Pembroke Pines Criminal Defense Lawyer

With more than 170,000 residents, Pembroke Pines is the second-largest city in Broward County, and its busy roads and shopping centers see their share of arrests. If you are facing charges, a Pembroke Pines criminal defense lawyer can protect your rights from the first hours of the case. Attorney Kenneth P. Hassett has defended people in Broward County courts for more than 30 years, and the firm’s main office on Stirling Road in Davie is a short drive from Pembroke Pines.

Most arrests in the city are made by the Pembroke Pines Police Department. Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol covers I-75 and Florida’s Turnpike, which both run through the city.

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Serving Pembroke Pines From Our Davie Office

If you are looking for a criminal attorney in Pembroke Pines, you can meet Mr. Hassett at this office or talk with him by phone first. In addition, the firm has an office at 1327 SE 2nd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, near the county courthouse.

What Happens After an Arrest in Pembroke Pines

Every Pembroke Pines case moves through the Broward County system, so knowing the steps helps you plan.

1. Booking. After an arrest by Pembroke Pines police or another agency, the Broward Sheriff’s Office books adults at its Main Jail, 555 SE 1st Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. However, juvenile cases follow a separate process.
2. First appearance. Within 24 hours, a judge reviews whether there was probable cause for the arrest and sets bond and release conditions at the Broward County Courthouse, 201 SE 6th Street. For this reason, it helps to have your lawyer there to argue for a reasonable bond.
3. Charging decision. Next, the Broward State Attorney’s Office reviews the police report and decides which charges to file. When your lawyer acts early, there may be a chance to point out problems before that decision.
4. Court dates. Felony cases go to the main courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Misdemeanor and traffic cases may also go there, or to one of the county’s regional courthouses. Your notice to appear says where, and the Broward County Clerk of Courts lists every hearing.
5. Defense and resolution. Your lawyer reviews the evidence, challenges any mistakes the police made, looks at diversion programs you may qualify for, negotiates with prosecutors and, when needed, tries the case.

Criminal Charges We Defend in Pembroke Pines

Mr. Hassett concentrates on serious charges where a private defense lawyer matters most, including:

• Sex offenses, including sexual battery (rape), lewd or lascivious acts and possession of child pornography
• Domestic violence and battery charges, and injunctions for protection
• Felony drug charges, from possession to drug trafficking
• Violent crimes such as aggravated assault and aggravated battery
• Grand theft and white-collar crimes
• DUI, including arrests on I-75, the Turnpike and Pines Boulevard

Theft Charges in Pembroke Pines

Pembroke Pines has large shopping centers, such as Pembroke Lakes Mall, where store security and police regularly handle theft accusations. In Florida, taking property worth $750 or more is generally grand theft, which is a felony. Below that amount, the charge is usually petit theft, a misdemeanor, although prior theft convictions can make it a felony. Either way, a theft conviction can hurt your job prospects for years, because employers see it as a crime of dishonesty. So it is worth looking closely at the evidence, from store video to how the value of the property was counted.

Why Work With a Local Pembroke Pines Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Nearby office. The firm’s main office in Davie is a short drive from Pembroke Pines, and its second office is near the Broward County Courthouse.
• Three decades of defense work. Mr. Hassett has defended criminal cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties since the early 1990s.
• Public defender experience. He represented thousands of people accused of crimes at the Public Defender’s office before he founded the firm in 1995.
• A leader among defense lawyers. He has served as president of the Broward Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and of the Miami Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
• State and federal courts. He is admitted in all Florida courts and in the federal courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida.
• Help at any hour. Calls are answered 24/7, the first consultation is free, and the firm speaks Spanish.

Pembroke Pines Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQs

Who makes arrests in Pembroke Pines?
Mostly the Pembroke Pines Police Department. However, the Florida Highway Patrol handles many arrests on I-75 and the Turnpike, and other agencies sometimes work cases in the city.

Where will my Pembroke Pines case be heard?
Felony cases go to the Broward County Courthouse at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale. A misdemeanor or traffic case may go there or to a regional courthouse. Check your notice to appear, or ask us to look it up.

Is shoplifting a felony in Florida?
It can be. Theft of property worth $750 or more is generally grand theft, a felony, and prior convictions can raise a smaller theft to a felony too.

Should I talk to the police before I call a lawyer?
No. You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can be used against you. Read our article on talking to police without a lawyer.

Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes, the first consultation is free. In addition, it is confidential and can be in English or Spanish.

Contact a Pembroke Pines Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

A criminal charge can put your freedom, your record and your future at risk. The sooner you have a lawyer, the more options you may have. Call Hassett & Associates, P.A. at (954) 791-3939 to speak with attorney Kenneth P. Hassett, or reach us through our contact page.

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This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts, and no attorney can guarantee a particular outcome.