Most people go through life without ever getting into any sort of significant, legal trouble.  That means if there is a rare situation where there is a criminal allegation at a misdemeanor level, the naiveté of the first time allegation makes people not know what is entailed in the legal defense for a misdemeanor charge in Ft. Lauderdale.  There is no clear idea how a defense is mounted – or even what is necessary.

Consequences of Misdemeanors

A misdemeanor is defined as a crime that is punishable by less than one year in jail.  As implied, it is a class of crimes considered less severe than felonies.  Many people make the mistake of assuming that this lack of severity makes it unnecessary to worry about a misdemeanor allegation.

However, just because there is not a serious threat of jail time associated with a misdemeanor, it doesn’t mean it is nothing to be concerned about.  Misdemeanors can have a traumatic impact on a person’s reputation, professional standing and driver’s license status.  Misdemeanors like driving under the influence (DUI), domestic violence battery, driving on a suspended driver’s license and violation of injunctions can result in:

• Serious threats of jail
• Revocation of a driver’s license
• Restrictive  probation, or
• Thousands of dollars in fines

These are potential penalties that demand an aggressive defense just as much as what may be seen in felony court.

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

The best decision you can make when charged with a misdemeanor is to hire an experienced defense attorney.  There is a huge difference in how represented defendants fare in court as opposed to the unrepresented.  Unrepresented people can be taken advantage of in the criminal justice system and receive an unfair disproportionate result from how properly represented people are treated.

An experienced and qualified attorney representing you is the best way to ensure that you get the best result for your legal situation.