As stated previously, gathering facts early and talking to witnesses early can get us a jump on your case. With all the early evidence obtained our experience can lead us to know what legal defenses may be available to your case. This could simply involve issues related to bond at First Appearance Court. This may further lead to potential
STRESSED OUT OVER YOUR CRIMINAL CASE? STOP WORRYING HELP IS A PHONE CALL AWAY
10 Simple Examples of Ways We Can Help You. [With Your Criminal Defense Representation].
First, while our office hours are from 8:00 am until 8:00 p.m. we are generally available after hours and weekends by appointment. This essentially expands our hours and may make it more convenient for a potential client to come in over the weekend by appointment. Second, from the moment you talk to our staff you will feel comforted knowing that you are dealing with people who care about you and your situation. This starts with our legal secretaries who are core professionals trained to help from the moment you contact our law firm. In addition, we offer small firm comfort [and compassion] that you may not find at some of the larger law firms. On the other hand, we are not a one-person fly-by-night law firm that is here today and gone tomorrow. Similarly, since timing is important, we always try to get any potential client
Are All Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyers Created Equal?
What Should I know About the Jacksonville Criminal Judicial System?
What Do You Do at This Point? [When Hiring a Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer]
Break the Bonds and Regain Your Life. [By Hiring the Right Criminal Law Firm]
What if I told you there was a way to potentially avoid jail time, get your criminal charges reduced, or potentially get your criminal case dismissed? How great would it be to let someone else take your anxiety away from you so you could get on with your life? Many of these scenarios may be possible with the help of an experienced Jacksonville, Florida criminal defense lawyer. Imagine leaving the stress and guesswork out of your case knowing that it is being handled by group of seasoned individuals who will fight hard for you and your case. Think about the burden that can be lifted away from your life with the right team behind you. Let us face it, the criminal justice system is a scary place to be and creates anxiety and stress on those accused of a crime or those being investigated for a crime. Would it not feel much better to have a legal Hammer not only by your side but leading the charge in your case within the legal system in Jacksonville? The good news is we are highly trained professionals and skilled in all aspects of criminal law. For more information about our criminal defense practice click here to take you to our main criminal defense page website.
At this critical point in your life [hiring an attorney] it is important to distinguish an average attorney versus a law firm that [combined] has defended over 1,500 criminal cases. Here is where an experienced and results-driven criminal defense attorney can come into play to help you. Importantly, please remember the case is always
about you the client. At the Armstrong Law Group, P.A., we take [all] of our clients and their legal matters very seriously. It starts with an initial interview of the client and the client’s family if necessary. If our law firm is retained, we start your case by gathering as much evidence as early in the case as possible. This includes talking to witnesses, getting all police reports, and visiting the scene of the alleged crime. It is important do all these things early in the case as many times we can get ahead of the curve on your case. This means potentially getting ahead of the State Attorney’s Office in general. This strategy, among others, has been a proven and successful strategy of our Law Firm over the last 15 years.
Get Involved in Your Case Early by Contacting the Armstrong Law Group.
We cannot overstate the importance of contacting a law firm when you find your being investigated for a crime or after you been arrested for a crime. Regardless, it is never too late to hire our Law Firm anywhere within the whole process. In many situations we jump into cases at First Appearance Court. First Appearance Court is the initial court in which all people arrested must be brought within 24 hours of their arrest. Quite often will take phone calls at 1 a.m. in the morning from a concerned family looking to help their loved one who was just arrested. In this scenario it is common for our law firm to be ready to go at First Appearance Court at 8:00 a.m. just a few hours after the first client contact call came in. The benefits of showing up early at first this court hearing generally relates to getting the client’s bond reduced in front of the magistrate presiding over this court. Many times, we’re able to get a bond greatly reduced allowing the individual or the individual’s family or loved one to bond them amount for a fraction of the price of the original bond that was set on their case. This real dollar savings allows a family to affordably bond their loved one out. It further assists the client and family members by freeing up funds to hire a law firm to assist our client. This is important as the underlying case [and potential charge or charges] is still pending even after the person bails out of jail. Quite often with a bond reduction you can bond out of jail and use the saved money to hire counsel. For more information regarding our practice and hiring a good Jacksonville criminal lawyer click the “About Us” link here.
