Success Stories
Reckless Driving Reduced to Careless Driving
Facts: My client was on his way home and cut through a residential neighborhood in Clearwater. He may have been speeding, but was not doing anything egregious. A Clearwater Police Officer saw his driving, stopped him, and wrote him a criminal citation for reckless driving. This charge is a misdemeanor. The Case: My client was shocked by the charge and hired me. He didn't want a misdemeanor on his record. I had him do driving school because I knew the prosecutor or judge would want him to do something. When I received the police reports, the officer had not used radar or anything to measure his speed. It was just based on a visual estimate. I asked the prosecutor to reduce the charge. The Result: After reviewing the file, the prosecutor agreed to reduce the case to a civil infraction called careless driving. My client had to pay a $166 fine. He was very happy with the result.
Disorderly Conduct Charge Dismissed in 2 Weeks
Facts: My client is in his mid-twenties and had never been in trouble before. On the day of the incident, he had some issue with his bank account, so he went to the bank to close the account. While he was there, there was a problem with them closing the account and he got upset. He argued with the bank employees and they called the police. The St. Petersburg Police Department arrived and did not do a good job at quelling the situation. My client continued to argue with the police in the lobby and was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was taken to the Pinellas County jail. The Case: The biggest issue in the case was protecting my client's record. He needed a clean record for his future employment, so it was very important to do everything possible to get the case dropped. I suggested that he complete an 8 hour anger management class, which he did. I then wrote a letter to the prosecutor explaining what had happened, that he had already been punished by being arrested, and the need for [...]
Domestic Battery Charge Dropped in 17 Days
Facts: My client is a professional with no prior record. He had been dating his girlfriend for a couple of years, but they had a history of conflict. One evening, they were arguing over a possible break up. His girlfriend slapped him in the face and he retaliated by slapping her back. She called the police and the St. Petersburg Police Department reported to the scene. He admitted that he slapped her. Before he could explain the rest of the story, he was arrested for domestic battery. He was ordered not to have contact with her. The Case: I immediately suggested that he enroll in anger management classes. At the same time, I contacted his girlfriend who confirmed that she had slapped him first and that she did not want him prosecuted. I also had her fill out a request for contact and a request not to prosecute. I submitted everything to the prosecutor. His Job: He was very concerned about losing his job over the arrest. Because he worked for a big company, they somehow found out about his arrest and called [...]
11th DWLSR Charge Reduced to No Valid DL and Fine
Facts: My client has a long history of driving while his license was suspended. He has been charged at least 10 times before with DWLSR. In this case, he was driving his daughter to school when he was arrested. It would not have been that bad, except that he had just been arrested a few months before for the same thing and he had a long history of driving without a valid license. The Case: I knew that the prosecutor and the judge were going to nail him. I didn't think it was even possible for him to get a license because of all of the suspensions on his record. But, credit to him, he went out, completed all the steps, paid a lot of money, and got a valid driver's license. I was shocked. I immediately sent a copy of the license to the prosecutor along with a long explanation of what he had to do to get a license. Just as important, if he pled to the DWLSR, he would have been become a habitual traffic offender and his license would [...]
Multiple Charges Resolved for a $500 Fine
Facts: My client and his friend were out drinking. They decided to stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home to eat. While they were there, they started causing a disturbance and were asked to leave. The police were also called. As they left the restaurant, they saw the police cars coming and ran off. Clearwater Police did not chase them initially. My client began to run through people's backyards and the homeowner's called the police again. This time, Clearwater PD brought a K9 unit to chase him. Eventually, the dog found my client hiding in a bush and attacked him. My client tried to punch the dog to stop the bite and eventually, the officer called off the attack. My client was arrested for obstruction, an offense against a police canine, and loitering and prowling. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail. The Case: I knew that they would take this case seriously, so I had my client immediately get a negative drug test. I also had him get an alcohol evaluation and start treatment. I then submitted all [...]
St. Pete Beach Domestic Battery Charge Dropped
Facts: My client was out with his ex-girlfriend at a bar on St. Pete Beach. They were both drinking too much and tensions started rising. They decided to leave and made their way to my client's car. His intention was to drop her back off at her car. They began to argue about him driving. She grabbed his keys, then he grabbed her purse and pulled. She called the police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office arrived and arrested him for domestic battery. The Case: She did not want him prosecuted and made that clear. I contacted her and got her to sign a Request Not To Prosecute. I filed that with the court and the prosecutor. My client had no prior record, but because the allegations were so minor, I did not recommend that he needed to start counseling. I presented all of the information to the prosecutor. The Result: After about three weeks, I received a call from the prosecutor to discuss the case. The prosecutor advised that she was recommended to drop the charges. A few days later, the domestic [...]
