January 24, 2023

What is the standard of proof the State Attorney must prove at a violation of probation hearing to convict me?

Initially, an arrest that results in formal charges by the State attorney must be proved “beyond a reasonable doubt” in order to obtain a conviction. Often, convictions result in a sentence of probation which requires a person to be supervised for a specific period of time and meet additional conditions that can include but are not limited to community service, monthly check-ins, fees, and drug tests. Unfortunately, when a defendant does not comply with their probation terms, a violation of probation also known as VOP is entered against the defendant. When a violation of probation has occurred, the State must meet a lower burden of proof for conviction known as “by a preponderance of the evidence.”

Florida Statute 948.06 provides the laws concerning violations of probation. If you are alleged to have violated a condition of probation, the following generally occurs:

First, your probation officer will submit an affidavit of violation to the court. The affidavit is a sworn statement detailing the willful and substantial ways in which a condition of probation has been violated. A violation can occur in a “material respect” or as a “technical violation.” A material respect violation occurs when a person has been arrested for a new felony, misdemeanor, or criminal traffic offense. Technical violations can include failed drug or alcohol tests, missed appointments with your probation officer, failure to pay fees, and failure to report address or employment changes. After the affidavit of violation is filed, the court will then review it, determine whether reasonable grounds exist, and issue a warrant for arrest or a notice to appear in court with a specified date. At times, a defendant can be placed on a “no bond” status, which will result in the defendant remaining in jail until a bond can be requested. The defendant will afterward be arraigned and scheduled for Pre-Trial hearings. Here, the State will be required to prove a willful and substantial violation.

June 22, 2022

Understanding how sex crimes are investigated can result in potential charges and penalties

by Adams, Luka, & Benton

Sexual crimes in the state of Florida are very serious and must be thoroughly investigated by your attorney either prior to being charged or arrested or after you are charged or arrested. The first question we look at is what the State Attorney’s process is in deciding who gets investigated for a sex crime and who ultimately gets charged or arrested.

The short answer is the state attorney will charge someone with a sex crime from the evidence or facts they believe to be true at the time. An investigation can start when a citizen calls or files a complaint against a person who may have committed a sex crime. An example would be an adult inappropriately touching a minor and another person saw this and called the police. In this scenario, the police will immediately contact the potential wrongdoer either by phone or in person. Another example would be photographs of illegal sexual activity that were discovered and someone turned them over to law enforcement.

In either scenario, at this point, if you agree to speak with law enforcement, your testimony will be used against you, and you can be misinterpreted or tricked into making a confession. Once this is done it is very difficult to undo it. It is more beneficial for the accused to have an attorney to act as a go-between the accused and law enforcement. Your attorney may be able to relay information through an investigation to the State Attorney with the goal of not being charged at all or receiving a lesser charge.

November 15, 2021

What is the difference between ‘nolo contendere,’ ‘nolle prosequi,’ and ‘guilty plea?’

by Adams, Luka, & Benton

If you have ever been arrested for a crime and taken before a judge, you know that you are attending an arraignment hearing. An arraignment hearing is where you (and your attorney if you have retained one) enter a plea. We have all seen in the movies where the defendant stands up before the Court and pleads ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ for the crime committed. In real life, everyone needs to plead not guilty at this time because if you pled guilty, a judge would sentence you immediately and you may not know what the judge’s sentence will be. At a later time, after the evidence is reviewed, you may choose to change your plea to nolo contendere (no contest) or guilty. For the purposes of this article, we will discuss what happens when you plead guilty or nolo contendere. Additionally, we will explain how a nolle prosequi could affect your status.

1) Pleading Guilty

This option is fairly obvious. When pleading guilty to the crime you are being charged with, you are admitting that you committed the crime. Oftentimes, a guilty plea comes about when the prosecution offers a plea deal for a better sentence if you plead guilty to the charges. Remember from the above paragraph you do not plead guilty at arraignment and you should have the evidence reviewed prior to changing your plea to guilty.

August 9, 2021

How resisting an officer with or without violence can be enforced against you

by Adams, Luka, & Benton

An officer walks up to you and tells you she has a reasonable belief that you have drugs on your person. You allow her to search your pockets and she comes up with cocaine. She places you in handcuffs but when she asks you to sit on the sidewalk while she calls another officer, you refuse. She tells you again to sit on the sidewalk and you once again refuse. Regardless of your intentions on why you do not want to sit on the sidewalk, the officer charges you with possession of cocaine and resisting arrest without violence.

Law enforcement officers have protections strictly enforced regarding how individuals will react when getting arrested. Because officers are placed in unknown danger when arresting an individual, not knowing how a person will respond when stopped, questioned, or placed in handcuffs, Florida created Statutes 843.01 and 843.02 to provide definitions and legal convictions should you be charged with resisting arrest without violence or with violence.

Under Florida Statute 843.02, resisting an officer without violence examples include: not obeying commands, refusing to be placed in handcuffs, refusing to sit on the ground when asked, or trying to escape being arrested. Even verbal actions, such as warning another person so they are not arrested are considered grounds for charging you with resisting arrest. If charged with resisting without violence, that constitutes a 1st-degree misdemeanor, resulting in jail time or probation for up to 1 year and a fine of up to $1,000.00.