Marijuana Possession Penalties in Miami, Florida

Written by:Julian Stroleny PortraitJulian Stroleny

As you may know, those needing a criminal defense attorney in Miami are typically divided into two distinct categories – those accused of a misdemeanor and those accused of a felony.  Misdemeanors are considered less serious than felonies. Although a misdemeanor may technically be considered a minor crime, you should consider it a serious matter. The long-term consequences of a misdemeanor can be significant and should not be ignored.  If you have been accused of a misdemeanor, you should contact a Miami Misdemeanor Lawyer right away.

There are some things that you want to keep in mind when it comes to misdemeanor crimes. Even though a conviction to a misdemeanor does not restrict your civil rights in the same way that a felony conviction does, being convicted of any crime can impact your life in a big way. One thing that you will want to bear in mind is that subsequent offenses will likely earn harsher sentences. For example, someone on their third DUI is going to get a much more serious punishment than someone on their first offense.

In addition, there are some misdemeanors that can affect your employment opportunities such as whether you are approved for housing or other such processes. Depending upon the type of job you’re applying for or the person or company overseeing the housing that you’re applying for, any misdemeanor may affect your ability to be approved. But there are certain offenses that are much more likely to restrict you than others. For example, spousal abuse, child abuse or any offense related to drugs may keep you from getting the apartment that you want or may keep you from getting hired at a company you desire.

The problem is, these criminal offenses stay on your record forever. Some background checks go back ten or even twenty years. Some background checks do not even have a limit. There are so many things that can be affected by a criminal conviction that you absolutely must take every step possible to prevent a conviction. You could lose a professional license such as a real estate license, you could be prevented from adopting a child or you could even lose your college scholarship.

All of that is the bad. The good news is that a Miami criminal attorney can help if you have been accused of a misdemeanor. If you can avoid conviction in the first place, then you can avoid that issue coming up on a background check in the future. A criminal defense lawyer in Miami is the best possible strategy for avoiding all future problems. Even with a conviction, an attorney can help to minimize the damage that might be done by one or more of these crimes.

Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney handles a variety of criminal law cases, so call now if you have any questions.