Domestic Battery Charge Dropped in 11 Days
Facts: My client and his girlfriend were driving in the afternoon on Pass-A-Grille Way. Neither were drinking or doing drugs, but they began to argue. The arguing began to escalate. My client stopped the car and two pedestrians came up to assist. One of the pedestrians called the police. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office responded and his girlfriend alleged that he grabbed her arm and spit on her. He claimed that she had jumped on him while he was driving to get a phone and he had no other choice. He was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. There was a no contact order issued as a condition of his release from jail. He also was ordered to wear a GPS device on his ankle. The Case: His girlfriend was very emotional about the situation. She spoke to the prosecutor, who gave her my contact information. She called me several times and I did the best that I could to help her understand what the no contact order meant. The Result: My client's girlfriend was adamant that she did not want him charged. My [...]
Concealed Firearm Charge Reduced to Misdemeanor
Facts: My client was downtown in St. Petersburg late at night waiting for a friend. While he was waiting, someone approached his car and asked for a ride home. Not having anything else to do, he agreed. He drove a short distance, but the person refused to get out of the car. Now concerned for his safety, he headed back downtown and sought out the police. When he parked, he took his firearm out of the car and put it in his waist. He then approached the police and asked for help. While speaking to the police, they asked him if he had any weapons, and he replied that he was carrying his firearm. He explained that he did not want to leave it in the car with this person who was acting strangely. The police immediately arrested him for felony carrying a concealed firearm. (By the way, they did nothing to the person who he asked for help from.) The Case: My client immediately went out and completed a firearm safety class. I then explained the situation to the prosecutor and asked [...]
Warrant from Gators on Treasure Island Dismissed
Facts: My client is 57 and lives in New York. In the late 90s, she worked at Gators on the Pass on Treasure Island. For those of you who remember, it was a wild and crazy place. My client became unhappy about how she was being compensated and quit. She claimed that she was owed money, so took with her checks in the amount of $582. She went on with her life and eventually moved to New York where she raised four children. Meanwhile, in 1998, the State Attorney's Office in Pinellas County received a case wherein Gators had complained about her taking the checks. A warrant for grand theft was issued. It was a felony. The warrant was outstanding for all these years and she had no idea. My client went to Canada in 2022 and was stopped at the border. They claimed there was a warrant for her arrest from Florida and would not let her enter the country. She then contacted me. The Case: Gators is now closed and there was never much to the case. There was no way [...]
Disorderly Conduct Charge for Sex on Beach Dropped
Facts: My clients work in the service industry and decided to go to Pass-a-Grill Beach after their shift around 10:30 pm. It was dark out and they got the idea to go skinny dipping. They thought they were alone. One thing led to another and...the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office showed up. When the police arrived, they were sitting on the beach. The man was nude and the woman was covered in a towel. As I said, it was dark out, but a passerby had called the police to report that the couple were having sex. It was not witnessed by the police, but they were both arrested. The charge for each was disorderly conduct. They were taken to the Pinellas County jail and each had to be bonded out after several hours. The Case: I was retained by them both and went to work. Since the alleged sex was not witnessed by the police and the witness was anonymous, I wondered what proof of disorderly conduct there was. It was dark out, so there was no way that their nudity could have affected [...]
Disorderly Intoxication at Beachcomber on St. Pete Beach Dismissed
Facts: My client was on vacation with his wife on St. Pete Beach. He lives out of state and it was his first time visiting the area. He drank way too much at the Post Card Inn and was trespassed. He walked back to the Beachcomber Hotel and tried to keep drinking there. The staff became concerned about his behavior and called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested for disorderly intoxication and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. The Case: My client had no prior record and had a significant job that was at risk with this arrest. I put together a letter explaining the circumstances and sent it to the prosecutor. I followed up with a phone call. We discussed having my client get into alcohol treatment, but decided to wait. The Result: About three weeks after the arrest, the charges were dropped. My client can now have his record expunged if he chooses. He was very happy.
First Time DUI Reduced to Careless Driving!
Facts: My client was driving his friend home and allegedly took too wide of a turn. A patrol deputy from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office saw the wide turn and started following him. As my client drove, the deputy said that his tires touched the white line twice. The deputy stopped him. My client stated that he was taking his friend home and that they had consumed a few drinks at his home beforehand. The deputy asked him out of the car and had him perform field sobriety tests. He was then arrested for DUI and taken to the Pinellas County Jail and asked to blow. His breath test results were 0.6, which is under the legal limit. The deputy then asked for a urine sample, which my client provided. Even though he had blown under the legal limit, he was still arrested and charged with DUI. The Case: My client hired me to defend him in the case. The first thing that I wanted to see were the results of the urine screen. As my client had told me, it came back [...]
Warrant from 2003 Dismissed for Out of State Resident
Facts: My client used to live in Clearwater many years ago in 2003. Apparently, he wrote a check to Publix that bounced. The case was sent to the State Attorney's Office and they filed a felony charge against him. By that time, he had already moved out of state and never knew about it. Recently, he had a background check performed that discovered the warrant. He decided to be proactive and get it handled. He hired me. The Case: I reached out to the prosecutor who handles the old felony warrants. She assigned an investigator to look into it. We received a letter stating that if he paid the check and some other fees via a cashier's check, then the charges would be dropped. My client immediately took care of that. The Result: Once the prosecutor received the payment, the old charge and the warrant from 2003 was dropped.
