Hundreds of arrests made during urban beach week

May 29, 2013

As is the case every year, thousands of vacationers and party goers attend Urban Beach Week. Of the thousands that attend, several hundred will spend one or two days of their vacation behind bars in the Miami-Dade County Jail. The overwhelming police presence and the zero tolerance policy netted 344 arrests on Miami Beach. Anyone arrested over the Memorial Day weekend should contact a Miami criminal lawyer as soon as possible. A qualified attorney will be able to discuss your options when defending a case in this county. In many instances, a case can be defended without requiring the presence of the person arrested. The money spent on airplane tickets and hotel rooms can be better used in the hiring of an attorney to defend the case. The fees for defending a criminal case will largely depend on two factors. The first factor to consider is whether the charges involve misdemeanors or felonies. Second, the complexity of the case will also be considered in determining the legal fees involved in defending the case.

The majority of the arrests during Urban Beach Weekend were for drug offenses, assault, battery and disorderly intoxication. While there are certainly more serious crimes, criminal convictions for minor offenses can cause everlasting consequences. Employment opportunities can be lost and immigration problems can arise if criminal matters, even minor ones are not handled appropriately. Possession of marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy are the most common drug offenses for which vacationers get arrested. Simple drug possession cases can be disposed of favorably and quickly with the right representation.

Violent offenses such as aggravated battery, aggravated assault, simple battery, and simple assault are not as easily defended as simple drug crimes. The outcome of these types of cases will be largely determined by injuries suffered by the alleged victim and the victim's willingness to cooperate on the criminal process. Anyone arrested for a felony or a misdemeanor will be required to appear in court at the arraignment. An arraignment is simple court proceeding where the prosecutor formally files the charges. Individuals that have been arrested that fail to appear at the arraignment will have arrests warrants issued for them. However, defendants are not required to appear at the arraignment if they retain counsel. As long as a lawyer files a notice of appearance on a person's behalf, the appearance at the arraignment can be waived.

After the arraignment, the case will be set for trial. The prosecution will be required to produce all police reports, statements provided by witnesses, and any forensic reports. While the case is pending trial, the discovery process will take place. In the State of Florida, Defendants charged with felony offenses are entitled by law to depose the witnesses involved in the case. The purpose of depositions is to learn what a potential witness will testify to during trial. In misdemeanor cases, a defendant must request permission from the court to dispose witnesses involved in the case. A defendant is also entitled to list witnesses that will testify on his or her behalf. Defense witnesses can be very important in cases to refute the testimony of state witnesses whether they are police officers or civilians. If a strong enough defense is presented to the prosecution, they will eventually dismiss the charges.

Urban Beach Week Comes to an End - Very Quietly, Miami Herald.com, May 27, 2013.