantly, though not clearly spelled out in the law, is the fact that the state would have an extremely difficult time convincing a jury to convict the father of a crime in this case. That’s where common sense comes into play when prosecutors are determining charges. It’s highly likely that most jurors could see themselves doing the exact same thing to Lowery is they caught him in the lawn looking at their daughter. Heck, many of them might be thinking the dad let Lowery off easy.

There’s a fine line of how much force can be used in situations such as this, and most of it is up for interpretation – be it from prosecutors, a judge or, in some cases, a jury. Our Jacksonville Misdemeanor Attorney has seen many cases where someone in a similar situation to the father was charged with a crime. In this case, the state appears to be making the right call in not pursing charges against the father.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Jacksonville Criminal Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

All five are facing Clay County second-degree misdemeanor charges and could face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. They were booked into jail and their bonds were set between $50,000 and $60,000, the newspaper reported. In terms of jail time and the fine, the charges may seem rather minor. Most of the cases discussed on this blog are cases where people are at least facing time in prison. But this is significant because it is part of an overall effort from the state and law enforcement to crack down on underage drinking. Police have been conducting stings for years when they send a teen into a store to buy alcohol, checking to see if the person at the register checks for ID. But in many cases, teens are getting the alcohol elsewhere – not directly from the store itself. The new law is designed to make homeowners and people who are of age think twice about being responsible for underage people drinking.

To prove the criminal case in Clay County, the state would have to show that a reasonable person should have known there was underage drinking going on at the time. The party, where about 15 to 20 people were playing beer pong in a garage, was advertised on Facebook, the newspaper reported. Unlike some cases where parents may be asleep while teens are drinking in another part of the house, it appears that the people who lived there were part of the party and knew what was going on. People do not always have to be the ones actively committing a crime to be charged with one. None of these five are the ones who hit and killed Krueger. In fact, that driver is not facing charges. But these five are now facing charges, and state officials have said part of the reasoning is to let other parents and people of legal drinking age that there are serious consequences for letting teens drink.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Clay County or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Clay County Misdemeanor Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The judge has already denied one request to keep someone from questioning in the case. That was Carroll herself after Gov. Rick Scott tried to keep attorneys from questioning her. But the judge denied the request last week, saying Cole has a right to defend herself. The judge did want criminal defense attorneys to specifically say why they need to speak with Carroll and detail the purpose of the questioning. It will be interesting to see if the judge makes a similar ruling on the newspaper reporter. Media companies will always fight having one of their journalists questioned, fearing the precedent it could set in having reporters dragged into every case they write about, simply for doing their jobs. Newspaper executives say potential whistleblowers could shy away from giving information to a news organization if they know that reporter may end up on the witness stand talking about the information he or she gave.

In most Jacksonville criminal cases, it is unlikely a reporter will end up having to testify. In many cases, it appears to be more for show than anything. It’s likely part of the strategic back-and-forth between the state and the criminal defense team. If the defense wants to put the lieutenant governor on the stand, the state will try for the reporter. This case is an example of some of the preparations and behind-the-scenes work an experienced Jacksonville criminal defense attorney does on a case before it ends up in a trial – if it ever does. Both sides are always looking for an edge, especially as it gets closer to trial or a plea negotiation.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In Jacksonville criminal cases and stings like this, most times the defendants do very little time in jail – if any at all. Unless one of the defendants has a previous conviction for the same charge, or a lengthy criminal record with some similar crimes, these types of cases typically work out for a sentence of probation. These types of stings are designed more for the public than they are looking for serious time behind bars. Police are trying to send a message to other contractors that they are watching and that the crimes will be taken seriously. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office paraded all 11 mug shots to local media outlets and they were plastered all over television and the internet shortly after the bust. It can be more about letting people know the law is out there. The same can be said for prostitution stings. Jacksonville police usually conduct at least one a year, generally putting an ad on the Internet for an escort service. As in the contracting case, the men’s booking photos are distributed and broadcast locally, likely leading to a divorce or two over the years.

But just because the prison sentence isn’t as long as a Jacksonville Drug Crime or Gun Crime, doesn’t mean it is not extremely serious. This Jacksonville misdemeanor crime could stay with these contractors for quite some time. It may affect their ability to get a license, if they do ever intend to get one. Some of the defendants may be hesitant to plead guilty for that very reason.

Our experienced Jacksonville Misdemeanor Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, has represented people in similar types of stings and knows this is often people’s first time dealing with the criminal justice system. It can be intimidating and lead people to do whatever they can to get rid of the crime immediately. But that’s not always the best move in the long run. An immediate guilty plea could cause serious damage in terms of future employment. Our Jacksonville Criminal Attorney will help a defendant understand all of his or her options, but then lets the client make the ultimate decision.

