After Florida residents have been arrested on criminal charges, usually the first step as the criminal defense strategy develops is to determine what charges the defendant will face and what evidence the prosecution has to attempt to prove those charges in court. From there, a defendant can attempt to determine the right approach to the defense to the case.
Although each criminal case is different, there are some common defense options that defendants will usually consider. For starters, there is the option to simply tell the truth if you believe you are innocent of the charges. This option will likely involve giving a statement to law enforcement officials about the situation at hand and, potentially, testifying in court.
Another option might be to attack the evidence that law enforcement officials and the prosecution intend to use to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. For instance, if the evidence was gathered in a manner that violated the constitutional rights of the defendant, then the evidence may be suppressed – which means that it cannot be used in court against the defendant.
But, for all of the potential defense options, many defendants decide that the best criminal defense option in their case is to attempt to negotiate a plea bargain. Such a deal may put the case behind defendants quicker, allowing them to move on with their life after admitting to the charges. Florida residents will want to make sure that they consider all of the available options when it comes to planning their criminal defense strategy.