About The Firm
Aggressive and Experienced Criminal Defense and Family Law in West Palm Beach
The guidance of an experienced West Palm Beach criminal & family lawyer is critical to protecting your rights and minimizing the severity of the charges against you or achieving a fair outcome in a Florida divorce or child custody dispute.
Criminal Law
I maintain a thriving practice in criminal law areas including cases related to: DUI defense; drug crimes; firearms, burglary, and theft; domestic violence; sex crimes; juvenile crimes; and federal crimes. Charges in any of these areas are taken very seriously by prosecutors and judges, and you will need an attorney with substantial knowledge of all applicable defense strategies.
Drug Crimes
The type and amount of the substance will generally inform whether a drug offense is charged as a misdemeanor or felony, as well as the kinds of penalties the prosecution will seek. A defense strategy may be built upon casting reasonable doubt or proving constitutional errors, such as law enforcement’s performance of a search and seizure without probable cause. Depending on the surrounding circumstances, a prosecutor may be willing to offer favorable plea bargains that result in probation and drug abuse treatment programs, rather than incarceration.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence charges can destroy a family. Section 741.28 of the 2013 Florida Statutes states that domestic violence is made up of any criminal offense resulting in physical injury to or the death of one family or household member by another family or household member. Family or household members are defined as including spouses, former spouses, people living together as if they are a family, and people who together are parents of a child in common. I can help you fight to minimize the repercussions of a domestic violence charge.
Juvenile Crimes
Juvenile criminal charges can be stressful for the whole family. As a parent, you may be concerned that these charges will follow your child around into the future, affecting his or her ability to attend college or secure a job. Juvenile cases require a special degree of guidance and personalized attention. If you have a child who has been charged with a juvenile offense, I can help protect his or her future.
DUI Defense
In some cases, it is possible to reach a plea or get charges dismissed based on procedural errors by the police. These include faulty breathalyzer tests or tests that have been improperly calibrated, lack of reasonable suspicion or probable cause, or a failure to recite Miranda rights. More serious DUI cases involving injury or death have similar defenses available. If it is not possible to get the charges reduced or dismissed, I have significant trial experience and can develop a strong trial strategy to defend you.
Firearms, Burglary, and Theft
It is unlawful in Florida for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon unless his civil rights have been restored. Similarly, those that have been restrained from committing acts of domestic violence cannot bear a firearm or ammunition. I can devise a defense strategy if you find yourself facing repeat charges or charges related to firearms.
Sex Crimes
A sex crime charge can haunt you for the rest of your life, and impact important things like your relationship with your family, housing, and employment. Like other offenses, the elements of a sex crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Unlike other crimes, however, those accused are sometimes assumed guilty rather than presumed innocent. Those accused of an internet sex crime should retain a lawyer with a full understanding of the computer-related defenses involved, such as the possibility of a virus or the possibility that another person used a particular device to engage in the prohibited activities. I fully investigate all allegations, interview all witnesses, and mount the strongest possible defense on your behalf.
Federal Cases
Significant drug, firearm, and property crime cases, particularly those involving trafficking across state borders, sometimes catch the federal government’s attention. The mandatory minimum sentences and additional penalties for prior convictions in federal court can be particularly harsh. Prosecutors also have significant leverage because of 18 U.S.C. § 924, which harshly penalizes possessing a gun in connection with a drug offense. Not all Florida lawyers are also admitted to practice in the federal court system. As a lawyer that has been admitted to practice in federal court, I can aggressively defend you against federal charges.
Family Law
I help individuals in West Palm Beach and West Palm Beach who are going through a contested divorce or other family law matter. I make sure their rights and interests are protected in every aspect of Florida divorce, including child custody, child support, alimony and the division of marital property. My comprehensive family law practice includes such complex and diverse areas as gestational surrogacy and grandparents’ rights, as well as sensitive issues of child abuse, domestic violence and the legal rights of minors.
Divorce
Whether divorce is amicable or unfriendly, I can assist in achieving an outcome that is workable and respects the rights and interests of the parties involved. My background as a CPA proves especially invaluable in divorces and property division involving business valuation, high asset divorces, or division of the marital home. I handle contested divorce, uncontested divorce, and divorce litigation as well as collaborative divorce.
Child Custody/Parenting Plans
In Florida, child custody and visitation are governed by the parenting plans and timesharing schedules developed by the parents or the family law judge overseeing the divorce. If parents can agree on parenting and timesharing, the judge will likely approve a plan in the child’s best interest. When they can’t agree, the court decides on an appropriate schedule after hearing evidence and testimony from the parents in litigation. I can help you negotiate a fair and workable plan with your co-parent or provide strong representation in court if agreement can’t be reached.
Child Support
The amount of child support that must be paid each month by the noncustodial parent to the parent with primary custody is determined according to a statutory formula and the Florida child support guidelines. I use my CPA background and decades of legal experience to make sure income is properly reported by both parents to arrive at a fair amount on the guidelines. I’ll also pursue or challenge a proposed deviation from the guideline amount when necessary and in the children’s best interests.
Alimony/Spousal Support
Alimony is not automatic. An alimony award is only ordered in a Florida divorce when one party is requesting spousal support and can provide evidence justifying its necessity. Florida alimony law allows for many different types of alimony based on a number of different factors in each case. Alimony may even be awarded permanently depending upon the length of the marriage and other factors.