What Does a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Actually Do and How Do They Differ from Other Attorneys? [That Mainly Practice Other Areas of Law]
The basic answer to this question is straight forward. Criminal defense lawyers and law firms center themselves around litigating cases in the criminal judicial system versus the civil judicial system. This usually involves much more intense litigation, more court dates, and more activity in the courtroom. The good news is we are often able to get our clients appearance in court waived. This means the client does not have to show up to court as we stand in the place of [or in the shoes of] the client instead. This is a great benefit to the client as most people do not want to be anywhere near the courthouse or the courtroom at all. This is just another way we help take the stress out of your criminal defense case.
Factual and Legal Strategies for Your Case Cannot be Overstated.
motions such a motion to dismiss or motion to suppress the evidence. To formally develop any legal defense, we must plug-in with the facts that we learned early on in your case with legal research. Legal research is often underutilized by most law firms. Simply put, many lawyers do not like to engage in legal research. At our firm greatly employ the use of legal research. Legal research may [potentially] make the very difference between you walking free or going to prison for an extended stay. You should strongly consider these factors when hiring a criminal attorney. Why all cases and facts [related to a specific case] are different, our experience allows us to look at each case differently while applying the best defenses for the facts and law related to your legal matter. If you are looking to hire a criminal defense lawyer, you have found the right place.
Experience Does Count When You’re Very Freedom is at Stake. [When You Are Looking for the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida]
We have proudly been practicing law for over 20 years. During that time, we have handled and defended more than 1500 legal matters within the criminal justice system. As the old saying goes, there is nothing like experience. This certainly applies when you enter the high-stakes arena of the local Jacksonville criminal justice system. Our legal experience goes beyond mere fact gathering and legal research. By practicing in the system nearly every single [work] day, we understand what makes the overall court system function in general. This starts with having professional and historical relationships with many of the prosecutors who will be handling the case for the State of Florida. This means knowing the different temperaments of the hard-working judges that will preside over your case. This also means having outstanding in court presence during any Court hearings, pretrial hearings, arraignments, or even trial. Please remember our job involves us going to court almost every single day 5 days a week. We do not sit behind a desk and push papers all day as many transactional lawyers do. What is scary is many of these transactional lawyers will hold themselves out as being seasoned criminal defense attorneys when they know nothing of how the system works. To sum up, our years are practicing law in actual courtrooms can give you a real benefit for you and for your legal matter. These are all points you should consider when hiring a criminal defense law firm.
[and sometimes their families] in our office for an early consultation as soon as possible. For most business days we have same-day consultations available. That means you call us up in the morning and we can usually see you sometime that same afternoon. Often, will even stay after hours to accommodate individuals work schedules. We also are probably one of the few law firms that conducts consultations with clients over the weekends. This likewise can help a client as we are able to work with his or her work schedule. In addition, we sometimes can meet individuals at their home [however, this is on a case-by-case basis]. Importantly, having handled more than 1,500 criminal cases, we have the skill and expertise to help you in your time of need. Where are a results-driven Law Firm and strive to help our clients with all our experience and skill every single day. This is not an exhaustive or exclusive list of what we do what but should serve as a brief example regarding the distance we will go to for our clients.
