Jeffrey H. Garland
Fighting for your rights
Mr Garland considers every case as different and potentially unique. It is often useful to focus on the core issue that a case presents. In a particular case it may be to simply admit that the accused did the "act" being charged, but to point out how that act is protected by the Constitution, by a privilege, or by a statutory right.
The war on crime has many victims. Overall, statistics show that crime has dropped over the past 30 years. Yet arrests must be made to justify the existence of, and funding for, the police-prison industrial complex. Many arrests are made on bare "probable cause" with little investigation to explore other suspects or other non- criminal explanations.
With a degree in chemistry Mr Garland has established a pattern of disputing poor scientific methods and conclusions not supported by research. Scientific evidence appears in just about every criminal case more complex than jay walking.
Other cases involve broader questions of constitutional rights. Why are some police so quick to charge firearm violations for people with no record? In an unsurprising number of cases the arrest violates the person's second amendment rights. Many cases involve such fundamental rights such as privacy, practice of religion, free speech and association. The exercise of constitutionally protected rights is frequently a valid defense to an arrest. Our constitutions do, in fact, retain the power of the government.
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- White Collar Crime
- Appeals & Appellate
- Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
- Federal Criminal
- Credit Cards Accepted
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Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
Fees are determined on a case by case basis. Cases involving complex facts, extensive discovery, and novel legal issues are necessarily more time intensive, and therefore more expensive. Consider that the attorney charging a low fee might be expecting to use a cookie cutter approach. The consumer should be aware that legal costs increase with novelty and complexity. The goals of representation should always be explored before the retainer agreement is signed.
- Florida
- 11th Circuit
- Trial Bar, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
- Trial Bar, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Supreme Court
- English: Spoken, Written
- Attorney
- The Law Office of Jeffrey H. Garland, P.A.
- - Current
- Senior Attorney
- Kirschner & Garland, PA
- -
- Senior Attorney
- Jeffrey H Garland, PA
- -
- Chief Assistant, Fort Pierce Office
- Office of Public Defender, 19th Judicial Circuit
- -
- Associate
- Muller & Mintz, PA
- -
- University of Florida Levin College of Law
- J.D. (1980) | Law
- -
- University of Florida
- B.S. (1978) | Chemistry
- -
- DISTINGUISHED Peer Rated for High Professional Achievement
- Martindale-Hubbell
- St. Lucie County Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Member
- - Current
- Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section
- Member
- - Current
- Florida Bar, Criminal Law Section
- Member
- - Current
- Florida State Bar  # 320765
- Member
- - Current
- Board Certified - Criminal Trial
- The Florida Bar
- Q. When a drug charge is dropped but they keep the paraphenlia charge which was the bags it was in is this legal
- A: You might be happy that the drug change is dropped. If there was no basis for the cop to suspect drugs were in the bag, then by all means defend the case on that basis. What makes paraphernalia illegal is its association with illegal drugs. Do keep in mind that some paraphernalia may not have come into contact with drugs… yet. An example is plastic bags which are available for use in packaging drugs for sale. Whether that is true in your case only you would know. Such information should only be disclosed confidentially to your lawyer. So you ask whether bags are always illegal. To this the obvious answer is no. Related issues involve the legality of the stop and/or search. It is also significant ... Read More
- Q. What kind of lawyer do I need for a case of Failing to Stop and fleeing and eluding charge
- A: You will need a criminal defense attorney. The failing to stop might be a non-criminal citation or a criminal charge. If it is a citation, it will likely be in a different court. The flee & elude is a felony charge. Your lawyer could move to consolidate the citation with the felony. Some judges would grant such a motion; most judges would deny it. If the failing to stop is a misdemeanor, the prosecutor might drop it if it is part and parcel of the felony. If the prosecutor wants to go forward on both the flee & elude, and misdemeanor version of failing to stop, then they would likely be consolidated together. You can retain an attorney to handle the case even though you are in a different ... Read More
- Q. Is it legal to be charged for the same charge in two different states
- A: Yours is a complex question suitable for law school. The starting point would be the status of the two states as sovereign entities under the US Constitution. Each State has the right to enforce its laws. The limit of a State’s power to prosecute is likely a product of both jurisdiction and due process. The State court jurisdiction is probably set by its own constitution and statutes. If either, or both, of the States do not have jurisdiction under its own law, then one or both States would lack jurisdiction to prosecute. Regardless of the State law, federal due process, equal protection and privileges and immunities would likely prevent a State from prosecuting a citizen of another State when ... Read More