Disorderly Conduct and Violation of CCW Permit Dropped
Facts: My client was on vacation on St. Pete Beach with friends. He left his hotel to go pick up dinner and on the way back, he walked through the patio of another hotel beach bar. As he walked through, there was another customer that was being unruly with security. Somehow, my client got involved in this and the customer began fighting with him. Security called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and two deputies responded. My client was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was searched and in his front pocket was a firearm. He was also charged with a violation of his CCW permit because it was alleged he was at a bar with the firearm. The Case: My client was very upset about how he was treated by law enforcement. His arm was twisted and yanked hard by the police for no reason. He was also adamant that he was not at a bar with the firearm. He was on the patio near the bathroom. The Result: I presented a lengthy letter about how he did not violate his CCW permit because [...]
Domestic Battery Reduced to Disorderly Conduct
Facts: My client had never been in trouble before, but he and his wife argued a lot. During this incident, they were arguing and his wife fell to the ground on top of one of their children. She called the police and claimed that he pushed her down. The child was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital to be checked out. The child was fine. The St. Petersburg Police Department responded to the home and arrested my client for domestic battery. He was released from jail on a $5,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with his wife or children. He also was ordered to have a GPS ankle bracelet on. After his release, Child Protective Services also got involved and ordered the family into counseling. The Case: I immediately had my client begin domestic violence counseling classes. I also had his wife sign a request not to prosecute. But, even with those efforts, the State decided to charge him with the domestic battery. After the charge was filed, we again asked for it to be dismissed. The State offered him [...]
Hillsborough County Warrant from 2012 Dropped
Facts: My client hired me to fix a warrant that had been active since 2012. The warrant was from Hillsborough County and was for failure to return a leased vehicle. He called me from another state and asked me to see what I could do to fix it. The Case: In 2012, my client was in Tampa and rented a car from Enterprise. He was supposed to drop it back off at the same rental place in Tampa. Instead, he kept the car past the rental date, drove out of state, and dropped it off at an Enterprise there. In the meantime, Enterprise reported the car stolen. Without ever arresting him, the State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County filed a criminal felony charge against him for failing to return the leased vehicle. The charge sat there since 2012 with an active warrant for his arrest. My client continued on with his life and became a successful business man with a family. He decided that he needed to clean up the warrant so that he could come to Florida without being arrested. The Result: [...]
Trespass Charge at the Beachcomber Dropped
Facts: My client and his family were visiting St. Pete Beach with another family. The adults went out one evening to eat dinner. On their way back, they walked through the Beachcomber. As they got to Jimmy B's, there were some unruly guests causing a commotion on the deck area. My client's friend got involved in the commotion. Security guards arrived and picked out the friend as the problem. The Pinellas County Sheriff was called and detained my client's friend. My client began to film the Deputy while he was arresting his friend. He was asked to leave, but wanted to stay to help his friend. He also was then arrested for trespassing from the Beachcomber. The Case: I had my client provide me with all of the information about the night, the video, as well as a full description of his background. I submitted it all to the prosecutor and followed up with a phone call. The Result: About two weeks after the arrest, the trespass case was dropped. While unfortunate, this incident should have no effect on my client's job or [...]
License Suspensions Cleared for Two People After Too Many Points
Facts: I had two clients who recently got notices in the mail that their licenses were suspended due to too many points. It seems that they both simply paid tickets, thus triggering the points on their driver's licenses. One client was only 17 and it meant that his mother was going to have to drive him around for the next year, which she was not happy about. The other client had a bad history of speeding and had just been arrested for driving on a suspended license. So, he needed relief quickly. The Cases: I found the most recent tickets in Pinellas County and filed Motions for Reconsideration. In the motion, I explained the suspension issues, that my clients had paid the tickets without a lawyer and without knowing that their licenses would be suspended. I then set the case for a hearing in front of a county court judge. The Results: The judge heard the motions and granted the reconsideration. He changed the tickets to withhold of adjudication, which means no points. For this benefit, the judge made both of my clients [...]
Racing Charge on Gandy Bridge Dropped to Reckless Driving
Facts: My client is 18 and is a senior in high school. One evening, he and a bunch of friends went to the Gandy Bridge and began racing on it. Of course, the Florida Highway Patrol was there waiting for them. My client was arrested for racing on a highway. The Case: He and his family hired me to defend the case. I asked him to do the 12 hour ADI school and 20 hours of community service. I explained to the prosecutor that he was a young kid in high school with no record. I sent in a copy of his high school transcript showing that he had decent grades. The Result: Once my client completed the ADI school and the community service hours, the state amended the charge to reckless driving. He got a withhold of adjudication (no conviction) and the fine was $500. He is eligible to seal his record too. He and his parents were very happy with the result and the fact that we kept his record clean.