Not necessarily. We are often amazed and shocked to see individuals who have just graduated from law school put out a shingle and hold themselves out as an experienced criminal defense attorney. Often these individuals have never even stepped foot inside a real courtroom with real prosecutors, real judges, and real clients. Commonly we see attorneys who mainly do civil or transactional work purport to be a criminal defense attorney. Common sense and practical experience could show anyone that these areas of law are vastly different. Criminal defense work is extremely unique. It involves handling hundreds if not thousands of cases before an individual attorney (or law firm) before one may be proficient and confident in handling criminal case hired by a client to defend. While we do practice in other areas of law [and have a lot of experience in other areas of law], criminal defense is something that have been practicing since day one of opening our own Law Firm in 2005. We are most proud of the hundreds of satisfied people who have placed their trust in our firm. Given our extensive experience you can be confident your case will be handled by true criminal defense lawyers in Jacksonville.
Generally, when clients come to our law firm, they have a case either Duval County, Clay County, or Nassau County. These Three Counties comprise of what is called the Fourth Judicial Circuit and in for the State of Florida. While most of our Clients are in Jacksonville, Florida, we have represented clients throughout the entire state of Florida. The Jacksonville judicial system is comprised of different divisions and different judges. The general categories are Circuit Court judges and County Court judges. Circuit Court judges handle all Jacksonville felony cases but are also permitted to handle misdemeanor cases if needed. County Court judges, on the other hand, can only handle misdemeanor cases unless they receive a special designation from the Florida body governing judges. For example, if you have a misdemeanor case [such as a possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis] your case will be handled by a county court judge. On the other hand, if your case is a little more serious, meaning of felony, a circuit court judge must handle your case. We are truly fortunate to have a talented group of Judges, Clerk of Court, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, and other professionals within our local judicial system in Jacksonville Florida.
It cannot be any easier than clicking the link below to contact our law firm. Will immediately set up a confidential consultation with you either in-office, by telephone, or via Zoom. During the consultation will go over the initial facts of your case. We will further discuss your goals and the expectations you may have regarding the case going forward. We will answer any questions you have at the end of the consultation and quote you a fee. But please remember the consultation is always 100% free and you are under no financial obligation simply by having a consultation with our Law Firm. Also remember we take credit cards and we are one of the few law firms in Jacksonville [to our knowledge] that works with a major National Bank to provide financing for your legal fees. Moreover, we will work with you. This means in many cases setting you up on a payment plan with you. A payment plan structure simply consists of you putting a certain percentage down towards the total retainer and then paying monthly payments on a regular basis. Payment plan consideration is taken on a case-by-case analysis. Regardless of your financial situation, we always try and work with people as evidenced by the many options as outlined above. What do you do going forward? Simply click the link below contact us for your free consultation. We look forward to helping you very soon.
Armstrong Law Group, P.A.
334 East Duval Street, Suite 120
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
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What Is a Violent Crime Under the Law?
Violent crimes are those that are heinous in nature and often involve intentional harm that has been inflicted upon another individual during the commission of a crime. Violent crimes do not have to involve the intent to harm, though they can include the threat of intentional harm. The majority of violent crimes are charged as felonies, and they are considered one of the most serious crimes – which is why they carry harsher sentences and penalties, including at least one year in prison.
The FBI’s statistics state that there were approximately 1,246,248 violent crimes in the United States in 2010. Aggravated assaults accounted for the highest percentage of those violent crimes – about 62.5 percent. Robbery comprised 29.5 percent of those violent crimes, while forcible rape accounted for 6.8 percent and murder made up 1.2 percent of the violent crimes reported in 2010.
Examples of Violent Crimes
There are numerous types of crimes that could be classified as “violent,” but some of the more common include:
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Rape
- Terrorism
- Armed robbery
- Domestic violence
- Arson
- Gang crimes
- Battery
- Assault
- Kidnapping
Examples of Non-Violent Offenses
Some crimes can be particularly heinous in nature, but they are not necessary violent. Some examples of non-violent offenses include:
- Property crimes
- Prostitution
- Bribery
- Drug or alcohol-related crimes – including DUIs
- Fraud or tax crimes
- White collar crimes
There are, however, instances where non-violent crimes can be raised to the level of a violent crime. For example, in a fraud case, which is a non-violent crime, some violence could be involved if a person was threatened and/or coerced into handing over funds. In this case, the crime could be considered “violent,” even if no physical violence actually occurred.
