Stuart Criminal Defense lawyer

Help when you face criminal charges

When you are charged with a crime, the most important decision you can make is your choice of a Stuart criminal defense attorney. Having an experienced, aggressive, and effective lawyer on your side may mean the difference between a prison sentence and reduced or dismissed charges.

Colter Law Group in Stuart, Florida was founded with the strong belief that everyone deserves an aggressive defense regardless of the charges or allegations.  As former prosecutors, the Stuart criminal defense attorneys of Colter Law Group have important experience with the courts and law enforcement.  We handle all crimes in state and federal court including —

Criminal Court Process

After posting bond, the next step in the criminal process is arraignment. If you have not hired a Stuart criminal attorney, you must attend this court date.

At arraignment, I will enter a plea of not guilty on your behalf and will enter a formal demand for discovery that will allow me to review all of the evidence that law enforcement plans to use against you. After arraignment your case will be set for docket sounding.

Docket sounding is usually held monthly and is a system that allows the judge to keep track of cases that are currently pending. At docket sounding, cases can be continued to a later court date, resolved with a change of plea, dropped by the state, or set for a trial.

In between court dates I aggressively present each client's case to the prosecutor, speak to witnesses, including law enforcement, all in an attempt to resolve the case without a trial. In addition, I file motions on the client's behalf, examine evidence, negotiate reduction of the charges, favorable plea agreements and even dismissal of entire cases.

Ultimately, each client has a constitutional right to a jury trial. I gained my initial trial experience as a misdemeanor and felony prosecutor in St. Lucie County.

Expungement/Sealing of criminal records

In Florida, under some circumstances, you may be able to have a criminal record expunged, which means that the record is no longer available for most purposes and in some cases you can deny having been arrested.  Colter Law Group can advise you on the laws that apply and help you get an arrest expunged or sealed, if possible.  

Aggressive advocacy of client interests

Colter Law Group is dedicated to aggressive advocacy for clients' interests in court and in plea negotiations.  Contact the firm online or call 772-919-8846 for assistance when you are facing criminal charges in Martin, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties.