Florida Courts:
Civil and Criminal Courts and the Attorneys who Keep them Running
The Florida court system is divided into two parts: civil and criminal. Some Florida attorneys will work within both systems, especially those who specialize in juvenile law, while others will focus purely on either one or the other aspect of law. Some criminal cases may span both however.
Domestic violence may start as a civil matter and turn into a criminal one for instance, or the other way around. An injunction of protection (commonly called a restraining order) can be applied for in the civil courts and enforced there or may need to be enforced by the criminal courts if the abuse escalates.
Regardless of whether the matter is civil or criminal, the courts try to seek the resolution that is not only fair to all parties involved but that protects the laws and interests of the state of Florida and its residents. Criminal courts will levy punishments including fines, jail time and court costs to help defray the cost of not only hearing the case in the first place but also the cost of jail time.
The civil court seeks to keep issues between residents from escalating to the point where they may become criminal actions. The civil court hears matters such as divorce, child custody, child support and other matters. Also, the civil court may also become involved when an adoption takes place or during the investigation for allegations of child abuse or neglect, after the criminal court handles the original disposition of course.
Having the right Florida defense attorney will make your court experience faster and easier to deal with because it will lessen the anxiety that you feel. A divorce can be very stressful, especially if one party is not interested in getting a divorce in the first place. Having a good defense attorney may be enough to elicit a faster settlement and end the threat of dangerous escalations.