Punishments of Violent Crimes
Non-violent and violent crimes both carry harsh punishments, but in general violent crimes carry stiffer penalties than those that are non-violent, though there are some non-violent crimes that can be punished more strictly as well – depending on the circumstances of that particular case.
Typically, non-violent crimes are met with short jail sentences and probation. Violent crimes, on the other hand, involve longer prison sentences, restitution, and parole (after the prison sentence has been served).
Defense Matters in a Violent Crime
If you are being accused of a violent crime it is imperative that you seek legal counsel. One of our attorneys can provide defenses for your violent or non-violent case, and our tactics will vary depending on the circumstances. If you have been arrested or you are a suspect of a violent crime, speak with an attorney at The Armstrong Law Group, P.A. today at 904-356-8618, or fill out an online contact form with your questions.
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When Can the Police Pull You Over?
No one likes to be pulled over by the police – whether it is for a traffic ticket or something else. Being pulled over is a highly stressful time and often inconvenient as well. For some, a traffic stop can lead to more serious issues, especially if the officer finds drugs in the vehicle. Traffic stops cannot be done at an officer’s whim and if you are pulled over by law enforcement, it is important to remember that you have rights.
When Can Police Legally Pull You Over in Florida?
To stop a vehicle, it is considered a “seizure” under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Therefore, to stop a person’s vehicle, there must be a reasonable explanation for doing so – otherwise the police have violated a very basic constitutional right.
Police are required to have “reasonable suspicion” when pulling over a vehicle. For example, the police officer witnessed the vehicle committing a traffic infraction – such as speeding or driving with an expired license registration. This is considered reasonable suspicion under the law and gives a police officer the right to conduct a traffic stop.
If there is no traffic violation present, the officer must show that they had reasonable suspicion regarding yourself or the vehicle. Officers cannot stop a vehicle based on a feeling or hunch and instead must have facts that can be presented in court.
What if I Suspect the Officer Pulled Me Over Just to Look for Something Illegal?
If you suspect the police have pulled you over with ulterior motives, it is important to realize that a traffic infraction does not prevent an officer from searching your vehicle for evidence of other crimes committed. But, the officer is required under the law to have reasonable suspicion that you have committed other crimes. So, an officer cannot pull you over for speeding and then search your vehicle for no reason – instead, they must have proof or reasonable suspicion that you are guilty of another crime as well.
For example, you are pulled over for running a red light and the officer decides that you appear to be under the influence. They may search the vehicle, legally, for evidence of drugs or alcohol to explain your impairment.
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help
There are numerous instances where law enforcement will pull over a vehicle and they do not have reasonable suspicion. An aggressive, skilled criminal defense attorney may be able to have any evidence found in the illegal traffic stop suppressed in court. If that evidence is the only evidence prosecutors have for the criminal charge, your case may be dismissed. Even if your case is not dismissed, the right attorney can help get the charges reduced – and possibly go from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Contact The Armstrong Law Group, P.A. Now
If you were pulled over and you feel the officer did not have a reasonable suspicion to do so, contact The Armstrong Law Group, P.A. now to schedule a case evaluation. We will conduct a thorough investigation to help determine the officer’s reasoning behind your traffic stop and we will aggressively protect your rights. Contact our law office online or call 904-356-8618 to schedule a consultation appointment.
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Can You Be Arrested for Bouncing a Check?
More often than not, a consumer does not bounce a check with criminal intentions. Instead, the consumer usually does so simply by accident. The consumer will then pay the bounced check fee to their financial institution, as well as to the company they wrote the bad check to, and move on. However, when a consumer purposely bounces a check or knowingly writes a check that will not clear, can they go to jail for their actions?
