Dozens of arrests made at ultra music festival
March 19, 2013
Every year, the Ultra Music Festival comes to town. The festival has become so popular that it now extends over two weekends. Tourists and locals alike flock to the festival. Despite the festivities, dozens of people are arrested each year for numerous criminal offenses. Anyone arrested at the festival should immediately contact a
Miami criminal lawyer to assist in defending the charges. The majority of the people arrested have no prior contacts with the criminal justice system. Anyone arrested at Ultra should not panic. Hiring the right Miami criminal law firm can mean the difference between having a criminal record or coming out the situation completely unscathed.
A total of 84 people were arrested last weekend at Ultra on a variety of charges. The most common criminal offenses are related to drugs and alcohol.
Drug possession charges are felony offenses and can have a significant impact on a person's life. The most common controlled substances found at Ultra are ecstasy and LSD. Anyone arrested for possession of either of these narcotics can be arrested and charged with a third degree felony which is punishable up to five years in prison. While none goes to prison for possessing ecstasy or LSD, failure to properly handle a case could land a person a permanent criminal record or a yearlong stay in the drug court program. The other common offense is drunk and disorderly conduct. While the offense is only a misdemeanor, it can certainly impact a person's life, both personally and professionally.
Experienced and qualified
Miami defense attorneys know the ins and outs of the criminal justice system in Miami-Dade County, Florida. This knowledge allows for creative solutions to resolve criminal charges with without a permanent criminal record or a year-long stint in the drug court program. Cases can often be disposed of without requiring a defendant to return to the jurisdiction. There are hundreds of criminal defense attorneys in Miami and the South Florida area. The hard part is figuring out which lawyer will provide the best result. Try to interview at least a couple of attorneys. If you are out of town, a phone consultation will have to suffice. Look at a law firms website to determine if the lawyer you hire is qualified and experienced enough to get the result you seek.
If you or a loved one are arrested at the festival, don't freak out over the situation. Everything is fixable with the right person working for you. Anyone from out of town that is arrested can post bond and immediately return home as long as the offense allows for a bond without appearing at a
bond hearing. All drug possession and misdemeanor cases have standard bond amounts. A person can either pay the cash equivalent of the bond which will be returned at the conclusion of the case to the person who posted the bond. Alternatively, a person can pay a bondsman 10% of the bond amount to secure his or her release. Bondsmen sometimes require additional monies for out of town defendants as collateral. Sometimes it is better to contact a lawyer first who can secure a bondsman for only 10% of the amount of the bond. Remember, if arrested, don't panic, hire a good lawyer and your problem should soon go away. Once the case is closed, a record can be sealed or expunged which will leave no record of the arrest.
84 Arrested During First Weekend of Ultra Music Festival, NBCMiami.com, March 19, 2013.