If you or a loved one needs an Experienced Misdemeanor Attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County Misdemeanor Attorney is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Zimmerman posted bond two days later and, now that he is out again, expect the case to be delayed. It might not stall as much because of the high-profile nature of the case, but it will no doubt have an impact on when the case goes to trial. It’s one of the best weapons in the state’s vast arsenal and, trust our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer who knows, the state is not afraid to use it. When a person is out of jail and knows they have a significant chance of going to jail or prison, they really don’t have a ton of motivation to speed things along. But, if someone is in jail, they usually either want to get out if they can by being found not guilty at a trial or want to get the sentence moving so they know what they’re facing and can ride it out.

So the state does what it can to keep people in jail. Pure and simple. That’s likely why prosecutors went on a fishing expedition through Zimmerman’s jail phone calls after the first bond hearing. And they caught a whopper. They found Zimmerman and his wife orchestrating a lie about money that had been raised for Zimmerman’s criminal defense. The judge accused Zimmerman of trying to game the system and referenced it several times in the second bond hearing. Typically, a person can be released from jail by posting 10 percent of the posted bond. So, in Zimmerman’s case, that would be $100,000. Some bondsmen take less in high-profile cases such as this, and those negotiations are between the client and the bondsman.

Criminal cases are a constant back and forth struggle for an edge. Because of discovery rules, all evidence is on the table for both sides to see before a trial. So the strategic aspects – who has the upper hand in negotiations, whether the state files a minimum mandatory sentence, if the defendant is already out of jail – are all part of the power struggle. Our Jacksonville Criminal Bond Reduction Attorney can file motions to have a bond reduced, which could result in a hearing similar to the one for Zimmerman. If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County Bond Attorney is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phones are not just phones in today’s day and age. These phones often contain a person’s pictures and videos; social media accounts and contacts of family and friends. Many people use their phones as a second computer and if a police officer was able to just scroll through the phone, he or she could see all recent Internet searches and sites visited, which could even include financial information. Of course, all of this type of information is available to police – if they get a warrant first. A Jacksonville criminal warrant to search a person’s home or computer must be approved by the prosecutor’s office and then signed by a judge. If police can satisfy a judge there is probable cause to conduct the search, then the cops can look at whatever they want. Those safeguards are there for a reason: so police cannot go on massive fishing expeditions and just conduct searches willy nilly on anyone they choose. This decision from the state court would be a step in the wrong direction in terms of protecting people’s rights. A smartphone is no different from a computer these days and should be treated that way by the courts.

If you are contacted by the police conducting a criminal investigation in Duval, Clay or Nassau Counties, it is crucial that you know your rights. You have the right to remain silent and you have a right to speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney. You also have the right to say no if the police ask to search your car, your home, your computer and, for now it seems, your cell phone. If police have a warrant, they can do what they want within the bounds of the warrant itself, but our experienced Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney has seen many searches where police have overstepped the scope of the search that was approved by the court. If you are being investigated for a crime, our Jacksonville criminal attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem can walk you through your rights and advise you how far police are allowed to go without a Duval County warrant. When police say “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,” they aren’t messing around. The same goes for anything they find during a search of your car or even your cell phone.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County Warrant Attorney is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And it certainly doesn’t help the man’s case that it was a police plane that caught him. Police agencies don’t take too kindly to this type of behavior and could be looking to make an example of him. He may have picked the wrong plane to mess with. Is he likely to spend five years in prison for this crime? Probably not. It sounds like a joke, but misuse of a laser pointing device is among a handful of seemingly off-the-wall crimes that can be charged in the state of Florida. There is molesting a crab trap, even molesting a vending machine (both are misdemeanors in Jacksonville). You can be charged with a DUI even if you are driving a riding lawnmower or even a golf cart. The charges are funny until they are yours. Then they become serious, especially when serious prison time is involved. Anytime you are charged with or being investigated for a crime, it is a good idea to speak with a Jacksonville criminal defense attorney right away. You may not have heard of a particular charge, but there’s no doubt our Jacksonville criminal defense attorney has. We understand the severity of a criminal conviction – especially a felony – and will fully investigate any case, whether it’s a murder charge, a drug crime or even misuse of a laser pointing device.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm, PA at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County criminal defense lawyer is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The plan backfired, once Duval County prosecutors pulled the phone calls, and asked the judge to revoke Zimmerman’s bond. The judge sided with the state and gave Zimmerman 48 hours to report to jail. He was booked into the jail Sunday. His criminal attorneys have told various media outlets the case will not be ready for trial until sometime next year. That means Zimmerman has at least six months behind bars. Police have said he will be in a separate cell and isolated from other inmates, the newspaper reported.

