Experienced Tampa Criminal Defense Lawyer
Amy Ruiz Law, PL, is a full-service law firm. We practice in all areas of criminal defense, including DUI arrests, misdemeanors and felonies, assault and battery, drug charges, and more in both Florida and Federal Courts.
We pride ourselves on providing our clients with exceptional legal representation and professionalism. As your law firm, we will fight to help you avoid a conviction, minimize your penalties, or reduce or dismiss your criminal charges.
Defense attorney Amy Ruiz has 20 years of experience. She has worked as a prosecutor and as a public defender, so she has handled hundreds of criminal cases. She knows how prosecutors think, and she knows how to fight criminal charges.
Call 813-364-0364 or complete our form for a free consultation regarding your case. Se Habla Español.
DUI Arrests
A DUI (driving under the influence) charge can be overwhelming and leave you feeling vulnerable and helpless. It is important to take immediate action. In order to protect your driving privileges, you must file a motion for a formal administrative review hearing within 10 days of your arrest. Otherwise, you lose the right to contest the automatic suspension of your driver’s license. Or, in the alternative, you can waive the formal review hearing and seek an immediate hardship license. Both options should be discussed with an attorney.
Fighting a DUI charge without a qualified DUI attorney is risky business. If you lose, it could have a significant impact on your life and your finances. A DUI conviction has serious consequences, including the loss of your driver’s license, high fines (up to $5,000), increased insurance premiums, jail time, required community service and more.
After a DUI arrest, call our experienced Tampa DUI attorney at Amy Ruiz Law, PL, now. Ms. Ruiz and our team will do everything we can to help you reduce or eliminate the penalties from your DUI charge and help you get your life back on track.
Misdemeanors
A misdemeanor may seem minor, but the consequences could be far-reaching. If convicted, you could face up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or probation.
While on probation, you could face mandatory requirements such as reporting to a probation officer on a monthly basis and submitting to random drug tests. You could also be required to pay for your probation services. The most significant consequence is that a misdemeanor conviction will earn you a criminal record.
After receiving a misdemeanor charge, it’s in your best interest to hire an attorney to help you fight. An experienced criminal defense lawyer may be able to help you get a reduced penalty, get the charge dismissed and/or preserve your chance to seal or expunge your record.
Your criminal defense attorney may be able to work with the judge and prosecutor to negotiate a shorter probationary term or non-supervised probation, or have the charge dismissed altogether. Call experienced criminal defense attorney Amy Ruiz today.
Felony Arrests
If you get convicted of a felony offense, you could be facing a lengthy prison sentence and costly fines. Now more than ever, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side who is dedicated to providing you with the legal support and aggressive defense you need to fight your felony charge.
Penalties For Felony Convictions
- Third-degree felony: Up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000
- Second-degree felony: Up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000
- First-degree felony: Up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000
- Life felony: Punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole and a fine of up to $15,000
- Capital felony: Death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole
Call Tampa criminal defense lawyer Amy Ruiz to discuss your case now. She and our team will analyze every detail of your case and provide a strong defense to help you avoid a conviction, minimize the penalties of your charge, or reduce or dismiss the charges altogether. We are dedicated to defending the accused from the harsh penalties of a felony conviction.
Violations Of Probation (VOP)
If you receive probation, the court will require you to follow a long list of rules such as reporting to your probation officer, submitting to random drug tests and allowing your probation officer to check up on you at home or work. This includes warrantless searches of your home.
You could also be barred from certain activities such as owning or carrying a firearm, moving from your current location or leaving the county without permission. Violating any of the terms of your probation or being charged with a new crime during your probationary period could lead to serious consequences such as jail or prison time.
If you are accused of violating your probation or fear you will be accused by your probation officer, call Tampa criminal defense lawyer Amy Ruiz now. She knows how to defend against a violation of probation charge and will fight to protect your rights and freedom.
Assault And Battery Charges
The consequences of assault and battery charges can affect many areas of your life, from your employment or academic status to your right to own a firearm. While often used interchangeably, assault and battery are two distinct crimes.
In simple terms, an assault occurs when someone intentionally threatens to harm someone else and puts that person in fear. Battery, on the other hand, is a physical act. It occurs when someone intentionally strikes another person against their will or intentionally causes them bodily harm.
Depending on the circumstances, assault and battery charges can also be enhanced to aggravated assault and aggravated battery, which are felony offenses that carry more serious consequences. For example, an assault charge can be enhanced to aggravated assault if a weapon was used. Similarly, battery charge can be enhanced to aggravated battery if the victim was seriously injured, was pregnant during the battery, or was an elderly or disabled person.
If you are facing an assault and/or battery charge, call our experienced criminal defense attorney at Amy Ruiz Law, PL. She will review the circumstances of your case and develop a strong and viable defense to help you minimize or avoid the charges against you.
Drug Possession And Drug Trafficking
After an arrest for drug possession or drug trafficking, you could be facing some harsh penalties, including high fines and minimum mandatory prison sentences. Many factors, including the quantity and type of substance you allegedly possessed, will determine whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. Certain controlled substances also carry harsher penalties than others.
In some instances, we can file a motion to suppress the evidence. Your entire case could be won or lost based on this motion. That is why it is important to contact an experienced attorney who can analyze your case.
If the prosecution does not have enough evidence to prove that you were in actual or constructive possession of a controlled substance, we could file a motion to dismiss the charges in your case and argue it before a judge.
At Amy Ruiz Law, PL, we make it a priority to stay on top of any recent changes in the laws that deal specifically with drug offenses.
Accused of drug possession or drug trafficking? Contact Tampa drug lawyer Amy Ruiz now. She and our team will give you the support and advice you need during this troubling time and fight on your behalf to seek a dismissal or reduced charges.
Juvenile Defense
If your child (under the age of 18) is facing juvenile charges, you need an attorney by your side who understands the complexities of the juvenile court system. Your child could face harsh punishments such as expulsion from school or detention in a juvenile facility.
These consequences could have lasting effects on your child’s future academic and employment opportunities. In certain cases, the prosecutor may charge your child as an adult, increasing the consequences even more.
At Amy Ruiz Law, PL, we will advocate on your child′s behalf to help reduce the negative consequences of his or her arrest. If possible, we will also seek to seal or expunge your child’s records. We have your child’s best interest at heart and will do everything we can to defend your child from the charges against them.
Sealing And Expunging Criminal Records
The moment the police arrest you for a crime, it goes on your criminal arrest record. Even with no conviction, the charge will remain on your record permanently, which could cause you problems later on when trying to gain housing or employment.
In some instances, it is possible to seal or expunge your record, which can be extremely beneficial. Sealing your record takes it out of the public eye, meaning it won’t show up in a routine background check. However, your sealed record will still be available to the city, state and federal government and agencies. When a record is expunged, it means that no one can view it without a court order.
Arrested but not convicted? We may be able to seal or expunge that record. Contact the knowledgeable criminal defense attorney at Amy Ruiz Law, PL, to discuss your specific circumstances and see whether you qualify under the law. We handle these types of cases all over the state of Florida, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk and Manatee counties. We will do everything we can to help get your record clean.
Contact Our Tampa Criminal Defense Lawyer Now For A Free Consultation
After any criminal charge, call Tampa criminal defense attorney Amy Ruiz as soon as possible. She will work aggressively to help you avoid a conviction, minimize your penalties or reduce or dismiss your charges. Contact Amy Ruiz Law, PL, by phone or email today for a free consultation.
Call 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 813-364-0364.