Miramar Criminal Lawyer

Miramar sits on the southern edge of Broward County, right on the Miami-Dade line, and that location shapes many of its criminal cases. If you are facing charges, a Miramar criminal lawyer can protect your rights from the first hours of the case, wherever the arrest happened. Attorney Kenneth P. Hassett has defended people in Broward and Miami-Dade courts for more than 30 years, and the firm’s main office on Stirling Road in Davie is a short drive from Miramar.

With more than 130,000 residents, Miramar is the fourth-largest city in Broward County. Most arrests in the city are made by the Miramar Police Department, while the Florida Highway Patrol covers I-75 and Florida’s Turnpike.

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Serving Miramar From Our Davie Office

Clients from Miramar 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 Broward County Courthouse, and meets clients in Miami by appointment.

What Happens After an Arrest in Miramar

An arrest inside Miramar’s city limits goes through the Broward County system, so it helps to know the steps ahead.

1. Booking. After an arrest by Miramar 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 a regional courthouse such as the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood. 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.

Arrested Near the County Line?

County Line Road marks Miramar’s southern edge and the border between Broward and Miami-Dade. Because of this, an arrest just a few blocks south, in Miami Gardens or elsewhere in Miami-Dade, goes through the Miami-Dade courts instead of Broward’s, with a different jail, different judges and different prosecutors. Mr. Hassett has practiced in both counties for decades and served as president of the Miami Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. So whichever side of the line your case falls on, you can keep the same lawyer.

Criminal Charges We Defend in Miramar

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 and the Turnpike

Why Work With a Local Miramar Criminal Lawyer

• Close by. The firm’s main office in Davie is a short drive from Miramar, and its second office is near the Broward County Courthouse.
• Experience in both counties. 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.

Miramar Criminal Lawyer FAQs

Who makes arrests in Miramar?
Mostly the Miramar Police Department. However, the Florida Highway Patrol handles many arrests on I-75 and the Turnpike.

Where will my Miramar 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.

What if I was arrested just across the line in Miami-Dade?
Then your case belongs to the Miami-Dade courts. The process is similar, but the courthouse, jail and prosecutors are different. Mr. Hassett defends cases in both counties.

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 Miramar Criminal 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.