What is a Motion to Suppress?

A Motion to Suppress is a pretrial motion filed by the defense and must follow the Florida rules of Criminal Procedure. It presents the argument to the court that evidence was obtained in violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights and should therefore be inadmissible at trial. If the court agrees there were constitutional violations and decides in … Read more

What is a Motion to Dismiss?

A Motion to Dismiss is a formal request to the court asking it to stop the prosecution and dismiss the charges against the defendant. The Jacksonville criminal defense attorney who files the motion must include all the relevant facts of the case. According to the rules for Florida Criminal Procedure, the Defendant  must swear the facts … Read more

Hearsay: What Does it Mean?

Hearsay is defined as an out of court statement offered in court against a defendant “for the truth of the matter asserted.” It is based on the Sixth Amendment right afforded those who are accused of a criminal offense to confront witnesses against them. “Confront” means the right to challenge the statement of the witness … Read more