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Darren Finebloom, ESQ., holds the highest rating by Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent), has been recognized as a rising star in the criminal defense world by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2010 and he has a superb rating from the independent legal rating service Avvo. Darren has been defending the rights of those accused of a crime for over 10 years. I always said ”the poor deserve as good as a defense as the wealthy” and that is what I sought to do in my early days as Public Defender. Darren Finebloom has a tried over 70 cases in the State of Florida. In fact he has won over 64% of his cases that were tried to a jury.
Originally from Miami, Florida. Darren received his Bachelors Degree in Criminology from Florida State University in 1996. Thereafter, Darren attended law school at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he graduated with Honors in 2000, upon graduation from law school and passing the Florida Bar, Darren relocated to Sarasota, Florida and accepted a job at the Public Defender’s Office for The Twelfth Judicial Circuit.
Over the years he has personally represented clients who have been charged with serious felonies and misdemeanors in both State and Federal Courts throughout the State of Florida. When someone is accused or charged, regardless of whether it is a DUI, child abuse, sexual assault, drug possession, theft, or homicide, no one possesses more motivation than Mr. Finebloom in zealously protecting his client’s rights under the law and seeing to it that they are afforded a fair trial. He combines his trial experience with a personal commitment to his clients in order to offer competent representation in a supportive, hands-on environment.
Darren is a member of The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National College of DUI Defense, and The Sarasota County Bar Association. In addition, Darren lectured at The Florida Breath Testing Conference for Law Enforcement in 2004 and is a volunteer Judge for the Sarasota County Teen Court Program.
Darren is admitted to practice before all Florida State Courts and Federal Courts including the Middle, Southern and Northern Districts of Florida.
David Haenel was recently named the 2004 State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year. David has extensive experience litigating DUI and traffic issues and has spent over three years training prosecutors and law enforcement to deal with all aspects of traffic related crime. In addition, David has given presentations to the International Association of Chemical Testers on issues involving evidentiary breath testing. Recently, David lectured during the annual Florida Breath Test Conference sponsored by the Institute of Police Technology and Management.
David has successfully completed the Laser Operators Course for the State of Florida, a course designed to train law enforcement to effectively operate Laser speed measuring devices.
David graduated in the top third of his class from Widener Law School in 1999 and then received a Master’s of Law Degree (LLM) from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 2000. David is a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court, and the International Association for Chemical Testing.
David is admitted to practice before the State Courts of Florida and New Jersey as well as the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Stephen C. Higgins, Esq., originally from Essex, Connecticut, joined the firm in 2006 after practicing law in New Jersey. Prior to joining the firm, Stephen worked at Brown & Connery, LLP as a civil attorney, focusing primarily on employment law and business litigation. In his capacity as a civil attorney with Brown & Connery, Stephen worked on cases involving employment discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliatory termination. Stephen also participated in business related matters including cases involving antitrust, monopolization and unfair competition.
As an attorney with Finebloom & Haenel, Stephen has already become known as a zealous advocate for his clients, representing individuals charged with DUI, violations of probation, battery, theft and driving while license suspended. Stephen is intimately familiar with traffic ticket defense in Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas counties and will work hard to represent each client individually to achieve the best result.
In June 2000, Stephen received a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. During law school, Stephen served as an extern for the Honorable Freda L. Wolfson, U.S.D.C.J, District of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage. In January 2005, Stephen received a dual degree, earning a Juris Doctorate degree from Rutgers Law School and a Masters in Business Administration Degree with a specialization in law, from Rutgers Graduate School of Business.
Stephen is a member of the Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania bars. He is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts of Florida, state courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the District Courts of New Jersey.
Stephen is also a member of the Hillsborough and Sarasota County Bar Associations, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
AnneMarie Rizzo is a former Assistant State Attorney with extensive trial experience in the State of Florida. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, Magna Cum Laude. She graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law with her Juris Doctorate. During law school, AnneMarie was trying criminal traffic and domestic violence cases as lead prosecutor during her internship with the State Attorney’s Office in Gainesville, Florida. During her tenure as an Assistant State Attorney she specialized in prosecuting DomesticViolence and Criminal Traffic cases. She assisted hundreds of victims involved in Domestic Violence relationships in criminal prosecution and assisted victims at hearings seeking protective injunctions. AnneMarie leaves a legacy of winning four separate, consecutive criminal traffic jury trials in the same trial week. She was appointed as a Special Prosecutor by the Governor of Florida to represent the State of Florida on a DUI case in Lee County in 2007 which resulted in another favorable jury verdict for her at trial. She has quickly gained the reputation of being an aggressive and zealous advocate.
