Broward County Restraining Order

February 5, 2018 by
Broward County Restraining Order

Broward County Restraining Order

How to Get a Restraining Order in Broward County

I wrote about Florida restraining orders in general in 2016.  Click on this link to read the prior post: How to get a restraining order in Florida.  This article is titled Broward County Restraining Order.  It focuses on the specific steps needed to obtain a restraining order in Broward County.  It includes the locations and some general instructions.

Disclaimer

I would like to initially state that I have and continue to represent both Petitioners and Respondents in restraining order proceedings.  I am a criminal defense attorney so I typically defend individuals in restraining order hearings.  Any honest attorney will tell you that the majority of injunctions filed are either gross exaggerations or outright fabrications.  There are very few things that irritate me more than bogus restraining orders.  That is putting it mildly.  So, while I am giving instructions on how to proceed in order to obtain an injunction in Broward County, I hope this reaches somebody who really needs it as opposed to somebody who is going to use it as a tactical advantage in a divorce and/or custody proceeding.

Just a quick review of the basics to start.  There are five (5) different types of restraining orders available in Florida.  The relationship between the parties determines the proper injunction.  The individual requesting the restraining order is the petitioner.  The individual accused of the alleged misconduct is the respondent.  The following are the types of restraining orders available:

  1. Domestic Violence Restraining Order;
  2. Dating Violence Restraining Order;
  3. Repeat Violence Restraining Order;
  4. Stalking Restraining Order or Harassment;
  5. Sexual Violence Restraining Order.

Florida Restraining Order Requirements

As previously stated, I last time I wrote about restraining orders was in 2016.  An updated Domestic Violence Benchbook was published in 2017.  The benchbook is a good place to look for case law updates.  It also contains a variety of checklists, flowcharts, and worksheets.  You can use those to make sure that your work is thorough and accurate.

Domestic Violence Bench Book containing Florida restraining order requirements link: 2017 DV Benchbook

Broward County Restraining Order Procedure

The procedure for how to get a restraining order is fairly simple.  The petitioner goes to the domestic violence intake unit at the courthouse.  He or she completes the paperwork provided by the clerk of courts.  A judge reviews the petition and the supporting documents.  The court is permitted to enter an “ex-parte” temporary restraining order if the petition is legally sufficient.  What does this mean?  Legally sufficient means, based on the allegations as written, the court finds that there is an immediate and present danger if an injunction is not granted.  This means that the court can enter a temporary injunction without notice to the accused.  The injunction is granted based only on the allegations contained in the petition.  No proof and no hearing are required for the temporary injunction.

Broward County Restraining Order | Where do I File?

You can file for a restraining order at two locations in Broward County.  The main courthouse in Fort Lauderdale and the West Regional Courthouse in Plantation.  The addresses are as follows:

Main courthouse: 201 SE 6th St., Room # 02140, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, but all filings must be completed before 5:00 pm.

West Regional Courthouse: 100 N. Pine Island Dr., Plantation, FL 33324

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, but all filings must be completed by 2:00 pm.

Hearing

The court will always set a hearing if a temporary injunction is granted.  Likewise, the court will usually set a hearing if the temporary injunction is denied.  The initial hearing is required to be set within 15 days of the initial order granting or denying the ex-parte petition.  The final hearings are held in the domestic violence division at the main courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

The final hearing is a trial by judge.  The Rules of Evidence apply.  Which bring us to the last point.

Restraining Order Attorney

If the restraining order proceeding is important to you, hire an attorney.  You are much more likely to obtain a good result.  You don’t want to lose your case because you don’t know how to properly enter an item or statement into evidence.

Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney, Michael Dye, has experience prosecuting and defending civil domestic violence restraining orders and other injunctions.  For additional information, please contact us at:

The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 1 East Broward Boulevard #700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (954)990-0525

Filed Under: Broward County Restraining Order, Civil Law, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Injunctions, Ex Parte Restraining Order, Florida Restraining Order, Order of Protection, Repeat Violence, Restraining Order, Sexual Violence, Stalking, Temporary Restraining Order Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aggravated Battery | Felony Battery

February 9, 2016 by

Aggravated Battery v. Felony Battery

Aggravated Battery vs Felony Battery

Aggravated Battery vs Felony Battery

Aggravated battery is always a felony, but felony battery is not always an aggravated battery.  Simple battery can be charged as felony battery under certain circumstances.

Battery Basics

Criminal battery can be either a misdemeanor or a felony.  So why would somebody get charged with misdemeanor battery as opposed to felony battery and vice versa?  You will need to know some definitions and some statutes in order to make the determination.  Those are all provided blow. However, this is how you will conduct the analysis: 1) is the battery simple or aggravated; 2) aggravated battery is always a felony; 3) if it is a simple battery, does the individual qualify for the felony enhancement due to his/her prior criminal record?; 4) if it is a simple battery, is the victim entitled to special protection by statute?