Domestic Battery Dropped to Disorderly Conduct
Facts: My client and his wife had been having marital problems for some time. One night, they went out to a restaurant and then made the mistake of going out to a bar after. They both had been drinking heavily and it did not go well. At the bar, it was alleged that my client became upset at his wife for flirting with other men. When they went to leave, they got into an argument in the parking lot and it was alleged that he shoved her. He then left her at the bar, which really got her mad. When the police were called and she reported what had happened, he was arrested for domestic battery. He bonded out, but was forced out of the home and could not have contact with his wife. The Case: He moved in with family and began doing the domestic violence classes. His wife hired a lawyer to represent her. He reached out to me and explained her position. She just wanted him to get help with his anger and drinking and then she would take him [...]
Domestic Battery Dropped 18 Days After Arrest
Facts: My client and her boyfriend had been drinking on New Year's Eve. They got into an argument and eventually, it turned physical. My client's boyfriend alleged that she jumped on his back and scratched him. The police were called and she was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. The Court Case: At her first appearance, her boyfriend came to court and told the judge that he did not want her prosecuted. He asked for contact with her and it was granted. She was fortunate that the case was heard by a judge covering the holiday because the judge that normally handles these hearings would not have allowed contact. But, she was lucky and was released on ROR. She hired me to assist her in getting the case dropped. Her boyfriend also hired a lawyer to assist us in getting the case dropped. We had the boyfriend fill out a request not to prosecute and sent it to the prosecutor. The prosecutor also called him and verified that he was not injured and did not want to prosecute. I also called the prosecutor and [...]
DUI Reduced to Careless Driving, a Civil Infraction
Facts: My client was headed through the drive-thru at Wendy's in St. Petersburg. As he pulled out onto Dr. MLK Jr St, he was surrounded by SPPD officers. When they smelled marijuana on him, they gave him field sobriety tests and arrested him. He contacted us to represent him on the case. The Case: There were two issues in the case. The first was why did they stop him? It said on his arrest affidavit that the employees of McDonald's across the street reported that he was sleeping in his car in their parking lot. The second issue was whether he was even impaired. My client denied that he had been to the McDonald's that night. I sent out a subpoena to McDonald's, but the cameras did not catch anything. So, we had to wait for the police reports and their video. We eventually got the 911 call too. In it, the employees of McDonald's said that the person who was passed out was driving a black car and had a black shirt on. To our surprise, the dash cam video from SPPD [...]
Jail Reduced to 60 Days From 365 on Third DUI
Facts: My client was charged with a DUI with a blow over 0.15. He had a public defender for months and contacted me because his case was a mess. It seems that he had prior DUIs out of state, but no one could figure out how many. The prosecutor in Pinellas County was asking for a lot of jail and threatened that the case was going to be increased to a felony. My client hired me to figure it out. I immediately had him start DUI school, the Victim Impact panel, and any other conditions he could complete. He was compliant, but then violated his bond when his ankle bracelet alerted for alcohol. Thus, he was sent to the Pinellas County Jail while I tried to figure things out. The Prosecutor announced in court that they were seeking one year in jail as a penalty. Things were not looking good. The Case: We first researched how many prior DUIs there were. We found two, not three as the prosecutor thought. But, even with two DUIs, this current case should have been a felony. [...]
Misdemeanor Warrant for Failure to Comply Dismissed
Facts: My client was visiting Florida a year ago. He rented a boat and during the trip got a ticket for driving too fast in a no wake zone. He went back home and due to some mix up, the ticket did not get paid. He went on about his life until he got a notice in the mail that he had to be in court on a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest! He wrote to the judge and explained the situation, but he never heard back. He then hired me to straighten out the problem. The Case: I researched what had happened. When the boating ticket for $116 did not get paid, the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office charged him with Failure to Comply, a misdemeanor. A warrant for his arrest was issued. My client is a businessman from out of state who had never been in trouble before. He clearly never meant to commit a crime. The fact that he was now being charged with a misdemeanor and might have to go to jail over a $116 ticket was ridiculous. I [...]
Warrant for Felony Possession of Marijuana Reduced to Misdemeanor
Facts: Two years ago, my client was in Clearwater on vacation with her family. She was from Michigan where marijuana is legal. She had a medical marijuana card in Michigan, but when the state made recreational marijuana legal, she let it lapse. She was heading to Clearwater Beach when she parked in a no parking zone and a Clearwater police officer on an ATV approached her. He smelled marijuana and asked to search the car. She told him that she had a jar of marijuana that she had brought with her from Michigan. In it was over 50 grams of marijuana. She said that she didn't know that you needed a medical marijuana card in Florida. He seized the jar and let her go. The Case: She went home to Michigan and two years later found a felony warrant from Pinellas County on a background check. The Clearwater officer had turned the case in to the prosecutor who filed the charge. The case has been sitting with an active warrant for two years. She had no idea. She hired me to fix the [...]
