Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney

Under Florida law, there are three main categories of sex crimes: lewd or lascivious acts, sexual battery and rape, and unlawful sex with a minor. In determining how to charge a defendant in a certain case, the State considers the ages of the defendant and the alleged victim, as well as the type of sexual activity that supposedly occurred between them. The State has the burden of proving each and every element of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Depending on the charge, a defendant may face decades or even life in prison if they are convicted, so it is critical to explore every possible way to attack the charges.

In some situations, the consent of the alleged victim or their closeness in age to the defendant may be a viable defense to a sex crime accusation, or at least it may provide a way to keep the defendant’s name off the sex offender registry. Many of these cases hinge on whether the defendant or the alleged victim presents a more convincing account of how events unfolded. The knowledgeable Tampa criminal defense lawyers can help gather evidence on your behalf and make sure that your voice is heard.

The State of Florida criminalizes the possession, sale, and trafficking of certain controlled substances like marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, opiates, and prescription drugs. (Under Florida’s recently enacted medical marijuana statute, a defendant may be able to defeat a state charge of illegal marijuana possession in some circumstances, but federal law does not recognize an exception for people who use cannabis for medical purposes).

The penalty associated with a conviction of a drug crime is largely dependent upon the amount of illegal drugs at issue, with larger quantities often leading to an inference that the defendant was selling or trafficking rather than merely possessing the drugs for their personal use.

Since evidence that was improperly obtained is excluded from the jury’s consideration, a useful defense in a drug crime case may be that the police conducted an illegal search or seizure in violation of the defendant’s rights under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Unless a certain exception applies, the police need a warrant supported by probable cause to search your property and take evidence from it, such as the drugs themselves. If they do not have a warrant, your attorney may be able to bring a motion to suppress the evidence obtained from the search. Without being able to use the drugs or other evidence, the State’s case is more likely to fail, or the charge may be reduced to a charge that carries lighter penalties.

Accusations of domestic violence are taken very seriously in Florida. A conviction may result in harsh consequences that often include jail time, participation in an intervention program for batterers, the loss of the right to own a firearm or hold a concealed carry permit, expulsion from the family home, or deportation in situations involving foreign nationals. While the police typically act swiftly in arresting someone who is accused of domestic violence, the situation often turns out to be less straightforward than it appeared in the heat of the moment. Sometimes an alleged victim will make a false accusation to gain an advantage in a family law matter, for example, or the defendant may have been responding in self-defense to violent actions by the person making the accusation.

We also provide representation against other charges of violent crimes, such as aggravated assault, homicide, or weapons offenses, all of which are treated severely under Florida laws. Minimum mandatory sentences often apply in these cases, and vigorous legal representation is critical to making sure that your rights are properly asserted. Too much is at stake in these situations to take chances or leave stones unturned. In many of these cases, the prosecution must prove a certain level of intent in addition to the fact that the defendant committed certain acts. This can be challenging to show if the defense can undermine the credibility of the prosecution’s witnesses, provide compelling testimony from other witnesses, or a combination. In other situations, a defense attorney may be able to establish an alibi, showing that the defendant could not have committed the alleged crime because they were not in the place where it was committed when it was committed. These are just some examples of ways to fight criminal charges, and the strategy in your case will depend on its specific details.

If you are facing criminal charges, you can expect that the prosecuting attorney will be carefully compiling a case against you. You deserve representation from a lawyer who will put just as much effort and ingenuity into protecting your future. To contact knowledgeable Tampa criminal defense attorney Will Hanlon, call us at 813-228-7095 or contact us online. Hanlon Law is here to advocate for people throughout the Tampa Bay region who need a domestic violence attorney or representation against allegations of drug crimes, sex offenses, assault, theft, firearms offenses, or other charges.