Can you be Charged with Burglary of your Apartment?

The answer is NO but I have handled cases where clients have been arrested by the police and charged by the State Attorney’s office with a burglary of an apartment they shared with a girlfriend or boyfriend.

On August 23, 2011, the 1st District Court of Appeals (the DCA that covers Jacksonville) issued a ruling in Breen v. State finding it was error on the circuit court to allow a defendant to be convicted of burglary of a dwelling where evidence established that defendant entered apartment he shared with girlfriend, he was paying at least half the bills and expenses for the apartment, and his belongings were still in the apartment; and
there was no evidence that girlfriend revoked her consent to defendant living
in the apartment.

BE CAREFUL when in domestic disputes with a boyfriend/girlfriend
the police will be quick to act if they are called and will often arrest first
and ask questions later. Going to a friends house for the night is a heck of a
lot cheaper then fighting a criminal case. However, if you find yourself
charged with a crime after a domestic dispute call our office we’re here to
help.

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Classes of Criminal Offenses

At Canan Law we handle the following criminal offenses in both State and Federal Court:

  1. Felony: A felony is any criminal offense punishable by death or incarceration in a State or federal facility for a period exceeding one year. [Fla. Stat. §775.08(1)]
  2. Misdemeanor: A misdemeanor is any criminal offense punishable by incarceration in a county or federal correctional facility for a period not in excess of one year. Violations of county or municipal ordinances, even if punishable by
    incarceration in a county facility, are not considered misdemeanors. [Fla. Stat.
    §775.08(2)]
  3. Noncriminal Violations: Only felonies and misdemeanors are considered “crimes” under Florida law. Noncriminal violations are offenses punishable by no more than a fine, forfeiture, or other civil penalty. [Fla. Stat. §775.08(3)]
  4. Traffic Infractions: Generally, traffic infractions are noncriminal violations. However, some traffic violations, such as Driving Under the Influence (DUI), are “criminal traffic offenses” and may be classified as misdemeanors or felonies. Additionally, failure to pay a traffic ticket will cause your licensed to be suspended and if caught driving you will be charged with the crime of Driving on a Suspended license.

Understanding a charge and the penalties is critical to making good decisions in defense of
your case. If you have questions about your case call Canan Law 24 hours a day
at (904) 824-9402.

Posted in Crimes, Criminal Law, Felony, Misdemeanor, Traffic Tickets | Comments Off