Success Stories
Reckless Driving Reduced to Careless Driving
Facts: My client was on his way home and cut through a residential neighborhood in Clearwater. He may have been speeding, but was not doing anything egregious. A Clearwater Police Officer saw his driving, stopped him, and wrote him a criminal citation for reckless driving. This charge is a misdemeanor. The Case: My client was shocked by the charge and hired me. He didn't want a misdemeanor on his record. I had him do driving school because I knew the prosecutor or judge would want him to do something. When I received the police reports, the officer had not used radar or anything to measure his speed. It was just based on a visual estimate. I asked the prosecutor to reduce the charge. The Result: After reviewing the file, the prosecutor agreed to reduce the case to a civil infraction called careless driving. My client had to pay a $166 fine. He was very happy with the result.
Disorderly Conduct Charge Dismissed in 2 Weeks
Facts: My client is in his mid-twenties and had never been in trouble before. On the day of the incident, he had some issue with his bank account, so he went to the bank to close the account. While he was there, there was a problem with them closing the account and he got upset. He argued with the bank employees and they called the police. The St. Petersburg Police Department arrived and did not do a good job at quelling the situation. My client continued to argue with the police in the lobby and was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was taken to the Pinellas County jail. The Case: The biggest issue in the case was protecting my client's record. He needed a clean record for his future employment, so it was very important to do everything possible to get the case dropped. I suggested that he complete an 8 hour anger management class, which he did. I then wrote a letter to the prosecutor explaining what had happened, that he had already been punished by being arrested, and the need for [...]
Domestic Battery Charge Dropped in 17 Days
Facts: My client is a professional with no prior record. He had been dating his girlfriend for a couple of years, but they had a history of conflict. One evening, they were arguing over a possible break up. His girlfriend slapped him in the face and he retaliated by slapping her back. She called the police and the St. Petersburg Police Department reported to the scene. He admitted that he slapped her. Before he could explain the rest of the story, he was arrested for domestic battery. He was ordered not to have contact with her. The Case: I immediately suggested that he enroll in anger management classes. At the same time, I contacted his girlfriend who confirmed that she had slapped him first and that she did not want him prosecuted. I also had her fill out a request for contact and a request not to prosecute. I submitted everything to the prosecutor. His Job: He was very concerned about losing his job over the arrest. Because he worked for a big company, they somehow found out about his arrest and called [...]
11th DWLSR Charge Reduced to No Valid DL and Fine
Facts: My client has a long history of driving while his license was suspended. He has been charged at least 10 times before with DWLSR. In this case, he was driving his daughter to school when he was arrested. It would not have been that bad, except that he had just been arrested a few months before for the same thing and he had a long history of driving without a valid license. The Case: I knew that the prosecutor and the judge were going to nail him. I didn't think it was even possible for him to get a license because of all of the suspensions on his record. But, credit to him, he went out, completed all the steps, paid a lot of money, and got a valid driver's license. I was shocked. I immediately sent a copy of the license to the prosecutor along with a long explanation of what he had to do to get a license. Just as important, if he pled to the DWLSR, he would have been become a habitual traffic offender and his license would [...]
Multiple Charges Resolved for a $500 Fine
Facts: My client and his friend were out drinking. They decided to stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home to eat. While they were there, they started causing a disturbance and were asked to leave. The police were also called. As they left the restaurant, they saw the police cars coming and ran off. Clearwater Police did not chase them initially. My client began to run through people's backyards and the homeowner's called the police again. This time, Clearwater PD brought a K9 unit to chase him. Eventually, the dog found my client hiding in a bush and attacked him. My client tried to punch the dog to stop the bite and eventually, the officer called off the attack. My client was arrested for obstruction, an offense against a police canine, and loitering and prowling. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail. The Case: I knew that they would take this case seriously, so I had my client immediately get a negative drug test. I also had him get an alcohol evaluation and start treatment. I then submitted all [...]
St. Pete Beach Domestic Battery Charge Dropped
Facts: My client was out with his ex-girlfriend at a bar on St. Pete Beach. They were both drinking too much and tensions started rising. They decided to leave and made their way to my client's car. His intention was to drop her back off at her car. They began to argue about him driving. She grabbed his keys, then he grabbed her purse and pulled. She called the police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office arrived and arrested him for domestic battery. The Case: She did not want him prosecuted and made that clear. I contacted her and got her to sign a Request Not To Prosecute. I filed that with the court and the prosecutor. My client had no prior record, but because the allegations were so minor, I did not recommend that he needed to start counseling. I presented all of the information to the prosecutor. The Result: After about three weeks, I received a call from the prosecutor to discuss the case. The prosecutor advised that she was recommended to drop the charges. A few days later, the domestic [...]