AnneMarie has trained law enforcement officers and prosecutors across the state specifically in the areas of evidence based prosecution and trial advocacy in Domestic Violence and Criminal Traffic. She also has trained medical doctors at SHANDS UF and Child Protective Investigators with the Department of Children and Families in the area of domestic violence and family dynamics. AnneMarie has successfully completed the Advanced DUI School hosted by the Florida Prosecutor Attorney Association. She also has successfully completed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Course sponsored by the Institute of Police Technology and Management, a course designed to train law enforcement to effectively identify impairment in individuals suspected to be driving under the influence. (A field sobriety exercise regularly used on the roads today) AnneMarie also attended and successfully completed the Trial Advocacy School at the National Advocacy Center held at the Department of Justice in South Carolina.
Locally, AnneMarie serves in the community as Chair of Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Law Week Committee where she recruits attorneys to teach high school students about the legal system. She also has served as a Guardian ad Litem since January 2004 and continues to help children involved in dependency cases have a voice in court. In addition, she spends time serving as a presiding judge over Teen Court proceedings in Sarasota County. AnneMarie is involved in other local organizations such as Florida Association of Woman Lawyers, Young Professional Group of Sarasota, and Junior League of Sarasota.
MISSION STATEMENT FOR YOUR TAMPA, FLORIDA DUI LAWYER
Finebloom & Haenel, P.A., with its primary Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd. was founded on the basic principle that every person charged with a crime is entitled to the best defense possible. Our team of legal professionals are dedicated to defending DUI charges in Tampa, Florida and the surrounding communities. As former public defenders and former state prosecutors, our firm has a unique advantage in defending your DUI charge because we have sat on both sides of the table. We firmly believe in the team approach and want our clients to feel confident that the more lawyers working on their case, the better chance for a great result.
When David Haenel and Darren Finebloom started the firm, they were passionate about providing each client with personalized, efficient and effective representation. Their core values and passion continues in the way clients are treated by our firm – clients are dealt with on an individual basis, phone calls are returned within 24 hours and clients are kept well informed about the status of their case. We separate ourselves from other lawyers because we are dedicated to our client’s case and we make every effort to be available for questions or concerns regardless of the time of day.
EXPERIENCE
Our TAMPA DUI lawyers have years of experience defending DUI cases in Tampa and our case results speak for themselves. Our knowledge of TAMPA DUI law and procedure enables us to investigate each case thoroughly and find legal reasons to build a successful defense. We work diligently from the moment we are retained up to the point the case is resolved.
Our lawyers, and their backgrounds, provide a great resource for our clients.
David Haenel was named the 2004 State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year. In this position, and his years of experience as a prosecutor, he learned how to successfully prosecute DUI offenders. Armed with this knowledge, he knows what the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office needs to prove that you were DUI and uses this to find loopholes in the case against his clients to fight their DUI charge.
Darren Finebloom is a former public defender and a Florida native who has extensive experience in Florida’s State and Federal courts. His willingness to defend persons charged with a crime is in his blood. Well respected in the legal community for his tenacity, Darren typically pushes the State Attorney to trial refusing to back down unless he gets the best possible result for his client.
Stephen Higgins’ reputation in Tampa, Florida and throughout Hillsborough courts is distinctive and his familiarity with the state attorneys and police officers throughout Tampa is unparalleled. In the Hillsborough courtroom trenches on a daily basis, he knows what it takes to get his clients the result they want. He has extensive knowledge about DUI policy and procedure in Tampa and he prides himself in getting results for his clients that other lawyers are unable to get.
AnneMarie Rizzo is an experienced trial attorney in the state of Florida who joined the Law Firm of Finebloom & Haenel after successful experiences as an Assistant State Attorney. She graduated from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida Magna Cum Laude. AnneMarie completed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Course sponsored by the Institute of Police Technology and Management and she has also completed the Florida Prosecutor Attorney Association’s Advanced DUI School.
