Katz & Associates | West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer
Make sense of what the court is asking of you.
A release order may set limits on your day while another notice tells you when to appear. You also need to know how to defend the charge. Katz & Associates helps people facing criminal cases in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County understand those demands and decide how to respond.
Tell us what you received and what is unclear. If police have asked to speak with you, say so when you call. You can seek advice about that request before a court case has been filed. We can discuss the charge, the next hearing and whether the firm can represent you. Call 772-933-5289 or ask for a defense call below.
Serving West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County
Florida firm established in 2005
Call 772-933-5289
Your defense includes the case and the terms you must follow
A criminal defense lawyer can examine the accusation, review court orders, prepare legal challenges and explain your choices. Part of that work is helping you understand what you must do while the case is pending.
Start with the full set of papers. A bond receipt, release order and hearing notice answer different questions. Ask which terms remain in force and what the next court event is meant to address. Paying a bond does not give you permission to disregard the other conditions of release.
Our Florida criminal defense practice explains the range of matters we handle. For a West Palm Beach case, the first discussion should connect that legal work to your current court requirements.
West Palm Beach hearings: check the division as well as the address
The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit's courthouse directory lists two different court locations in West Palm Beach:
Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse
205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
Criminal Justice Complex
3228 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.
These are court locations. Use your notice and current case information to find the right destination, courtroom and time. The directory also lists courthouses in Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach and Belle Glade, so the county name alone is not enough to choose a building.
The court's division directory links to the assigned judge's instructions. Those instructions can affect how a hearing is held. County Criminal Division B, for example, requires a written request and court order for remote attendance. A Zoom link by itself is not permission to attend every hearing from home. See the Division B hearing instructions.
Have your lawyer check the instructions for your own division and hearing. Do not apply another division's procedure to your case or assume that hiring counsel excuses your attendance.
When an order does not fit the life you need to lead
A release order can affect travel, reporting, where you stay or contact with another person. Explain the practical problem to your lawyer before taking a step that may conflict with the order.
Under Florida's pretrial release law, you must comply with the conditions imposed by the court. A no-contact order remains enforceable during pretrial release unless the court changes it. Its limits can include contact through someone else.
If work requires travel, share the dates and the written restriction. If belongings or child contact are a concern, show counsel the order before making arrangements. A lawyer can assess whether to ask the court for a change and what facts would support the request. Needing a change does not mean it has been granted.
Keep a copy of each new order. Ask what changed, what stayed the same and when a new term takes effect. That helps you follow the actual ruling rather than an informal account of the hearing.
The accusation determines the legal work
Court instructions matter, but they are only part of the defense. Katz & Associates can discuss the following state criminal matters and the work each may require.
DUI and criminal traffic charges
The stop, driving evidence and testing may raise different issues. A DUI suspension can also start a separate license process. Section 322.2615 allows formal or informal review of an administrative DUI suspension. You must ask for that review within 10 days after the notice is issued. A later criminal hearing does not extend this period. Bring the notice when you speak with counsel.
Drug cases
Counsel can examine the claimed link between you and the substance, the search and the test results. The review depends on the charge, including whether the state alleges possession or another offense.
Battery, assault and domestic allegations
What each person did and could see may be disputed. We can review accounts, injuries and available recordings, together with any release terms that affect contact or returning home.
Theft and fraud allegations
Records of ownership, permission and a transaction may matter as much as a short account of the event. We can discuss what the state alleges, what is disputed and which records could clarify it.
If your papers name a different charge, ask whether the firm can take that matter. Explain any existing case too. A new accusation and an older court order may need separate attention.
Preparing for a hearing means more than showing up
Before a hearing, ask what the court may decide and what your lawyer needs from you. A request to change release terms calls for different preparation from a hearing about evidence or an offer to resolve the charge.
Your account helps counsel identify disputed facts. A useful review also looks at the state's records, the legal grounds for a challenge and what remains unknown. Share difficult facts along with those that support your position. Do not alter or discard original records.
Before agreeing to resolve a case, discuss the exact terms and the alternatives. Ask about any effect on a work license, immigration status or other case so the right advice can be arranged. No outcome can be promised from the name of the charge or a brief first call.
Questions about following court requirements
Can I use the Zoom details from an earlier hearing?
Have the current hearing instructions checked first. Remote attendance may require a request and an order, and the assigned division matters. Save the new notice and ask counsel to confirm how you must appear.
I paid the bond. Do I still have to follow release conditions?
Yes. Payment does not cancel the court's other release terms. Read the order for reporting, travel and contact restrictions. Ask counsel about any limit you cannot understand or meet before acting contrary to it.
I have moved since the court papers were issued. What should I do?
Tell your lawyer promptly and ask how your contact information must be updated in the case. Giving an address to one office may not update every record. Keep copies of notices and check how you will receive future orders.
I need an interpreter or help hearing. When should I raise that?
Raise it when the hearing is being arranged. Tell counsel what assistance you need so the court's process can be checked. Division B's instructions include separate interpreter and disability accommodation contacts; your own division's instructions should also be reviewed.
The date on my notice has already passed. Can I wait for another one?
Contact a lawyer promptly to check the court record and what action is needed. Do not assume a replacement notice will resolve a missed appearance. Share the original notice and explain when you learned about the date.
Tell us which requirement you need help understanding
Call Katz & Associates at 772-933-5289. Have the charge, county, next date and any written order available if you can. You can still ask for help when you are missing papers.
Before hiring the firm, discuss who would handle the case, how updates would work and what the legal fee includes. Ask whether trial or a separate license matter would require added work. The About page introduces the firm, and the contact page offers another way to reach the team.
Request a West Palm Beach defense call
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