Sometimes in our day-to-day lives it is easy to forget that our nation’s laws are based on a constitution that grants individual rights and restricts the rights of the government. However, when it comes to potential criminal offenses in Florida, arrestees are supposed to be immediately reminded of many of those constitutional rights. One of those rights is that law enforcement officers can’t just stop anyone they want for any reason.
In most cases, police officers and other law enforcement officials must at least have a “reasonable suspicion” to stop individuals for purposes other than just a casual chat. In other cases, “probable cause” is a requirement. These legal phrases are usually especially important when it comes to drug charges.
Many cases that involve drug charges arise after law enforcement officials have conducted some type of search. In some cases, it is a search of a residence, or a vehicle or even a person’s pockets and clothing. But, no matter what type of search it was, Florida residents should make sure that the search or stop was constitutional.
At the law firm of Escobar, Michaels & Associates, we understand that sometimes law enforcement officials do not follow constitutional safeguards. When an individual’s constitutional rights are violated, it may be possible to suppress evidence that was found in violation of those rights. When that happens, drug charges may be dismissed or lowered in severity. For more information about preparing a solid defense against accusations of drug crimes in Florida, please visit the drug charges overview section of our website.