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What are My Options?

Once you have been charged with a crime you have a few options. How to best proceed is to first speak to a criminal defense attorney and discuss the specifics of your case. From there you can:

Plead Not-Guilty. The prosecutor will agree and drop the charge, or disagree and proceed to trial.
Apply to an "intervention program." These programs are usually reserved for first-time offenses for both felonies and misdemeanors, and if successfully completed will result in the State Attorney no-filing (dropping) your case.
Plead guilty to a lesser charge. Ms. Palmieri can negotiate for lesser charges, for example getting a DUI charge reduced to a reckless driving charge.
Plead guilty. Sometimes cooperation with authorities is your best, and only, defense. These cases are rare.

As always, the best way to reduce your risk is to keep quiet and only talk about your case to your attorney. As much as you would like to trust your friends and family members, please don't share any facts with them. It's possible that they can later be called as witnesses against you.

Listen

We will listen to your side of the story. We can then use this information to try and influence the State Attorney’s Office decision to file charges. Depending on your explanation, we can negotiate for reduced charges, or ask that the SAO not file charges at all.

Reassure

Having a criminal complaint brought against you can be a stressful and confusing time. At this point in your case you probably have a lot of questions, such as:

What happens next?
Can I get out on bond? What does that cost?
Do I have to tell work? Can you write a letter for me?
What do I tell my neighbors?
Do I need to notify DHSMV?
I received a letter from the Government. Should I be concerned?
Will I go to jail?
Will I lose my job?
What happens to my family?
Just because I was arrested, will the State file charges?
Am I looking at jail time, or probation?

We will answer any and all questions, go to court with you, or on your behalf, and advise you on your best course of action. If you hire us, Ms. Palmieri attends many court hearings in your place, so that you will not miss work.

Explain

We will take as much time as necessary to explain what is happening, why it is happening, and what to expect next. You will be kept current on all aspects of your matter, and all emails and phone calls returned in a timely manner.

Advise

The role of your attorney is to review all the facts of your case, communicate and negotiate with the State or Federal prosecutor, and advise you of both the best-case outcome and worst-case scenarios. From there it is up to you, the client, to make the final decision on how to proceed.

Ms. Palmieri is a former prosecutor in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and maintains ongoing professional relationships with attorneys in the State Attorney's Office (SAO). She has worked in the Middle District of Florida Federal court system for over 7 years and is highly regarded by both Federal prosecutors (also known as U.S. Attorneys) and other Federal defense counsel.

Protect Now and In The Future

We will fight to protect your rights, your privacy, and your future. Once your case is concluded, we are available to seal or expunge your record. This is a CRITICAL step in your matter, because it allows you to LEGALLY DENY the arrest or charge.

The question, “Have you ever been arrested…” is showing up with more frequency on job applications, bank loan applications (including mortgage apps and refi’s), and even on apartment lease agreements.