• By Longwell Lawyers

When a person is arrested or charged with a crime, the law requires that the person is given a trial within a reasonable period of time. This is known as the right to a speedy trial. This is a fundamental constitutional right that is codified in Florida law. If not for this important right, the government could arrest or charge someone on flimsy facts, but still hold the person in jail while indefinitely delaying the requirement of proving the charge beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The effect would be to allow the government to leave charged individuals to languish, while the government is under no time constraint to act.

In Florida, a person charged with a misdemeanor has a right to a speedy trial within 90 days of arrest. For a felony arrest, the law has set 175 days as a reasonable time for affording a speedy trial.

If a person is not brought to trial within the required time, the person may notify the court that the speedy trial time has expired. The court will have a hearing to determine if speedy trial has in fact expired There are many circumstances that may cause the court to find that no speedy trial violation exists. Some include a waiver of speedy trial by the defense due to not being prepared for trial, failing to appear or otherwise being unavailable. The courts, through case law, have defined many issues relating to speedy trial, such as when speedy trial begins to run, what may cause it to be waived, when the government may ask for an extension, and many others. If the court finds that speedy trial has expired, it must set the case for trial within ten days (15 days if no hearing is conducted after the defendant’s filing of the notice of expiration of speedy trial). The failure of the government to have a trial within the “recapture period” of 10-15 days will cause the court to discharge the case, upon request of the defendant.

There are no rights, laws or rules that are absolute. In order to properly ensure that your rights are being utilized to afford you a fair and speedy disposition of your case, you will need an attorney. If you are accused of a crime, contact the Orlando criminal attorneys at Longwell Lawyers for a free consultation.

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“Mark understands strategy. He understands procedure. And most importantly, he understands how to protect his clients”

I have known Mark Longwell for years and worked alongside him on numerous cases during my time as a bail agent. From a professional standpoint, I have seen firsthand how he operates inside the criminal justice system. Mark understands strategy. He understands procedure. And most importantly, he understands how to protect his clients while navigating complex criminal cases. Preparation matters in this field — and he comes prepared. As someone who has spent years in the bail industry, I do not make recommendations lightly. I have observed his professionalism, courtroom presence, and ability to manage serious cases with discipline and focus. If you are looking for a criminal defense attorney in Orlando who knows the system and knows how to move within it, Mark Longwell and his team are a firm I can confidently speak about from direct experience.

Brandy DeMello

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“We have never been in a situation like this before and didn’t know where to turn.”

We found ourselves in a situation where we needed a criminal defense attorney. We have never been in a situation like this before and didn’t know where to turn. A friend’s lawyer recommended Mark Longwell.
My husband called and left a message on Sat., Dec. 27. Mark himself returned the call within an hour. We hired them and they went right to work on my case.
There was an urgency as we were booked on a cruise 1/10 and I was told I could not leave the state of Florida. Our son was getting married on the ship and I didn’t know if I would be able to be there.
They made motions to allow me to leave the state and also to dismiss the case. Everything was running behind because of the holidays.
The morning of Jan. 6, Andrew called to tell me that my case was dismissed! I was never so happy or greatful in my life. A little later Mark called as well. They really went to work for me and I would recommend them to anyone.

Brian Ricci

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“they are all very knowledgeable and have good communication and are great at their jobs.”

Had a great experience, they are all very knowledgeable and have good communication and are great at their jobs. Andrew was my lawyer and within a month my charges were dropped I never even had to go to court which is a relief. I can’t thank the team of Longwell lawyers enough. Might be costly but these guys are good at what they do

Kendall Gilliam
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