There are certain rights guaranteed to every citizen. One of these is the right to legal counsel in your criminal matter. If you think that you or a loved one is suspected of a domestic violence crime, it just makes good sense to act without delay and retain the services of an experienced Florida domestic violence attorney. The police are very skilled at their jobs. Make sure that you have skill on your side by having counsel representing you.
Once you’ve retained counsel, you have a right to have that attorney present when being questioned by the police, in many situations. If the police fail to follow this rule, you may be entitled to get statements you’ve made to them excluded from evidence. An example of this was the case of a Manatee County man named Cornelius. On the afternoon and evening of June 6, Cornelius had been acting strangely while visiting his parents’ home. By 4 a.m. on June 7, the parents took Cornelius to the hospital, and he was committed under the Baker Act. The Baker Act is a state law that allows for involuntary confinement of an individual due to mental illness. This commitment can be initiated by a judge, a police officer, a doctor, or a mental health professional.
That meant Cornelius was in the hospital and was not free to leave. On the evening of June 7, Cornelius’ mom returned to the hospital. The staff there told her she couldn’t see her son. Cornelius’ girlfriend, she was told, had been found murdered in her home, and the police were coming to question Cornelius. Cornelius’ mother did what a wise mom in her shoes should do: she immediately retained legal counsel for her son. Cornelius’ lawyer arrived at the hospital sometime later, but the staff didn’t let him talk to his client. He left a business card with the staff.