Domestic Battery Charge Dropped in 11 Days
Facts: My client and his girlfriend were driving in the afternoon on Pass-A-Grille Way. Neither were drinking or doing drugs, but they began to argue. The arguing began to escalate. My client stopped the car and two pedestrians came up to assist. One of the pedestrians called the police. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office responded and his girlfriend alleged that he grabbed her arm and spit on her. He claimed that she had jumped on him while he was driving to get a phone and he had no other choice. He was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. There was a no contact order issued as a condition of his release from jail. He also was ordered to wear a GPS device on his ankle. The Case: His girlfriend was very emotional about the situation. She spoke to the prosecutor, who gave her my contact information. She called me several times and I did the best that I could to help her understand what the no contact order meant. The Result: My client's girlfriend was adamant that she did not want him charged. My [...]
Concealed Firearm Charge Reduced to Misdemeanor
Facts: My client was downtown in St. Petersburg late at night waiting for a friend. While he was waiting, someone approached his car and asked for a ride home. Not having anything else to do, he agreed. He drove a short distance, but the person refused to get out of the car. Now concerned for his safety, he headed back downtown and sought out the police. When he parked, he took his firearm out of the car and put it in his waist. He then approached the police and asked for help. While speaking to the police, they asked him if he had any weapons, and he replied that he was carrying his firearm. He explained that he did not want to leave it in the car with this person who was acting strangely. The police immediately arrested him for felony carrying a concealed firearm. (By the way, they did nothing to the person who he asked for help from.) The Case: My client immediately went out and completed a firearm safety class. I then explained the situation to the prosecutor and asked [...]
Warrant from Gators on Treasure Island Dismissed
Facts: My client is 57 and lives in New York. In the late 90s, she worked at Gators on the Pass on Treasure Island. For those of you who remember, it was a wild and crazy place. My client became unhappy about how she was being compensated and quit. She claimed that she was owed money, so took with her checks in the amount of $582. She went on with her life and eventually moved to New York where she raised four children. Meanwhile, in 1998, the State Attorney's Office in Pinellas County received a case wherein Gators had complained about her taking the checks. A warrant for grand theft was issued. It was a felony. The warrant was outstanding for all these years and she had no idea. My client went to Canada in 2022 and was stopped at the border. They claimed there was a warrant for her arrest from Florida and would not let her enter the country. She then contacted me. The Case: Gators is now closed and there was never much to the case. There was no way [...]
Disorderly Conduct Charge for Sex on Beach Dropped
Facts: My clients work in the service industry and decided to go to Pass-a-Grill Beach after their shift around 10:30 pm. It was dark out and they got the idea to go skinny dipping. They thought they were alone. One thing led to another and...the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office showed up. When the police arrived, they were sitting on the beach. The man was nude and the woman was covered in a towel. As I said, it was dark out, but a passerby had called the police to report that the couple were having sex. It was not witnessed by the police, but they were both arrested. The charge for each was disorderly conduct. They were taken to the Pinellas County jail and each had to be bonded out after several hours. The Case: I was retained by them both and went to work. Since the alleged sex was not witnessed by the police and the witness was anonymous, I wondered what proof of disorderly conduct there was. It was dark out, so there was no way that their nudity could have affected [...]
Disorderly Intoxication at Beachcomber on St. Pete Beach Dismissed
Facts: My client was on vacation with his wife on St. Pete Beach. He lives out of state and it was his first time visiting the area. He drank way too much at the Post Card Inn and was trespassed. He walked back to the Beachcomber Hotel and tried to keep drinking there. The staff became concerned about his behavior and called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested for disorderly intoxication and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. The Case: My client had no prior record and had a significant job that was at risk with this arrest. I put together a letter explaining the circumstances and sent it to the prosecutor. I followed up with a phone call. We discussed having my client get into alcohol treatment, but decided to wait. The Result: About three weeks after the arrest, the charges were dropped. My client can now have his record expunged if he chooses. He was very happy.
First Time DUI Reduced to Careless Driving!
Facts: My client was driving his friend home and allegedly took too wide of a turn. A patrol deputy from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office saw the wide turn and started following him. As my client drove, the deputy said that his tires touched the white line twice. The deputy stopped him. My client stated that he was taking his friend home and that they had consumed a few drinks at his home beforehand. The deputy asked him out of the car and had him perform field sobriety tests. He was then arrested for DUI and taken to the Pinellas County Jail and asked to blow. His breath test results were 0.6, which is under the legal limit. The deputy then asked for a urine sample, which my client provided. Even though he had blown under the legal limit, he was still arrested and charged with DUI. The Case: My client hired me to defend him in the case. The first thing that I wanted to see were the results of the urine screen. As my client had told me, it came back [...]
Warrant from 2003 Dismissed for Out of State Resident
Facts: My client used to live in Clearwater many years ago in 2003. Apparently, he wrote a check to Publix that bounced. The case was sent to the State Attorney's Office and they filed a felony charge against him. By that time, he had already moved out of state and never knew about it. Recently, he had a background check performed that discovered the warrant. He decided to be proactive and get it handled. He hired me. The Case: I reached out to the prosecutor who handles the old felony warrants. She assigned an investigator to look into it. We received a letter stating that if he paid the check and some other fees via a cashier's check, then the charges would be dropped. My client immediately took care of that. The Result: Once the prosecutor received the payment, the old charge and the warrant from 2003 was dropped.
