Sobriety Checkpoint - Many times in Jacksonville, JSO will set up a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) checkpoint at various areas around town. The police set up a roadblock to detain drivers in order to determine if they are impaired. The Jacksonville police must follow specific guidelines when conducting these checkpoints. Often, they are set up at the base of Jacksonville's intercoastal bridges, including Atlantic Blvd. and Beach Blvd.

Statute - Laws passed by the Florida legislature. Every crime has its own statute number.

Statute of Limitations - A time limit for prosecuting a crime based on the date the incident occurs. The reason we have this is to require the government to diligently prosecute known crimes while evidence is reasonable available and fresh.

Subpoena - A court order commanding the appearance of a witness in a criminal case.

Subpoena duces tecum - A subpoena ordering not only the witness to appear, but to also bring specified records.

Self-Incrimination - The act or declaration that you admit guilt or connection with a crime.

Sentence - The judgment that a criminal court formally pronounces after finding a defendant guilty of criminal charges.

Concurrent Sentences - If you are found guilty of more than one crime, your sentences for both charges can run concurrent, which means they are served a the same time. For example, if you are convicted of both DUI and Resisting an Officer Without Violence, a judge could sentence concurrently to 5 days on the DUI and 10 days on the Resisting charge. Because you will be sentenced concurrently, the full amount of time you will serve is 10 days.

Consecutive Sentences - Separate sentences that are to be served back to back, not together. For example, if you are convicted of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, the judge could sentence you to 5 days on the pot charge and 20 days on the paraphernalia charge. You will serve the 5 day sentence first and then begin your 20 day sentence after.

Sixth Amendment - The constitutional amendment that guarantees, in criminal cases, the accused to a right to a public and speedy trial by a jury of your peers. You have the right to be informed of the charges against you, the right to confront the witnesses in the case, the right to have a criminal defense lawyer to represent you, and the right to compel witnesses who have information favorable to you.

It is very important to contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible after you are arrested on criminal charges in Jacksonville to look at the possibility of being placed in this program. Contact our Criminal Defense Attorneys in Jacksonville at (904) 634-0900. You will speak to a lawyer 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

1. File felony charges in Jacksonville.

2. Reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor charge.

3. Send you to the Pretrial Intervention Program.

4. Drop your criminal charges outright.

That is why it is so important to hire an attorney as soon as possible after an arrest in Jacksonville. An experienced Jacksonville criminal lawyer can look at the charges and make contact with the state attorney assigned to the case.

If you have any questions about felony charges in Jacksonville, don't hesitate to call our Experienced Jacksonville Criminal Attorneys for a free consultation 24 hours a day at (904) 634-0900. You will speak to a lawyer.

Retrial - A new trial in a case that has already been tried.

Right to Counsel - If you are facing criminal charges, you have a constitutional right, which is guaranteed by the 6th Amendment, to be represented by a criminal lawyer even if you can't afford to hire one.

Ruling - The outcome of a judge's decision on some point of law.

Scofflaw - A person who treats the law with contempt.

Search - The examination of people or their property with the intent to find evidence not in plain view.

Search Warrant - A judge's written order on behalf of the state authorizing the police to to search for evidence at a specific address.

Probable Cause - A reasonable ground to suspect that a person has committed a particular crime. The standard is "more likely than not".

Probative - Tending to prove or disprove something.

pro se - When you are pro se, you are acting on your own behalf without the assistance of a criminal lawyer. You are acting as your own attorney.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment - Punishment that is disproportionate to the crime you are charged with. Degrading, inhuman, or otherwise shocking to the moral sense of the community.

Reasonable Doubt - A doubt that prevents you from being firmly convinced of a criminal defendant's guilt. The belief that there is a real possibility that the defendant is not guilty.

Rehabilitation - In criminal law, the improvement of a criminal defendant's character so that he can function in the community without committing future crimes.

Restitution - The money that is owed to a crime victim for damage they have suffered. It can be money for damaged property, doctor bills, even for bad checks.

Restraining Order / Injunction - An order from the Court that prohibits a person from contacting or approaching another person. Typically, if an injunction is entered, in addition to no verbal contact, you cannot go within 500 feet of the other person, their home, or work. If you do, or the other person tells the police you did, you can be arrested for Violation of Injunction, which is a first degree misdemeanor punishable for up to 1 year in jail.

If you have any questions about crimes in Duval County, Clay County, Nassau County, or St, Johns County, call our Jacksonville Criminal Lawyers at (904) 634-0900.

Petition - In Juvenile criminal cases in Jacksonville, a petition is filed as the charging document. It lets the child and the criminal defense lawyer know the specific crimes the child is being charged with.

Plea Bargain - An agreement between a Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer and the prosecutor to resolve a case on behalf of the client. An agreement can only be reached with the permission of the person charged with the crime.

Pleading the Fifth - Asserting your right against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Polygraph - A machine that evaluates truthfulness by recording involuntary physical changes in the body. It's results are not admissible in a criminal trial, but if a person facing criminal charges "passes" the test, they can be presented to the prosecutor to try to persuade them to drop criminal charges.

Possession of Drugs or Guns - Many times in criminal charges of possession of drugs or possession of a firearm, the type of possession is critical. Actual possession means the police found the item on your person. Constructive possession means that the item was in your control, but not literally on you.

Precedent - A decided criminal case that is the basis for determining later cases involving similar facts or issues.

Presentence Investigation Report (PSI) - If you plea straight up to the judge in a criminal case, it is out of your hands what happens to you. The judge has to make a decision about your sentence and the presentence investigation report helps him or her with that decision. The Florida Department of Corrections looks into your educational, familial , criminal, and social background and presents a picture of who you are to the judge.