Battery Definition

Florida law separates the crime of battery into two categories.  Simple battery is typically charged as a misdemeanor, but can be charged as a felony under certain circumstances.  Aggravated battery is always charged as a felony.

Simple Battery Definition

Florida Statute 784.03 defines simple battery.  The offense of battery occurs when a person:

1. Actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other; or
2. Intentionally causes bodily harm to another person.

Aggravated Battery Definition

Florida Statute 784.045 defines aggravated battery.  A person commits aggravated battery who, in committing battery:

1. Intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement; or
2. Uses a deadly weapon.
Florida has also added a third way to commit an aggravated battery.
3. A person commits aggravated battery if the person who was the victim of the battery was pregnant at the time of the offense and the offender knew or should have known that the victim was pregnant.

Felony Battery

Aggravated battery is always a felony.  Aggravated battery is sometimes called “aggravated bat” or “agg bat” for short.  Simple battery, as defined in Florida Statute 784.03, is typically charged as a misdemeanor, but can be charged as a felony.  Simple battery can be charged as a felony if the defendant has a prior conviction for battery, aggravated battery or felony battery.

Simple battery can also be charged as a felony if the victim is in a certain class of individuals or the battery is particularly reprehensible.  An example of a classification enhancement would be battery on a law enforcement officer a/k/a battery leo.  An example of particularly reprehensible behavior would be throwing bodily fluids at a jail employee.  Please note that enhancement, covered in Florida Statute 784.078, covers all employees and not just the guards.

Domestic Battery | Domestic Violence Cases

Domestic battery does not qualify for an automatic felony enhancement.  Domestic battery is treated the same as any other battery although domestic cases are typically segregated into designated domestic violence courts for prosecution.  All this means is that the potential consequences for a domestic battery are the same as if it were any other person.  In reality, domestic battery, as well as all other domestic violence cases, are prosecuted much more harshly than other battery cases.

Felony Battery | Classifications

Simple battery can be charged as felony battery under certain circumstances.  All of the circumstances are set forth in Florida Statutes Chapter 784 so I will not include a direct link to each statute, but rather the entire chapter.

Florida Statute 784.03 – a prior conviction for battery, aggravated battery or felony battery enhances a simple battery charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.  It is important to note that a withheld adjudication counts as a prior conviction under this statute;

Florida Statute 784.07 – battery of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical care providers, public transit employees or agents, or other specified officers;

Florida Statute 784.074 – battery on sexually violent predators detention or commitment facility staff;

Florida Statute 784.075 – battery on detention or commitment facility staff or a juvenile probation officer;

Florida Statute 784.076 – battery on health services personnel;

Florida Statute 784.078 – battery of facility employee by throwing, tossing, or expelling certain fluids or materials;

Florida Statute 784.08 – battery on persons 65 years of age or older;

Florida Statute 784.081 – battery on specified officials or employees(sports officials and education officials);

Florida Statute 784.082 – battery by a person who is being detained in a prison, jail, or other detention facility upon visitor or other detainee;

Florida Statute 784.083 – battery on code inspectors;

Florida Statute 784.084 – battery of child by throwing, tossing, projecting, or expelling certain fluids or materials.

Ft. Lauderdale criminal attorney, Michael Dye, has extensive experience handling aggravated battery, felony battery and domestic battery cases through trial. For more information concerning aggravated battery and other battery charges, please contact us at:

The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 1 East Broward Boulevard #700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (954)990-0525

Filed Under: Aggravated Battery, Assault and Battery, Battery, Criminal Lawyer, Domestic Battery, Domestic Violence, Felony Battery, Misdemeanor Battery, Simple Battery Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Assault and Battery | What is the Difference?

December 28, 2015 by

Assault and Battery

Assault and Battery

Assault & Battery is a Matter of Do or Do Not

The words assault and battery are often incorrectly used together to describe one criminal charge. For example, an individual on a television show might be arrested for “assault and battery.” In reality, assault is a criminal charge and battery is another. It is important to meet with a solicitor for any personal injury and understand that you cannot be convicted of assault and battery under Florida Law because the assault merges into the battery. You need to understand the common law definitions of both words in order to understand how an assault can “merge” into a battery.

What is Common Law?

According to the Miriam – Webster online dictionary, the simple definition of the phrase common law is “the laws that developed from English court decisions and customs and that form the basis of laws in the U.S.” A simplistic, yet very accurate, way to view common law is as the laws that the United States inherited from England.  So common law in the various states consists of the laws established by the English legal system until July 4, 1776.  The common law did not have published statutes and rules, but rather relied almost exclusively on custom and prior judicial decisions.

