Criminal Defense Attorneys in Miami Gardens, FL

If you’ve been arrested in Miami Gardens, your case will go through Miami-Dade County, and you need a defense now. A Florida-licensed criminal defense attorney practicing in Miami Gardens will review your charges for free.

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How we match your Miami Gardens criminal defense case

When you submit a Miami Gardens criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Florida law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Florida who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

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DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Criminal Defense cases in Miami Gardens

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Miami Gardens is policed by its own department alongside Miami-Dade Sheriff's deputies and Florida Highway Patrol on I-95 and the Palmetto, so traffic stops, DUI arrests, drug and firearm charges, and event-day incidents near Hard Rock Stadium are routine. Felony cases are prosecuted by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, with misdemeanors handled in the county court division; a smaller number of cases, often involving firearms, drugs, or fraud crossing state lines, are charged federally in the Southern District of Florida. Early representation matters at bond. DearLegal matches you with a Florida-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in Miami Gardens, with a free review.

Charges from Miami Gardens arrests are handled in Miami-Dade County, felonies in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court and misdemeanors in county court.
Multiple agencies make arrests in the city, including Miami Gardens police, county deputies, and state troopers on the nearby interstates.
Some conduct is instead prosecuted federally in the Southern District of Florida, where procedures and sentencing rules are very different.

Florida criminal defense rules at a glance

Miami Gardens cases run under Florida law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Florida page.

Read the full Florida criminal defense guide →

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for capital, life, or first-degree felonies punishable by life; 4 years for first-degree felonies; 3 years for other felonies (Fla. Stat. § 775.15)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years for first-degree misdemeanors; 1 year for second-degree (Fla. Stat. § 775.15)
Sentencing Structure: Criminal Punishment
Criminal Punishment Code (Fla. Stat. § 921.0024) scoresheet system; 10-20-Life firearm mandatory minimums (§ 775.087); Habitual Offender (§ 775.084) and PRR (§ 775.082(9)) enhancements
Expungement / Record Sealing: Fla. Stat. § 943.0585
Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 (expungement of non-convictions); § 943.059 (sealing of records); narrow eligibility, one-time use, many exclusions; juvenile expunction under § 943.0515
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.131 and Fla. Stat. § 903; constitutional right to bail with exceptions (Fla. Const. Art. I, § 14); Arthur hearings for capital and life felony cases
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Exhibit D

How much do Miami Gardens criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Florida · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in Florida are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in Florida work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Fla. R. Prof. Conduct 4-1.5(f)(3)(A) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases (homicide, federal healthcare fraud, multi-count) use hourly billing with substantial retainers. Florida’s 20 elected Public Defender offices represent indigent defendants.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

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Exhibit F

Miami Gardens criminal defense questions, answered

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You are typically booked into a Miami-Dade County facility and appear before a judge shortly after for a first appearance addressing bond and conditions of release. Prosecutors then decide what charges to formally file. Having an attorney at that early stage can affect release terms and the direction of the case.

Sometimes. Firearms, drug trafficking, and fraud cases with an interstate element can be picked up by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida, where the procedures and potential sentences differ significantly from state court. An attorney can assess that exposure and who is likely to prosecute.

Florida allows sealing or expunging some records, but eligibility depends on the charge, the outcome, and your prior history, and many dispositions do not qualify. There are also strict procedural requirements and deadlines that vary. A Florida attorney can review your record and confirm what is possible.

No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. Florida law enforcement — Miami-Dade PD, Broward Sheriff, Orlando PD, FHP, FDLE — use trained interrogation techniques. Anything you say can and will be used against you. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and your right to counsel under Miranda.

Yes. Florida first-degree misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in jail and $1,000 fines under Fla. Stat. § 775.082. Pretrial intervention (PTI) under Fla. Stat. § 948.08 can result in dismissal for first-time offenders, but enrollment requires prosecutor consent. Convictions trigger collateral consequences — license suspension, federal firearm bans for DV, immigration consequences.