Client was riding his motorcycle when a car turned left in front of him, causing him to fly in the air and land next to the car, which ran over his bike. Miraculously surviving but seriously injured, ...he was charged with Careless Driving by Speeding. Mr. Quirantes showed the Judge that the PSA who issued the ticket made a mistake... The car turning left should have been cited. There's no evidence of speeding. Case dismissed and Mr. Quirantes is now suing on behalf of his client, the true victim.
Domestic violence
Domestic Violence
Apr 28, 2014
OUTCOME: Dismissed!
Wife accuses husband of pulling her hair, choking her and knocking her down when he found out she had sex with another man. She struck first blow, however. Even so, because husband is a prize fighter ...and had two prior cases of domestic violence, he did not qualify for any programs or any plea other than 270 days in jail and State did not believe him despite police reports saying she struck first. Alleged victim's exaggerations were shown, evidence was excluded and ultimately, case was dismissed.
Criminal defense
Felony Fleeing & Drugs Reduced to a Misdemeanor then Dismissed!
Mar 04, 2014
OUTCOME: Dismissed!
Client was on felony probation, for a case in another county.
Mr. Quirantes set a surrender hearing before the client was arrested and persuaded the Circuit Judge to hold the Affidavit of Probatio...n in abeyance, pending the results of the new case in another county. This kept the client out of jail!
Then, Felony charges of Fleeing Police and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell were filed against client and a Co-Defendant, the driver.
Mr. Quirantes took depositions and proved to the State that the client had no control over the vehicle and thus did not flee, the co-defendant did.
Further the drugs were not in the client's possession or within reach and client had no way of knowing the drugs were in the co-defendant's car. Client was merely a passenger!
State, in a tough jurisdiction, dropped the felonies and reduced the charges to resisting arrest/opposing an officer without violence, a misdemeanor, for objecting to the arrest.
Later, in Misdemeanor Court, Mr. Quirantes successfully negotiated the Misdemeanor Diversion Program (MVP), the client did a 5 hour values course and in four months, case was Nolle Prossequi.
Mr. Quirantes then persuaded the Felony Judge for the pending violation of probation case in the other county, not to violate his probation, but instead to reinstate his probation and give him a second chance.
Since the Misdemeanor was dismissed and the client kept his original Withhold Of Adjudication, as soon as probation is over in a couple of months, Mr. Quirantes will petition to seal the Felony arrest and court record for the case the client was on probation for.
The client reports that he is very grateful and has enrolled in College to do something productive with his life.
Criminal defense
Petty Theft DISMISSED!
Dec 03, 2013
OUTCOME: Nolle Prossequi
No need to always seek Diversion or PTD - in another of many dismissals, Mr. Quirantes forced a well known retail store to trial. The store is known to try to "extort" $200 from customers they feel ar...e going to steal something, before calling the police on them anyway and having them arrested. This client hired Mr. Quirantes. After discovery, Mr. Quirantes forced the loss prevention guys to trial, where they could not produce the evidence or even pictures of the merchandise the client supposedly "tried to steal". In pre-trial interviews, loss prevention contradicted themselves and Mr. Quirantes persuaded the prosecutor do the only fair thing and drop the case.
DUI and DWI
Third DUI Reduced to Reckless Driving / No Jail!
Nov 14, 2013
OUTCOME: Case Reduced to Reckless Driving with No Jail
Many times the State thinks they have a "heavy hitter" repeat offender defendant that deserves to be locked up and have the keys thrown away (and sometimes along with his lawyer :). It takes a good at...torney to persuade them that this is not always the case!
Here's an illustration of this happening. A well known South Beach artist was charged with Drunk Driving and thrown in jail with a $10,000 bond, because he stopped his car to argue with his girlfriend, who was following him behind his car. As they argued, they caught the attention of a police officer, who walked up to the defendant. The police officer got so upset, that he did not perform roadside exercises but arrested the client for DUI and took his license away on the spot. He was not read Miranda and due to the client's confrontational nature, did not give him a breath test, but "refused him" at the station as well.
The client insisted that he did not drink, he had diabetes and the condition caused him to burn ketones, which sometimes smell of alcohol. The officer saw a prior out of state DUI and an old ten year old DUI from Florida... It was over for him, he was going in.
Mr. Quirantes appeared at the bond hearing and got him out for no money, on pre-trial services. He believed the client, who told him he had never been out of state, and thus had never been convicted for an out of state DUI. Quirantes launched an investigation culminating in the other state certifying a mistake, which caused the prior to be removed. Now, the client was left with an over ten year old conviction as his only prior. At the Formal Review hearing, Quirantes persuaded the Hearing Officer to invalidate the suspension for refusal to submit to a breath test. Later, at the time of trial, and just prior to picking the Jury, Mr. Quirantes persuaded the State to reduce the charges to reckless driving, impose no jail and no suspension, but instead to impose an ignition interlock for a year as a condition to continue driving, along with an Anger Control class, the DUI school, counseling a fine and court costs. Needless to say, the client was ecstatic not to risk a trial, up to nine months in jail and up to a one year license suspension.