Disorderly Conduct and Violation of CCW Permit Dropped
Facts: My client was on vacation on St. Pete Beach with friends. He left his hotel to go pick up dinner and on the way back, he walked through the patio of another hotel beach bar. As he walked through, there was another customer that was being unruly with security. Somehow, my client got involved in this and the customer began fighting with him. Security called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and two deputies responded. My client was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was searched and in his front pocket was a firearm. He was also charged with a violation of his CCW permit because it was alleged he was at a bar with the firearm. The Case: My client was very upset about how he was treated by law enforcement. His arm was twisted and yanked hard by the police for no reason. He was also adamant that he was not at a bar with the firearm. He was on the patio near the bathroom. The Result: I presented a lengthy letter about how he did not violate his CCW permit because [...]
Domestic Battery Reduced to Disorderly Conduct
Facts: My client had never been in trouble before, but he and his wife argued a lot. During this incident, they were arguing and his wife fell to the ground on top of one of their children. She called the police and claimed that he pushed her down. The child was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital to be checked out. The child was fine. The St. Petersburg Police Department responded to the home and arrested my client for domestic battery. He was released from jail on a $5,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with his wife or children. He also was ordered to have a GPS ankle bracelet on. After his release, Child Protective Services also got involved and ordered the family into counseling. The Case: I immediately had my client begin domestic violence counseling classes. I also had his wife sign a request not to prosecute. But, even with those efforts, the State decided to charge him with the domestic battery. After the charge was filed, we again asked for it to be dismissed. The State offered him [...]
Hillsborough County Warrant from 2012 Dropped
Facts: My client hired me to fix a warrant that had been active since 2012. The warrant was from Hillsborough County and was for failure to return a leased vehicle. He called me from another state and asked me to see what I could do to fix it. The Case: In 2012, my client was in Tampa and rented a car from Enterprise. He was supposed to drop it back off at the same rental place in Tampa. Instead, he kept the car past the rental date, drove out of state, and dropped it off at an Enterprise there. In the meantime, Enterprise reported the car stolen. Without ever arresting him, the State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County filed a criminal felony charge against him for failing to return the leased vehicle. The charge sat there since 2012 with an active warrant for his arrest. My client continued on with his life and became a successful business man with a family. He decided that he needed to clean up the warrant so that he could come to Florida without being arrested. The Result: [...]
Trespass Charge at the Beachcomber Dropped
Facts: My client and his family were visiting St. Pete Beach with another family. The adults went out one evening to eat dinner. On their way back, they walked through the Beachcomber. As they got to Jimmy B's, there were some unruly guests causing a commotion on the deck area. My client's friend got involved in the commotion. Security guards arrived and picked out the friend as the problem. The Pinellas County Sheriff was called and detained my client's friend. My client began to film the Deputy while he was arresting his friend. He was asked to leave, but wanted to stay to help his friend. He also was then arrested for trespassing from the Beachcomber. The Case: I had my client provide me with all of the information about the night, the video, as well as a full description of his background. I submitted it all to the prosecutor and followed up with a phone call. The Result: About two weeks after the arrest, the trespass case was dropped. While unfortunate, this incident should have no effect on my client's job or [...]
License Suspensions Cleared for Two People After Too Many Points
Facts: I had two clients who recently got notices in the mail that their licenses were suspended due to too many points. It seems that they both simply paid tickets, thus triggering the points on their driver's licenses. One client was only 17 and it meant that his mother was going to have to drive him around for the next year, which she was not happy about. The other client had a bad history of speeding and had just been arrested for driving on a suspended license. So, he needed relief quickly. The Cases: I found the most recent tickets in Pinellas County and filed Motions for Reconsideration. In the motion, I explained the suspension issues, that my clients had paid the tickets without a lawyer and without knowing that their licenses would be suspended. I then set the case for a hearing in front of a county court judge. The Results: The judge heard the motions and granted the reconsideration. He changed the tickets to withhold of adjudication, which means no points. For this benefit, the judge made both of my clients [...]
Racing Charge on Gandy Bridge Dropped to Reckless Driving
Facts: My client is 18 and is a senior in high school. One evening, he and a bunch of friends went to the Gandy Bridge and began racing on it. Of course, the Florida Highway Patrol was there waiting for them. My client was arrested for racing on a highway. The Case: He and his family hired me to defend the case. I asked him to do the 12 hour ADI school and 20 hours of community service. I explained to the prosecutor that he was a young kid in high school with no record. I sent in a copy of his high school transcript showing that he had decent grades. The Result: Once my client completed the ADI school and the community service hours, the state amended the charge to reckless driving. He got a withhold of adjudication (no conviction) and the fine was $500. He is eligible to seal his record too. He and his parents were very happy with the result and the fact that we kept his record clean.
