Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

why does the jail re open old charges when you go back to jail for something else un related


Asked on 5/22/12, 5:03 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Craig Epifanio Craig Epifanio, P.A.

They don't "reopen" but they will use your old charges against you. The reason being is that the legislature has decided that if you committed a crime in the past and are once again in front of a judge, then you need to be punished more harshly than a person without any prior charges. Even if your life has changed since those older charges it can still be used against you. It is up to you and your attorney to explain to the court how your life has changed and use that in mitigation so that those old charges are not as relevant now than they were then. I'd suggest you talk to an attorney now if you haven't hired one already.

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Answered on 5/23/12, 9:48 am


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