Criminal Defense
In the field of criminal defense the Law office of T. Findlay Stokes represents clients in cases such as assault, battery, theft, sexual crimes, traffic criminal offense, possession drugs, fraud, sealing and expungement, misdemeanors and felonies to mention a few.
The Law office of T. Findlay Stokes have also assisted their clients outside of the state of Florida by associating with and providing legal representation with attorneys in other states.
Key Constitutional Rights
- Right to representation (attorney or counsel)
- Right to confront and cross-examine witnesses
- Right to testify
- Right to remain silent
- Right to a fair and speedy trial
- Right to use the subpoena power of the court to compel witnesses to testify
- In most cases, the right to a jury trial
- Right to be presumed innocent
The Process of a Criminal Case:
| MISDEMEANOR | FELONY |
| (Lower Court) | |
| Arraignment | Arraignment |
| Bail decision | Bail decision |
| Identification of defendant | Identification of defendant |
| Ascertaining charges | Ascertaining Charges |
| Confirming attorney of record | Confirming attorney of record |
| Pre-Trial Conference (one or more) | Pre-Preliminary Hearing |
| Negotiating a plea | Negotiating a plea |
| Identification of issues | Identifying issues |
| Identifying witnesses | Identifying witnesses |
| Identifying strengths / weaknesses | Identifying strengths/weaknesses |
| Trial (judge or jury) | Preliminary Hearing |
| Making pre-trial motions Deciding issues of fact |
Probable cause that crime was committed and defendant was the one who committed it |
| Sentencing | (Upper Court) |
| Imposition of sentence by judge after defendant has been convicted | Arraignment |
| Bail decision | |
| Appeal | Identification of defendant |
| A higher court may change the lower court’s decision. | Ascertaining charges |
| Confirming attorney of record | |
| Expungement | |
| Under some circumstances, the criminal record may be sealed |
Pre-Trial Conference |
| Negotiating a plea | |
| Identifying issues | |
| Identifying witnesses | |
| Identifying strengths/weaknesses | |
| Trial | |
| Pre-trial motions | |
| Deciding issues of fact | |
| Sentencing | |
| Sentence imposed by judge after the defendant has been convicted | |
| Appeal | |
| A higher court may change the lower court’s decision | |
| Expungement | |
| The criminal record may be sealed | |
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