Domestic Battery Dropped to Disorderly Conduct
Facts: My client and his wife had been having marital problems for some time. One night, they went out to a restaurant and then made the mistake of going out to a bar after. They both had been drinking heavily and it did not go well. At the bar, it was alleged that my client became upset at his wife for flirting with other men. When they went to leave, they got into an argument in the parking lot and it was alleged that he shoved her. He then left her at the bar, which really got her mad. When the police were called and she reported what had happened, he was arrested for domestic battery. He bonded out, but was forced out of the home and could not have contact with his wife. The Case: He moved in with family and began doing the domestic violence classes. His wife hired a lawyer to represent her. He reached out to me and explained her position. She just wanted him to get help with his anger and drinking and then she would take him [...]
Domestic Battery Dropped 18 Days After Arrest
Facts: My client and her boyfriend had been drinking on New Year's Eve. They got into an argument and eventually, it turned physical. My client's boyfriend alleged that she jumped on his back and scratched him. The police were called and she was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. The Court Case: At her first appearance, her boyfriend came to court and told the judge that he did not want her prosecuted. He asked for contact with her and it was granted. She was fortunate that the case was heard by a judge covering the holiday because the judge that normally handles these hearings would not have allowed contact. But, she was lucky and was released on ROR. She hired me to assist her in getting the case dropped. Her boyfriend also hired a lawyer to assist us in getting the case dropped. We had the boyfriend fill out a request not to prosecute and sent it to the prosecutor. The prosecutor also called him and verified that he was not injured and did not want to prosecute. I also called the prosecutor and [...]
DUI Reduced to Careless Driving, a Civil Infraction
Facts: My client was headed through the drive-thru at Wendy's in St. Petersburg. As he pulled out onto Dr. MLK Jr St, he was surrounded by SPPD officers. When they smelled marijuana on him, they gave him field sobriety tests and arrested him. He contacted us to represent him on the case. The Case: There were two issues in the case. The first was why did they stop him? It said on his arrest affidavit that the employees of McDonald's across the street reported that he was sleeping in his car in their parking lot. The second issue was whether he was even impaired. My client denied that he had been to the McDonald's that night. I sent out a subpoena to McDonald's, but the cameras did not catch anything. So, we had to wait for the police reports and their video. We eventually got the 911 call too. In it, the employees of McDonald's said that the person who was passed out was driving a black car and had a black shirt on. To our surprise, the dash cam video from SPPD [...]
Jail Reduced to 60 Days From 365 on Third DUI
Facts: My client was charged with a DUI with a blow over 0.15. He had a public defender for months and contacted me because his case was a mess. It seems that he had prior DUIs out of state, but no one could figure out how many. The prosecutor in Pinellas County was asking for a lot of jail and threatened that the case was going to be increased to a felony. My client hired me to figure it out. I immediately had him start DUI school, the Victim Impact panel, and any other conditions he could complete. He was compliant, but then violated his bond when his ankle bracelet alerted for alcohol. Thus, he was sent to the Pinellas County Jail while I tried to figure things out. The Prosecutor announced in court that they were seeking one year in jail as a penalty. Things were not looking good. The Case: We first researched how many prior DUIs there were. We found two, not three as the prosecutor thought. But, even with two DUIs, this current case should have been a felony. [...]
Misdemeanor Warrant for Failure to Comply Dismissed
Facts: My client was visiting Florida a year ago. He rented a boat and during the trip got a ticket for driving too fast in a no wake zone. He went back home and due to some mix up, the ticket did not get paid. He went on about his life until he got a notice in the mail that he had to be in court on a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest! He wrote to the judge and explained the situation, but he never heard back. He then hired me to straighten out the problem. The Case: I researched what had happened. When the boating ticket for $116 did not get paid, the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office charged him with Failure to Comply, a misdemeanor. A warrant for his arrest was issued. My client is a businessman from out of state who had never been in trouble before. He clearly never meant to commit a crime. The fact that he was now being charged with a misdemeanor and might have to go to jail over a $116 ticket was ridiculous. I [...]
Warrant for Felony Possession of Marijuana Reduced to Misdemeanor
Facts: Two years ago, my client was in Clearwater on vacation with her family. She was from Michigan where marijuana is legal. She had a medical marijuana card in Michigan, but when the state made recreational marijuana legal, she let it lapse. She was heading to Clearwater Beach when she parked in a no parking zone and a Clearwater police officer on an ATV approached her. He smelled marijuana and asked to search the car. She told him that she had a jar of marijuana that she had brought with her from Michigan. In it was over 50 grams of marijuana. She said that she didn't know that you needed a medical marijuana card in Florida. He seized the jar and let her go. The Case: She went home to Michigan and two years later found a felony warrant from Pinellas County on a background check. The Clearwater officer had turned the case in to the prosecutor who filed the charge. The case has been sitting with an active warrant for two years. She had no idea. She hired me to fix the [...]
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