Are you facing criminal charges as a direct result of a search and seizure on your property by Florida law enforcement? It is beneficial to carefully review your situation and ensure you did not experience a violation of your personal rights. Police have to follow certain protocol, and violating procedures could undermine the entire case against you.
Search and seizure procedures are often a significant part of cases involving drug crimes. There is a fine line between what police are allowed to do within the scope of an investigation and what violates your civil rights. As part of your defense strategy, you may bring into question the collection of evidence against you and the behavior of the police.
When can police search your property?
During an investigation, police may come to your door, ask you a few questions and may ultimately request or demand to search your property. They may not examine your personal property without permission. A normal investigation procedure may inadvertently or intentionally turn into a search if the following happen:
- The search took place in your home or on property in which there is a reasonable assumption of your privacy.
- The expectation of your privacy is reasonable in the circumstances.
Things that are in your home or on your property are private, and therefore, police need special permission to search for certain things or go through your personal belongings. In order to search your home or look through things on your privately owned property, they will need a search warrant to do so.
If police gathered evidence being used against you or you are facing charges as a result of what you think may have been an illegal search and seizure of your property, you have rights. You are entitled to challenge the case against you and fight for your interests in court.
The importance of a strong defense
When your future and freedom are on the line, it is important to take immediate action to protect yourself and your interests. A complete investigation into your situation and the prosecution’s case can determine whether law enforcement violated your rights.
You do not have to stay silent. If you are a victim of an illegal search and seizure, a smart first step could be reaching out for help as early as possible in your case. When you work with an experienced defense attorney, you can have the help you need to confront the charges against you and fight for your civil rights.