Louisiana is the only state that does not use English Common Law.  The United States purchased the land, including what is now known as the State of Louisiana, from France in 1803.  Not surprisingly, this real estate deal is known as the “Louisiana Purchase.” Louisiana adopted the Napoleonic Code as the basis for its law in 1812 due to its history as a French colony.  If you are an attorney and you ever run across a Louisiana state court decision while researching, just ignore it.

Common Law Definition of Battery

The common law definition of battery is “an unlawful application of force to the person of another resulting in either bodily injury or an offensive touching.”

Common Law Definition of Assault

Black’s Law Dictionary defines assault at common law as “the threat or use of force on another that causes that person to have a reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact.” Since we know that battery is a harmful of offensive touching without the consent of the individual, an alternative definition for assault at common law is the act of putting another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of an immediate battery by means of an act amounting to an attempt or threat to commit a battery.

Assault Merges into Battery

There is no such crime as “attempted battery.”  An attempt to commit a battery is an assault.  Likewise, battery is a successful assault depending on your point of view.  You can be charged with assault and you can be charged with battery, but not assault and battery.

For example, if you 1) throw a punch at somebody; 2) without lawful justification; 3) he or she sees you throw the punch; 4) he or she believes that the punch may connect; 5) but you miss, that is an assault under Florida Law.  If you 1) throw a punch at somebody; 2) without lawful justification and 3) you hit the person causing “harmful or offensive”contact, that is a battery under Florida Law regardless of whether the individual saw it coming.

Here is an easy way to look at it, Master Yoda told young Luke Skywalker “Do or do not……..there is no try.”  So if you DO hit somebody, it is battery.  If you DO NOT hit somebody, it is assault.

Florida Statute 784.03 | Florida Statute 784.011

Florida maintains the common law definitions for both battery and assault.  The Florida Statute defining battery is 784.03.  The Florida Statute defining assault is 784.011.  As you might imagine, punching somebody is a more serious offense that trying to punch somebody.  Accordingly, a first conviction for battery is a first degree misdemeanor.  A first conviction for assault is a second degree misdemeanor.  However, a second conviction for a battery is a third degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Aggravated Assault | Aggravated Battery

Aggravated assault and aggravated battery are enhanced criminal offenses due to the circumstances surrounding the offense.  Aggravated assault is defined in Florida Statute 784.021.  Aggravated battery is defined in Florida Statute 784.045.  The “aggravating” factor is typically the use of a weapon.  For example, let’s say that you and your roommate are having an argument.  If you throw a punch at your roommate and miss, that is an assault.  If you swing a baseball bat at your roommate and miss, that is aggravated assault and, consequently, a felony.

Domestic Violence

A domestic violence criminal charge arises out of the same underlying statute.  Florida law does not attempt to distinguish victims by their relationships to the defendant.  However, most, if not all, Judicial Circuits administratively segregate cases involving domestic violence.  Domestic violence cases are typically conducted in their own separate courtrooms due to the unique issues that are often present in domestic violence cases.

Certain states do distinguish domestic violence cases from other violent crimes by statute.  For example, in North Carolina, Statute 14-33(d) states that an “assault”(modified common law definition to include battery), committed by a individual in a personal relationship with the victim, while in the presence of a minor is an A1 Misdemeanor as opposed to a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Ft. Lauderdale criminal attorney, Michael Dye, has extensive experience handling assault charges, battery charges and domestic violence cases in both county and circuit court.  For more information concerning possession of marijuana and other drug charges, please contact us at:

The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 1 East Broward Boulevard #700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (954)990-0525 or
The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 2 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33131 (305)459-3286

Additional help for this post came from Palm Beach Domestic Violence Defense Attorney Matthew Konecky, Esq. and

Raleigh Domestic Violence Attorney Jane Weatherly, Esq.

Filed Under: Assault, Assault, Assault and Battery, Assault and Battery, Battery, Battery, Common Law, Domestic Violence Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Can I Drop Domestic Violence Charges?

October 8, 2015 by
How Can I Drop Domestic Violence Charges?

Can I Drop Domestic Violence Charges?

Domestic Violence Charges

This question typically comes up in one of two ways. First, the victim of domestic violence will call to speak with an attorney and say that he or she does not want to press charges. Second, the defendant will call and tell the attorney that his or her significant other does not want to prosecute the case. When you need an attorney website, reach out for web design palm springs.

It is easy to get jaded after hearing these questions time after time and the individual speaking to you once an explanation for every answer you provide. A domestic violence attorney needs to remember that this is probably the most traumatic incident in that person’s life. Whether you are handling criminal domestic violence charges or civil domestic violence injunctions, these cases require a lot of patience and compassion.

