Attorney Keeley R. Karatinos's Legal Cases

Criminal defense

Possession of Methamphetamine- Dismissed

Sep 01, 2020

OUTCOME: Dismissed

In order for the State of Florida to prove a person's guilt, they must first prove that law enforcement's interaction with a person ultimately accused with a crime did not violate that person's constit ... utional rights. In this case, after my client was stopped, he admitted to possessing methamphetamine, took it out of his shirt pocket, and even described his decade long battle with the addiction. Sounds like an open and shut case, right? Wrong. Law enforcement stopped him while he was in his car without a legal basis. Our founding fathers ensured each person in this great country would be free from unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment. That means that a policeman must either have probable cause that a traffic violation occurred, or reasonable suspicion that the driver or passengers are engaged in criminal activity. My client was stopped without legal justification. The Constitution protects all people against illegal government intrusion. Case dismissed.

Family

Dative Violence Injunction Dismissed after hearing

Aug 08, 2019

OUTCOME: Dismissed

My client was served with an injunction for protection against dating violence when his ex-girlfriend claimed that she was afraid he was going to harm her based on nothing but hearsay and speculation. ... After extensive discovery and a contested hearing, the Court agreed that the evidence was thin, and insufficient to all the Court to issue a final injunction. My client is now free to live his life and move on with his life goals without the stigma and restrictions that come along with an injunction.

DUI and DWI

Judge dismisses 3rd DUI because of State's bad faith

Jul 31, 2019

OUTCOME: Dismissed with prejudice

My client was accused of a 3rd DUI, outside of 10 years from the last DUI conviction. I set it for trial, hired an expert, and the State of Florida dismissed the charge the morning of trial because the ... State wanted the Judge to hear a motion to exclude the expert from testifying at trial. However, the State did not file its motion in a timely manner. Within the week, the State filed the same charges again to get a second bite at the apple. I filed a Motion to Dismiss based on a due process violation because the State dismissed the charge and refiled it in bad faith. The judge agreed. This individual's constitutional rights were upheld!

DUI and DWI

DUI dismissed and Formal Review Suspension Overturned on appeal

Sep 25, 2018

OUTCOME: DUI dismissed, DMV suspension overturned, traffic citation dismissed

My client was involved in a car accident that resulted in his arrest for DUI. The Trooper did not have evidence that my client was the driver of the vehicle. Regardless of the dirth of evidence, he sti ... ll arrested my client for DUI with property damage and careless driving. Within 10 days of his arrest, he hired me and we chose to fight both the criminal case and the DMV suspension of his driver's license. A formal review was held by the DMV's Bureau of Administrative Reviews. I called the Trooper as a witness and showed that the Trooper, from the moment he stepped foot on scene, had a myopic perspective and was intent on laying blame at my client's feet. Despite the case law and legal argument in support of the Motion to Invalidate the suspension, the DMV suspended the license. I appealed the decision by filing a Petition with the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court agreed that the DMV's case was not supported by competent, substantial evidence and removed the suspension from my client's license. Additionally, I persuaded the State of Florida to drop all charges based on the lack of evidence. Finally, I went to traffic court and beat the careless driving citation. This was a hard won case to vindicate a person who was wrongfully accused.

Criminal defense

An "alleged victim" started a fight and didn't like the consequences

Apr 23, 2018

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

My client tried to be a role model and mentor to his younger male family member (the "alleged victim"). Instead of accepting the advice and guidance, the "alleged victim" (i.e. younger male family memb ... er) pulled out a military-grade, hunting knife in response. After my client successfully disarmed him, the "alleged victim" threatened to get his gun. Without hesitation, my client prevented that threat from materializing. After a visit to the ER, it was determined that the younger cousin sustained a broken orbital bone (aka the bone around the eye socket). Surprisingly, the State filed charges against my client. The jury ultimately agreed with the defense. The "alleged victim" started a fight, and wound up not liking the consequences. Justice served.

DUI and DWI

Client Maintains Full Driving Privileges after 8th DUI Arrest

Apr 02, 2018

OUTCOME: Dismissed

When a person receives a DUI citation, it triggers two things: 1) A driver license suspension through the DMV's Bureau of Administrative Review, and 2) A DUI prosecution in the criminal justice syste ... m. Despite the fact that my client was previously found guilty of driving under the influence 7 times prior to moving to the State of Florida (mainly from the 1970s), the laws permitted him to have a license in Florida. However, if he were to be convicted of DUI again, he would lose his right to drive forever. One evening, he pulled his vehicle over so that he could relieve himself where no one could see. A police officer witnessed my client standing in the open doorway of vehicle, positioned in a way that indicated to the officer that my client was urinating. At that point, the officer engaged his siren and conducted an investigation. The Court agreed with me in finding that the officer did not have reasonable articulable suspicion to investigate at the time he engaged his siren. As a result, my client's constitutional rights were violated, and everything observed and collected by the officer from the moment that the siren sounded was suppressed. After the suppression hearing, the prosecutor dropped ALL of the charges. (Side note: I won the formal review of the DMV's suspension too.) In the end, my client was able to walk away from an 8th DUI arrest with his full driving privileges in tact.

Sex crime

Innocent Man Falsely Accused of Sexual Battery Walks Free

Feb 06, 2018

OUTCOME: Not Guilty

My client was falsely accused of sexual battery. On principal, he had the guts to take his case to trial and trust a panel of six neutral jurors to decide his fate. When I say guts to go to trial, I me ... an it. If he were convicted, he would have spent over 8 years in prison. In the end, the jurors fulfilled their role as an impartial deciding body, held the State of Florida to its burden, and acquitted my client. After three years of not being able to breathe freely, my client could walk out of the courtroom to never return again. Justice prevailed.

DUI and DWI

Case dismissed against man accused of hitting bicyclist and fleeing the scene while DUI

Oct 24, 2017

OUTCOME: Dismissal of all counts, DMV suspension set aside

My client was accused of driving under the influence, hitting a bicyclist, and then fleeing the scene. I agreed to represent him in the DUI, Leaving the Scene with Serious Bodily Injury, Careless Dr ... iving, and the Formal Review of the DMV suspension. Despite the police reports that a written to condemn the accused, I was able to uncover how the State's case was based on nothing more than speculation and a belief that since he had a prior DUI that he must have been the driver in this case. After cross examining the PCSO deputy and arresting Trooper in the formal review, it became abundantly clear the evidence amounted to a "mere hunch"- not evidence. The DMV invalidated the suspension, and I persuaded the State of Florida to drop all of the charges.

Keeley R. Karatinos's Legal Cases (8)

Possession of Methamphetamine- Dismissed

Dative Violence Injunction Dismissed after hearing

Judge dismisses 3rd DUI because of State's bad faith

DUI dismissed and Formal Review Suspension Overturned on appeal

An "alleged victim" started a fight and didn't like the consequences

Client Maintains Full Driving Privileges after 8th DUI Arrest

Innocent Man Falsely Accused of Sexual Battery Walks Free

Case dismissed against man accused of hitting bicyclist and fleeing the scene while DUI