Presumption of Innocence - If you are arrested for criminal charges, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a fundamental criminal law principle that makes the government prove you guilty of what they are charging you with. The burden is on the prosecution, not you.

Prior Inconsistent Statement - A witness's earlier statement that conflicts with their testimony in a criminal trial. The Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer can introduce the prior statement to point out to the jury that the witness is saying something different this time than before. It goes to their credibility as a witness.

The numbers of arrests and crimes committed in 2008 are:

Nassau County

Grand Theft Auto - 60 (down 20 from 2007)

Theft - 624 (up 82 from 2007)

Burglary - 259 (down 22 from 2007)

Aggravated Assault - 372 (down 28 from 2007)

Robbery - 18 (up 4 from 2007)

Rape - 2 (down 6 from last year)

Homicide - 1 (same)

Fernandina

Grand Theft Auto - 4 (down 14 from last year)

Theft - 165 (down 5 from last year)

Burglary - 37 (down 20 from 2007)

Aggravated Assault - 15 (down 5 from 2007)

Robbery - 10 (up 3 from last year)

Rape - 0 (down 5 from last year)

Homicide - 0 (same)

If you have questions about criminal charges in Nassau County / Fernandina Beach / Amelia Island, call our Nassau County Criminal Defense Attorneys at (904) 634-0900.

In Massachusetts, it will no longer be a crime to possess less than one ounce of marijuana. (pot) There will be no more criminal penalties, which were 6 months in jail and a fine of $500.00. This measure passed by 30%, even though the poice, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the governor, and the mayor of Boston were against it.

In Michigan, seriously sick patients will be able to use marijuana for medical purposes with a doctor's approval. These patients can grow the pot and have it in their possession. The patients will be given an ID card. This measure passed by 26%.

If you have any questions about marijuana (pot) charges in Jacksonville, call our Jacksonville Marijuana Attorneys at (904) 634-0900.

"All Pro Dads" holds events where activities include meeting football players, raffles, interactive sports, etc. The goal is to facilitate communication between fathers and their children.

Nolle Prosequi - Literally means "not to wish to prosecute". It is legal notice that the criminal charges have been dropped. The criminal charges have been dismissed.

Notice of Appearance - A criminal defense lawyer's written notice filed with the court announcing on the record that he or she is representing someone who has criminal charges against them.

Oath - A pledge by which a person swears to tell the truth.

Objection - A formal statement by criminal defense counsel that he or she protests something that has occurred in court and seeks a judge's ruling on the point.

Offender - A person who has committed a crime.

Offense - A violation of law.

If you have any questions about criminal charges in Jacksonville, call our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorneys at (904) 634-0900.

Laundering - The federal crime of transferring illegally earned money through legitimate people or accounts so that the original source of the money cannot be traced.

Malice - The intent to commit a criminal act with a reckless disregard of the law.

Miranda Rule - The requirement that, before the police can question you about a crime while you are detained, they must inform you of the right to remain silent so as to avoid self-incrimination and the right to have a lawyer present.

Misdemeanor - A crime punishable by a year or less in the Jacksonville jail, not prison. Examples include DUI, Domestic Battery, Petty Theft, Resisting an Officer Without Violence, Possession of Less than 20 grams of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Mistrial - A trial that ends without a verdict because of a procedural error or misconduct during the trial. A mistrial can also occur if the jury cannot agree on a verdict.

Motive - The willful desire to cause one to act.

If you have any questions about criminal charges in Duval, Nassau, Clay, or St. Johns County, contact our Jacksonville Criminal Attorneys at (904) 634-0900.

Judicial Notice - When a criminal court accepts a well-known and indisputable fact without requiring the lawyer to prove it. (The trial court took judicial notice of the fact that government offices are closed on Christmas)

Jurisdiction - A court's power to decide a case or issue a decree. (Criminal Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony criminal cases)

Juris Doctor - Also known as J.D. It means Doctor of law and is the law degree given by American law schools.

Jury - A group of people selected according to law and they are given the power to decide questions of fact and return a verdict in the case submitted to them.

Jury Instruction - A guideline that a judge gives a jury concerning the law of the case.

Jury Nullification - A jury's intentional rejection of the evidence or refusal to apply the law. Juries do this because they want to send a message about some social issue that is bigger than the case itself or because the result dictated by the law is somehow unjust.

Juvenile Delinquent - A child (minor) who is guilty of criminal charges and is punished by special juvenile laws that do not apply to adults.

Implicate - To claim that a person is involved in a crime.

Impound - To place a car or other personal property in the custody of the police. Many times, when you are arrested for felony criminal charges in Jacksonville and the police claim that a car was used in the commission of the felony, the police will impound your car. If money is owed on the car, the police will usually release the car back to you if you pay the impound and towing fees. If you own the car free and clear, the police are more likely to try to keep your car.

Imprisonment - The act of confining a person in prison in Florida.

Inchoate - When a crime is partially completed.

Incriminate - To charge someone with a crime or indicate someone's involvement in a crime. (The state incriminated the robbery suspect in Jacksonville)

Indigent Defendant - A person who cannot afford to hire a criminal lawyer is eligible to receive the services of the Public Defender in Jacksonville. Everyone, no matter their financial status, is entitled to a criminal defense lawyer if they are charged with a crime.

Informant - Someone who gives the police information on another person usually in exchange for something. If you have pending criminal charges in Jacksonville and you have information on another crime, you may receive some consideration if you tell what you know.

Information - The formal criminal charging document filed by the prosecutor. The information shows the actual crimes you are being charged with. It has to be sworn-to by the prosecutor who signs it.

Sheriff John Rutherford wants to add 225 new police officers over the next 5 years. The goal is to create more "community policing" in the areas of Jacksonville where the crime rate is the highest.