The takeaway here is to never, ever, say anything about your case on a jail telephone. Never. There are warnings posted by the phone, and played at the start of phone calls, that the calls are being recorded. Many people don’t think the state will actually sit down and listen to them. But they will. And, in many cases, that is where the state gets it best evidence. Maybe it’s another witness who is mentioned that police didn’t know about. Or it’s the location of stolen goods. Or even that confession that police have been unable to squeeze out of him or her. In this case, it was about the money the state was suspicious about from the very beginning. The bond revocation is no doubt a win for the state in this case. First, it adds some urgency for Zimmerman and his team. The state always would rather have a defendant in custody to help move the case along. If the defendant is out, especially is he or she has a decent idea they will be doing some time, there is really no incentive to resolve the case. Second, and far more important, is the fact that the judge made a decision against Zimmerman, based on his belief that Zimmerman was engaged in an attempt to lie to the court. That will be brought up repeatedly by the state, you can count on it. Any crack in Zimmerman’s credibility is huge because his word is the crux of his defense.

Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, shot Martin in February after he says Martin was beating him up after Zimmerman confronted him about acting suspicious in a Sanford neighborhood. Martin’s family has questioned who the aggressor was in the case, as have several national civil rights leaders who’ve held protests in the weeks since the shooting. The case has sparked racial tensions: Martin, 17, is black; Zimmerman, 28, was born to a white father and a Hispanic mother. The state will undoubtedly argue that if Zimmerman was found to have been lying on jail phone calls, how can a jury believe him when he talks about how Martin was killed? Without the jail phone calls, Zimmerman would still be out on bond. And he’d have a better chance of winning if the case does indeed go to trial. It’s not a deal breaker, but it certainly does not help. Our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer always specifically instructs every client not to talk about their case on the phone. To anyone. There’s nothing positive that will come out of it.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm, PA at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County criminal lawyer is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are facing criminal charges in Northeast Florida, it is important to discuss your case with an experienced criminal defense attorney. Your future is worth it. Our Jacksonville Criminal Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem has represented thousands of people charged with crimes in Jacksonville, Clay County, Nassau County and St.Johns County. Contact The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Law Firm is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Criminal trials can slow the system tremendously because people are waiting longer for their cases to resolve – as are people peripherally involved in the case, such as a co-defendant who has pleaded guilty but it testifying for the state. Cases that may not have been filed under a previous administration are being filed now, according to the report. From a criminal defense attorney perspective, that alone will drive the trial count up. More and more defendants are unwilling to take a deal and plead to something they don’t think they should have to plead to, which in turn increases the number of trials. Some of the offers by the state also are so steep that there’s little for a person to lose by pushing the case to trial.

In any profession, the best people and companies are the ones who adapt to the change around them. Our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Firm understands the landscape and makes adjustments accordingly. And we are not afraid to take a case to trial. Our Jacksonville trial firm has certainly been a part of that 400 percent increase in trials since 2009, and will continue to be when it is in the best interest of our clients. Some Duval County criminal lawyers do not have the experience or desire to take a case to trial if needed, and the state attorneys know who these lawyers are. If you are facing criminal charges, you deserve an experienced trial attorney to guide you in your decisions. You can negotiate, the state attorney can drop your Jacksonville criminal charge or you can make the government prove the charge against you in a trial.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm, PA at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County criminal lawyer is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Detectives constantly hear people deny involvement in a crime. It’s part of the job. And, at least in this case, the denials did not help Brown a bit. He was still arrested, his name and mug shot paraded across the news, as police patted themselves on the back for a quick resolution to a high-profile shooting in a crowded shopping mall. The key in Brown’s release wasn’t that he said he didn’t do it. It was police had someone else to charge. If you’ve been arrested, chances are pretty solid that until they have someone else, you’re the guy.

This highlights the perils of eyewitness identification. How could all three people be wrong? It depends on the pictures included in the lineup – was there anyone else in the photo spread (even Davis) who looked similar to Brown? What was the demeanor of the officer? Was there more attention given to any particular suspect? According to the television station, police caught the mistake when they talked to two of the teens seen at the mall with the alleged shooter. Both named Davis and said he had a gun, the television station reported.

Unfortunately, more and more cases are ending up in trial where police are relying solely on eyewitness testimony in the absence of any physical evidence. When this happens, you need a Jacksonville criminal defense attorney that can quickly sort through the evidence and prove police are barking up the wrong tree. If you or a loved one needs a violent crimes defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm, PA at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our Duval County criminal lawyer is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The most common “arrest” during any football game in Florida is “Possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under age 21 prohibited”. Under Florida Statute 562.111, it is illegal for someone under 21 years-old to have alcohol in their possession. If you are caught for this misdemeanor in Jacksonville, the police officer will most likely issue a Notice to Appear. This is a piece of paper that instructs you to make a court date for the Jacksonville criminal charge. The paper is given to you in lieu of the officer actually arresting you. If you are issued a Notice to Appear, it still technically is an arrest and will be on your permanent criminal record. That is why it is so important to consult with an experienced Jacksonville Criminal Attorney about your Notice. A Duval County criminal defense attorney can investigate the case and possibly get you into a diversion program, such as the Pretrial Intervention Program, or get the case dropped completely.

