Misdemeanor defense

• Author: Steven F. Samilow
• Pages: 1291-1360

17-1

MISDEMEANOR

DEFENSE

CHAPTER 17

MISDEMEANOR DEFENSE

I. GENERAL POINTS

A. The Crime

§17:01 Def‌ined

§17:02 Civil Torts

§17:03 The Charges

§17:04 Place of Trial

§17:05 Acquittals

§17:06 Jurisdiction

§17:07 The Jury

B. The Prosecutor’s Role

§17:20 Prosecutors Protect Justice

§17:21 Prosecutor’s Basic Obligations

§17:22 Disclosure of Evidence

§17:23 Crime Victim Rights

C. The Defense Attorney’s Role

§17:30 The Right to Counsel

§17:31 The Right to Effective Assistance of Counsel

§17:32 Plea Bargain Offers

§17:33 Duties to Investigate the Facts and Conduct Legal Research

§17:34 Punishments

§17:35 Collateral Consequences

§17:36 Negotiating the Deal

§17:37 Representing the Mentally Ill Client

§17:38 Baker Act

D. Initial Steps

§17:50 Initial Client Interview

§17:51 The Non-Citizen Client

§17:52 Fee Agreements

§17:53 Initiating Discovery

§17:54 Motion Practice

§17:55 Initial Court Proceedings

§17:56 Writ of Habeas Corpus

§17:57 Bail

II. NONDUI CRIMINAL TRAFFIC OFFENSES

§17:70 General Points

§17:71 Representation

§17:72 Plea to an Infraction

Florida Small-Firm Practice Tools 17-2

MISDEMEANOR

DEFENSE

III. SEARCH AND SEIZURE

A. General Points

§17:80 General Rule: Warrant Is Required

§17:81 Arrest Warrant Requirements

§17:82 Warrantless Arrests

§17:83 Fellow Off‌icer Rule

§17:84 Forfeiture

§17:85 Policy Body Cameras

B. Specif‌ic Searches

§17:90 General Points

§17:91 Motor Vehicles

§17:92 Search of the Person

§17:93 Detention of Persons Present During Search Warrant Execution

§17:94 Body Fluids

§17:95 Protective Searches

§17:96 Prevention of Destruction of Evidence

§17:97 Vehicle Inventory Searches

§17:98 Homes, Curtilage, and Open Fields

§17:99 Border Searches

§17:100 School Searches

§17:101 Fish and Wildlife Off‌icers

§17:102 Dog Search/Odor

C. Stops, Detentions, Arrests

§17:110 Stop and Frisk

§17:111 Reasonable Suspicion

§17:112 Warrantless Arrests in the Home

§17:113 Traff‌ic Stops

§17:114 DUI Roadblocks

D. Motions to Suppress and Jury Charges

§17:120 Pretrial Motions to Suppress Evidence

§17:121 Objections to Search Warrants

IV. CONFESSIONS AND STATEMENTS

§17:130 General Points

§17:131 Miranda v. Arizona

§17:132 Custody Def‌ined

§17:133 The Miranda Warning and Waiver

§17:134 Inapplicability of Miranda

§17:135 Voluntariness of Statements

§17:136 Recorded Statements Must Be Provided to the Defense

V. PLEA BARGAINING

§17:150 Purpose

§17:151 Counsel’s Duty to Inform Client

§17:152 Nature and Binding Effect of the Plea Agreement

§17:153 Withdrawal of Plea

§17:154 Appeal After a Plea Bargain

§17:155 Role of the Trial Court

VI. SPEEDY TRIAL

§17:160 Fundamental Right

§17:161 Application

§17:162 Rule 3.191 Speedy Trial Procedure

§17:163 Default Period

§17:164 Demands for Speedy Trial

17-3 Misdemeanor Defense

MISDEMEANOR

DEFENSE

§17:165 Invalid Demands

§17:166 When the Right Attaches

§17:167 Extensions

§17:168 Discharges

§17:169 Notice of Expiration; Recapture Window

VII. PRETRIAL ISSUES

§17:180 Pleas

§17:181 Habitual Offenders

§17:182 Attempts

§17:183 Competency

§17:184 Joinder and Consolidation of Offenses

§17:185 Multiple and Joined Defendants

§17:186 Continuances

§17:187 Discovery Violations

VIII. TRIAL ISSUES

§17:200 Double Jeopardy

§17:201 Evidence/Stipulations

§17:202 Expert Testimony

§17:203 Voir Dire Challenge for Cause

§17:204 Peremptory Challenges

§17:205 Peremptory Challenges—Race Neutral Requirement

§17:206 Character Evidence of Victim

§17:207 Jury Instructions

§17:208 Lesser Included Offenses

§17:209 Cross-Examination Strategies

§17:210 Eyewitness Identif‌ication

§17:211 Preservation of Error

§17:212 Motions for Judgment of Acquittal

IX. POSTTRIAL

§17:220 Motions for New Trial/Arrest of Judgment

§17:221 Appeal

§17:222 Immigration

§17:223 Expunction

X. SENTENCING

A. General

§17:230 Sentencing Hearing

§17:231 Sentencing Guidelines

§17:232 Penalties

§17:233 Penalties for Common Law Crimes

§17:234 Allocution Hearing

§17:235 Concurrent and Cumulative Sentencing

§17:236 Credit for Time Served

§17:237 Punishment for Rejecting a Plea Bargain”

B. Community Control

§17:250 Def‌ined

§17:251 Presentence Investigation Report (PSI)

§17:252 Fines

C. Adjudication Withheld

§17:260 Def‌ined

§17:261 Violation of a Condition

§17:262 Consequences of Adjudication Withheld

§17:263 Subsequent Offense