Criminal Domestic Violence | Who it the Victim

The answer that people do not want to hear is that the victim or the alleged victim cannot drop criminal domestic violence charges.  There is hope.  Just keep reading. The reason why is because the “person victim” is not the “legal victim.” In criminal domestic violence cases, the victim is the State of Florida. Hypothetically, let’s assume that the defendant’s name is John Smith. A criminal domestic violence case would be titled “The State of Florida vs. John Smith.” The State of Florida is the party to the case. The “person victim” who suffered or allegedly suffered the abuse is merely a witness.

Domestic Violence Injunctions | Who is the Victim

Civil domestic violence cases are different. In a civil domestic violence case the victim or alleged victim goes to the courthouse and files a Petition for Protection against Domestic Violence. Again, let’s use John Smith as the alleged perpetrator and his wife Jane Smith as the alleged victim according to Divorce Lawyer Chicago. Jane Smith would file the petition and the case would be titled “Jane Smith vs. John Smith.” Jane Smith would be what is called “The Petitioner” in this hypothetical case and John Smith would be called “The Respondent.” The Petitioner is the individual who is requesting a domestic violence restraining order. Notice how the first party in the criminal domestic violence case is “The State of Florida” while the first party in the civil case is the individual “Jane Smith.” Jane is not just a witness in the civil case, Jane is a party to the civil case. Jane can voluntarily dismiss the civil case at any time because she is the prosecuting party. The Office of the State Attorney decides whether to prosecute in the criminal case.

Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Domestic Violence Charges

Attorneys who defend domestic violence cases hear a lot of the same questions repeated in various forms. Chances are that your idea is not something we haven’t heard before, so ask before you do. Some of the more common questions are:

  • Will the state drop charges if I write a letter to the state attorney?
  • Will the state drop charges if I say it never happened?
  • What will happen if I don’t(or the other party doesn’t) show up for court?
  • What if I just refuse to cooperate?
  • Can’t I just tell the judge that I don’t want to prosecute?

The Answers

Understanding that there are no guarantees either way, I will address these one by one.

  • The state will probably not drop the charges because you write a letter saying that you do not want to prosecute. This has the potential to do much more harm than good.  It could help the state’s case if it is not worded correctly.  If the letter indicates that you have had contact with the defendant, that could lead to additional charges or the defendant’s bond being revoked.  This is an all around bad idea.
  • If you say it never happened, the outcome depends on your initial statement. Pursuant to Florida Statute 117.10, police officers are allowed to administer oaths. So the statement that you made to the police officer in the beginning of this case was probably under penalty of perjury. Even if you aren’t subject to a perjury charge, you can still be charged with making a false report.  You may expose yourself to significant criminal liability by retracting your statement.
  • You are legally required to show up for court if you have been subpoenaed. You may expose yourself to criminal liability if you do not show up for court after being subpoenaed. Furthermore, the court can issue what is called a writ of bodily attachment and have a police officer go pick you up………….. in handcuffs……………. and you might be required to stay in jail for the remainder of the proceedings in order to assure your appearance. Does this happen? Yes. Does it happen frequently? It depends on the jurisdiction, the policies at the state attorney’s office, circumstances surrounding the case and ultimately the individual prosecutor. Furthermore, it is a violation of the rules of professional ethics for any attorney to advise you not to show up after you have been subpoenaed.
  • There are other ways the state can obtain a conviction if you refuse to cooperate or simply do not show up. Under certain circumstances tapes of 911 telephone calls can be introduced to prove an individual’s guilt even if the witness does not appear. Many times there are other witnesses who can testify to the facts.
  • You may want to speak with the judge directly, but the judge is not allowed to discuss the case with out the state attorney and the defense attorney being present. In the event you do get to speak to the judge, you could put yourself or the defendant in a much worse situation. Additionally, judges are very suspect of individuals who suddenly get amnesia or say that it was all “a big misunderstanding.”

How can I Drop Domestic Violence Charges?

If you want to have criminal domestic violence charges dropped, the victim(aka the witness) should have his or her own attorney separate from the defendant’s attorney. Any appearance of impropriety is alleviated by both parties having separate attorneys. The attorneys can work together to lift the criminal no contact order and/or prepare an affidavit of nonprosecution specific to the case. While there are no guarantees, hiring separate attorneys has proven to have the highest rate of success and getting domestic violence charges dropped or dismissed.

For more information on how to get domestic violence charges dismissed, please contact us at:

The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 1 East Broward Boulevard #700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (954)990-0525 or
The Law Offices of Michael A. Dye, PA, 2 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33131 (305)459-3286

Filed Under: Civil Law, Criminal Lawyer, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Injunctions, Perjury, Restraining Order Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,