Hollywood Criminal Defense Lawyer

An arrest in Hollywood can turn your life upside down in a single night. Whether it happened on Hollywood Beach, downtown, or on I-95, a Hollywood criminal defense lawyer can protect your rights from the very start. Attorney Kenneth P. Hassett has defended people in Broward County courts for more than 30 years, and the main office of Hassett & Associates, P.A. on Stirling Road is just minutes from Hollywood.

Hollywood is home to more than 150,000 people and draws crowds to its beach, its Broadwalk and its nightlife. As a result, the Hollywood Police Department, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol all make arrests in and around the city.

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Serving Hollywood From Our Nearby Office

Clients from Hollywood can meet Mr. Hassett at this office, a short drive from anywhere in the city, 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 Hollywood

Most Hollywood cases follow the same Broward County path, so it helps to know the steps ahead.

1. Booking. After an arrest by Hollywood 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 decides 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. Your lawyer can sometimes influence that decision by acting early.
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 at 3550 Hollywood Boulevard. Your notice to appear says where, and the Broward County Clerk of Courts lists every hearing.
5. Defense and resolution. Your lawyer studies 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 Hollywood

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

Nights out on the beach and downtown can also lead to arrests for fights, disorderly intoxication and drug possession. Even a misdemeanor leaves a record, so these cases deserve a real defense too.

DUI Arrests in Hollywood

Police make DUI arrests on I-95, US 1, A1A and Hollywood Boulevard. In fact, a DUI arrest starts two cases at once: the criminal case in court and a separate license suspension. You generally have only 10 days to ask the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for a review hearing, so call a lawyer right away. Learn more about our DUI defense, and about the most serious charge, DUI manslaughter in Florida.

Why Work With a Local Hollywood Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Close to home. The firm’s main office on Stirling Road is minutes from Hollywood, and its second office is near the Broward County Courthouse.
• Three decades in Broward courts. Mr. Hassett has defended criminal cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties since the early 1990s.
• Trained as a public defender. He represented thousands of people accused of crimes at the Public Defender’s office before he founded the firm in 1995.
• A leader of the defense bar. 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 cases. 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.

Hollywood Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQs

Where will my Hollywood 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 the South Regional Courthouse on Hollywood Boulevard. Check your notice to appear, or ask us to look it up.

Where do the police take people arrested in Hollywood?
The Broward Sheriff’s Office books adults at its Main Jail in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Then, within 24 hours, they go before a judge for a first appearance.

Is a disorderly intoxication or beach arrest serious?
It is usually a misdemeanor, but a conviction still creates a criminal record that employers and landlords can see. A lawyer may be able to find a better outcome than simply pleading guilty.

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 Hollywood 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.