Practical guides on Florida criminal defense, personal injury, and civil litigation from the Law Offices of Andre A. Rouviere. Written for people facing a legal situation right now, not abstract overviews.
A push during an argument is, on its own, a first-degree misdemeanor. The same push, if the other person has a prior battery conviction on their record, or if it happens to be directed at a police officer, becomes a felony, no weapon and no serious injury required. Whether the label ends up misdemeanor or
Misdemeanor vs. Felony in Florida: Why the Difference Matters More Than People Think Read More »
This misconception causes real harm, on both sides of a domestic violence case. People believe that if the alleged victim wants the charges dropped, the case simply ends. In Florida, that is not how the system works. Who controls the charges once a case is filed? Once a domestic violence case is filed, the decision
Can a Domestic Violence Victim Really Drop the Charges in Florida? Read More »
Missing a court date rarely resolves itself quietly. Whether the consequence is minor or serious depends heavily on what kind of case it is and what the hearing was for. See our full Criminal Case Timeline for how a missed hearing fits into the bigger picture of a case. What happens if I miss a
What Happens If I Miss a Court Date in Florida? Read More »
Florida’s domestic violence statutes changed in an important way on July 1, 2026. House Bill 277, the Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions Act, passed the Legislature without a single no vote and was signed into law by Governor DeSantis in May. The changes affect penalties, injunctions, and how repeat allegations are treated, and they apply
Florida’s New Domestic Violence Law (HB 277): What Changed on July 1 Read More »
DUI cases involve their own evidence, their own procedures, and their own deadlines that most general criminal defense questions do not cover. Here is what is worth asking before you hire someone to handle yours. “Have you handled the DHSMV license hearing, not just the criminal case?” A DUI arrest in Florida creates two separate
What to Ask a DUI Lawyer Before You Hire One Read More »
Having a valid card feels like it should settle the question, and often it does not entirely. Florida’s medical marijuana program creates real protection, but that coverage has specific limits most cardholders never learn about until they are already dealing with an arrest. The card is a defense, not immunity: it has to be raised
I Have a Florida Medical Marijuana Card and Got Arrested. What Happens? Read More »
A drug possession arrest raises immediate, practical questions, and the consequences reach further than the criminal case, into areas most people never connect to a drug charge at all. Your license is at risk too: a conviction can suspend driving privileges for up to two years, unrelated to how the drugs were found. Most substances
I Got a Drug Possession Charge in Florida. What Happens Now? Read More »
Being arrested changes the legal situation immediately, but it does not automatically put a lawyer in the room. There is a real window between arrest and formal representation, and what happens during it can shape the rest of the case. No automatic lawyer at arrest: a court-appointed attorney is typically assigned at First Appearance, not
I Was Just Arrested in Florida. Do I Need a Lawyer Now? Read More »
A first DUI arrest is disorienting, and most of what happens in the following days runs on a faster clock than people expect. Two separate processes start at the same time, and one of them moves regardless of what happens with the criminal case. License suspension starts at arrest: an administrative suspension can begin immediately,
I Just Got a DUI for the First Time in Florida. What Happens Now? Read More »
The calls usually start within a day or two of the accident, and they sound routine. They are not. What gets said in that first conversation can shape the entire value of a claim, and the answer to whether cooperation is required depends entirely on which insurance company is calling. The other driver’s insurer: no
The Insurance Adjuster Keeps Calling Me. Should I Talk to Them Without a Lawyer? Read More »
