Weston Criminal Defense Lawyer

Weston is known as a quiet, family-centered city, which can make an arrest there feel especially jarring. If you or someone in your family is facing charges, a Weston criminal defense lawyer can explain what comes next and protect your rights from the start. Attorney Kenneth P. Hassett has defended people in Broward County courts for more than 30 years from the firm’s main office on Stirling Road in nearby Davie.

Weston does not have its own police department. Instead, the city contracts with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies patrol Weston from a district office in the city. The Florida Highway Patrol also makes arrests on I-75 and I-595 near Weston.

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Serving Weston From Our Davie Office

Families from Weston can meet Mr. Hassett at this office, a short drive east, 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 Weston

A Weston arrest follows the same Broward County process as any other, so it helps to know the steps ahead.

1. Booking. After a deputy makes an arrest in Weston, 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 deputy’s report and decides which charges to file. Acting early gives your lawyer a chance to address problems in the case 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 West Regional Courthouse in Plantation. 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 in the investigation, looks at diversion programs you may qualify for, negotiates with prosecutors and, when needed, tries the case.

Criminal Charges We Defend in Weston

Mr. Hassett concentrates on serious charges where experienced private counsel 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 I-595

Many Weston cases involve families, from a household argument that ends in a battery charge to a teenager or young adult charged with a drug, alcohol or theft offense. A record can follow a young person into college admissions and a future career, so it pays to get advice early.

Domestic Violence Charges and Injunctions in Weston

A domestic violence arrest often starts two cases at once. First, there is the criminal charge. Second, there may be a petition for an injunction for protection in civil court, which can order you out of your home and away from your children. Violating an injunction is a separate crime. Under Florida law, a person arrested for domestic violence generally stays in custody until a judge sets bond at the first appearance. As a result, calling a lawyer quickly matters in these cases.

Why Work With a Local Weston Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Close by. The firm’s main office in Davie is a short drive from Weston, and its second office is near the Broward County Courthouse.
• More than 30 years in Broward courts. Mr. Hassett has defended criminal cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties since the early 1990s.
• Public defender roots. He represented thousands of people accused of crimes at the Public Defender’s office before he founded the firm in 1995.
• Respected by his peers. 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.

Weston Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQs

Who makes arrests in Weston?
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies police the city under a contract with Weston. The Florida Highway Patrol handles many arrests on the interstates.

Where will my Weston 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.

Can someone arrested for domestic violence bond out right away?
Usually not. In most cases the person stays in jail until a judge sets bond at the first appearance, within 24 hours of the arrest.

My teenager was arrested in Weston. What should we do?
Juvenile cases follow their own process, but the first step is the same: call a lawyer before your child answers questions. 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 Weston Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

A criminal charge can put your freedom, your record and your family’s 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.