Understanding the Legal Issues of Bad Checks
There are criminal penalties under Florida law for writing bad checks, but these laws only apply to individuals that continue to bounce checks – not when a consumer bounces a single check. When multiple bad checks are written, and on purpose, the individual could face criminal and civil penalties. Here is a quick breakdown of the two:
- Civil – The individual may be forced to pay the victims (that is, the individuals who received the bad checks) restitution. This amount could include the original amount of the check, attorneys’ fees, and additional funds for any financial hardship the bounced check may have caused the victim.
- Criminal – A person can be prosecuted for writing bad checks, especially if prosecutors can prove that the individual knowingly wrote bad checks with the intent to defraud a person or company.
Bad Checks are Considered Check Fraud
Check fraud is illegal in the United States. If a person is arrested, the prosecution must prove that:
- The individual wrote the bad check with the intent to defraud the check’s recipient,
- The individual knew the check would not clear with their financial institution, and
- The individual did actually write the check (it was not the result of identity theft).
What About Post-Dated Checks?
When a check is post-dated (written for a future date), and the recipient accepts that check knowing that it is post-dated, it is not considered check fraud. An example of this is with payday loan companies. Payday loan companies have been known to tell individuals that if they write a post-dated check and that check bounces, the individual has committed check fraud. They use this statement as a way to scare individuals into paying for past due loans; however, it is not accurate. Payday loans fall under a separate category of loans, and because these companies accept post-dated checks knowing it will not clear, it is not considered check fraud under Florida or federal law. Nevertheless, note that the individual can still be sued in civil court for defaulting on their payday loan.
Have You Been Arrested for Bouncing Checks? Contact a Criminal Defense Attorney
Being arrested for check fraud is serious. If you have been arrested for writing bad checks, contact the Law Office of Timothy Armstrong, PA for a no obligation case evaluation. We can explore your legal options today. Get started by calling 904-356-8618 or by filling out an online contact form.
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Can You Afford Not to Get a Lawyer?
When someone gets arrested for a crime, their first question is often: “Am I going to be able to afford a lawyer to represent me?” However, once the reality of the situation sets in and you start to grasp the significant and long-term implications of a criminal conviction, the question should really become, “Can I afford not to get one?”
The Real Costs of Being Charged with a Crime
Yes, lawyers cost money. However, when considering the true expense of hiring a criminal defense attorney, you must think about the alternative. Some attorneys offer free initial consultations for criminal charges, so you have nothing to lose by at least sitting down with an experienced professional to gain a better understanding of your situation.
Even when facing jail time, many people simply think that they will serve out their sentence and move on with their lives. The reality, however, is that there are many more factors to take into consideration. The following are just some of the ways that a criminal conviction can cost you:
- Criminal fines and penalties
- Court costs
- Mandatory rehabilitation costs
- Restitution owed to the victim
- Lost time from work (and potential loss of employment)
- Obligation to disclose your conviction on future job and school applications
- A criminal conviction can be used against you in a civil lawsuit for damages
The Costs of Being Convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Florida
For example, let’s consider a first-offense charge for driving under the influence (DUI). The first issue comes up right away: Just for being charged with DUI, you will receive an automatic administrative suspension of your driver’s license unless you request a hearing within ten days of your arrest. If you don’t know how to request a hearing – and don’t know what to say at the hearing to keep your license from getting suspended – right away, you’ll be struggling to get to work and do everything else you would normally do by getting in your car.
Beyond that, someone convicted of a first-time DUI also faces:
- Fines (which start at $500 and go up from there)
- Court costs
- Paying for DUI school
- Paying to get your car out of impound
- A significant spike in your insurance premiums
- The job-related costs mentioned above
This is for a routine arrest where no one got hurt and no one’s property was damaged or lost. If you have been charged with a more serious crime, the costs will escalate accordingly.
Speak with an Experienced and Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you have been charged with a crime in Duval County or any of the surrounding counties in Northeast Florida, contact Timothy Armstrong, P.A. to speak with an attorney in confidence about your case. Schedule your free consultation by calling us now at (904) 356-8618, or complete our online form.
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