Other common crimes people are arrested for at football games in Jacksonville are Disorderly Intoxication, Battery, Disorderly Conduct/Breach of Peace, and Trespassing. You can be arrested for disorderly conduct in Jacksonville if you corrupt the public morals, outrage public decency, or affect the peace and quiet of people who witness your behavior. You can also be arrested for this crime in Jacksonville if you engage in fighting. Disorderly conduct is a second degree misdemeanor in Florida and is punishable by up to 60 days in jail. You can be arrested for battery in Jacksonville if you intentionally touch someone against their will or intentionally harm someone. Battery is a first degree misdemeanor in Florida and if convicted, you will be facing up to one year in jail. Trespass charges in Duval County usually stem from someone acting up on private property and the owner asks that person to leave. If the person comes back onto the property, they can be arrested for trespassing in Jacksonville.

If you are facing any criminal charges in Northeast Florida, contact our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney at (904) 365-5200 for a free consultation. Our criminal lawyer is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to answer your questions.

An arrest can be a damaging thing for a person who is falsely accused. Despite pleading that the charges aren’t true, police rarely listen they believe they have the right suspect. So, the only place to take those concerns is to the courthouse. Getting a fair trial can squash police malfeasance. Jacksonville criminal defense lawyers have fought hard for years to defend clients who are innocent of the charges where the state has little evidence, but is too strong-willed to listen. This requires a jury to acquit on charges of theft in Jacksonville, drug offenses or even violent crimes.

In this case, a woman was falsely accused and falsely arrested and experts believe there will be a long-lasting effect that could haunt her for years.

A Jacksonville woman was arrested and charged with shoplifting from the Wal-Mart on Normandy Boulevard after a shoplifter seen in the video dropped a purse that had Myrick’s driver’s license. Police hunted her down and arrested her, until the video surveillance proved it wasn’t her.

An expert said that even though she was falsely accused and not only the victim of identity theft, but also bad police work, she will not be able to live down the arrest. The expert, a former FBI agent, told the news station that she will continue to appear in law enforcement databases. So, if she gets pulled over, the officer will see the arrest and could treat her with heightened suspicion, asking if she has any stolen merchandise in her vehicle.

The woman said her driver’s license got into a shoplifter’s purse after she surrendered it to the Department of Motor Vehicles 10 days before the incident. The license had been reported lost by authorities.

But there are ways to fight back.

For one, a person who is arrested must hire an experienced Jacksonville criminal defense attorney as soon as possible so she can get involved in the case. That means working with police and prosecutors to dispute the charges and possibly get them dropped.

Even if they are too stubborn to drop the charges, an attorney is necessary to fight the charges before a judge or jury. And once the not guilty verdict comes in, it will be necessary to ensure your lawyer files the paperwork to seal and expunge the records leading to your arrest.

That will guarantee that records don’t show up in public view, but as the expert said to the news station, it’s possible that an arrest will still show up to law enforcement officers. And with the Internet, it’s always possible that mug shots and information that shows up on sheriff’s jail web sites could end up being preserved online forever.

That’s why we have to hope that officers do their due diligence and make arrests based on solid evidence and not weak eye witnesses and hunches. Sadly, that’s not always the case. They sometimes get caught up in the hunt for the arrest and don’t take into consideration the effects an arrest can have on the accused. more If you need a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call Mussallem and Associate, PA at 904-365-5200 for a free consultation.

If the officer elects to actually arrest you in Jacksonville, you will be detained and transported to the Pretrial Detention Facility. Once you are there, you will be searched, fingerprinted and seen by a jail nurse. Once your medical evaluation is over, you will be told to change into the jail clothes and put on one of six floors at the jail. The police officers may try to get a statement from you about your case. You have the right to remain silent. Exercise that right! The police are not there to help you, they are there to justify their arrest. Ask to speak to a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney and don’t say anything else to the police.

Within 24 hours, you will have the right to go before a judge. If you were arrested for a misdemeanor in Jacksonville, you may be able to take care of your case in first appearance court. You will be given an offer by the assistant state attorney or the judge. It is your right to enter a plea of Not Guilty. If your case is a felony in Jacksonville, you cannot resolve your case in first appearance court. The judge will issue a bond that you must post to be released or release you on your own recognizance (also called ROR). Most of the time, the judge will impose a bond on you and you will have to post 10% of the whole amount with collateral for the rest.

Once you are released from jail, your case begins. You should call a Jacksonville Criminal Attorney, a Clay County Criminal Attorney or a Nassau County Criminal Attorney as soon as possible. At Mussallem & Associate, P.A., our criminal attorney is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call today for a free consultation at (904) 365-5200.