Our Tampa DUI attorneys are happy to serve the Florida counties of Sarasota, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Polk, Bradenton and Pinellas. We have offices in Sarasota, Tampa, Brandon and Pinellas for your convenience. No matter your DUI charge or the specific situation you may be in, we may be able to help. When speaking with a Finebloom & Haenel Tampa DUI lawyer, you are working with a superior legal professional who has your best interests at heart.
CONTACT US!!
If you have been arrested for DUI in Tampa, Florida or any the following areas:
Valrico, Plant City, Brandon, Lithia, East Tampa, South Tampa, Hyde Park, Apollo Beach, Palm River, Ruskin, Seffner, West Chase, Ybor City, Temple Terrace, Sun City Center, Gibsonton, Palma Ceia, Riverview, Lutz.
Be sure to contact one of our Tampa DUI attorneys immediately. At Finebloom & Haenel, we offer a free consultation to discuss your specific case.
Arrested for a Tampa, Florida DUI? Contact our law offices immediately.
Procedurally, DUI charge in Tampa, Florida is very complex, primarily because there are two (2) elements, or charges, pending against you – (1) an adminstrative suspension of your driver’s license and (2) a criminal case.
Also, timing requirements that must be met, paperwork that must be filed with the Hillsborough County Clerk and mandatory court appearances that must be attended at one of two courthouses in Tampa, Florida. In your busy lifestyle, these requirements can become overbearing, time consuming and frustrating. We recognize that a DUI charge is overwhelming for you – between researching the potential consequences of the charge and finding the best legal representation. This is where we excel. Once retained as your lawyer for your Tampa DUI, we take care of everything for you – we file all the paperwork with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), acquire a temporary driving permit for you and file all the paperwork with the Tampa, Florida state attorney’s office.
Once arrested, your privilege to drive in Tampa, Florida is suspended and in almost every case, the arresting officer took your license. After you are released from jail, you are provided a TAMPA DUI citation, which, unless otherwise ineligible, shall serve as your driver’s license for ten (10) days (if you refer to your DUI citation, you will notice the ticket specifically states on the front side, “Unless otherwise ineligible, this citation shall serve as your driver’s license until midnight of the 10th day following your arrest.”) In other words, for 10 days after your arrest – you can still drive! Be sure to carry the DUI citation with you as if it were your license.
Within the 10 days following your arrest, it is imperative that we file paperwork with the DHSMV to challenge the suspension of your license. Once the paperwork work is filed, we are able to preserve our right to challenge your license and, more importantly, acquire a temporary driving permit for you. The temporary driving permit will allow you to drive for Business Purposes Only, i.e. to “maintain your livelihood,’ to and from work, chruch, school and doctor’s appointments. It is VERY important to contact our office immediately to make certain the proper paperwork is filed so you don’t automatically lose your license for up to 18 months.
Once released from jail, you are told you need to make court date with the Hillsborough County Clerk within 10 days, yet another requirement we will take care of for you. To meet this requirement, we will file a Notice of Appearance with the Clerk and the State Attorney’s Office notifying them that we represent you on the DUI charge.
Case Assignments.
For a misdemeanor charge of DUI, your case is assigned to a Division acccording to the first letter of your last name. Each Division has a different Judge and a different set of State Attorneys. In some cases, depending on the location of your DUI arrest, you case may be assigned to the Plant City Courthouse. Cases in Plant City are currently heard before the Honorable Artemus McNeil and a separate division of the State Attorney’s Office.
Arraignment.
The first court date scheduled in your case is call the Arraignment. This is an initial hearing during which the Judge informs you of your rights, your charges and the penalties you may face. Typically, your appearance at the Arraignment is required. However, once retained, we will satisfy your appearance at the Arraignment by filing a Plea of Not Guilty to the DUI charge, a Waiver of Appearance and Demand for Discovery. In other words, your appearance will not be required and the court will automatically provide us with a second court date, referred to as a Disposition.
Disposition.
The second court date is called your Disposition. As your lawyers, we appear on your behalf making your appearance unnecessary. On Disposition date, we speak to the State Attorney who is in charge of your case. Typically, we are much more familiar with your case than they are, and it is our job to bring your file to the forefront of their considerations. We want to explain your case to the State, advise them of ‘holes’ they may have in proving that you were DUI and express an interest in resolving the case without a trial. On the first Disposition date, after we have spoken with the State Attorney, we appear in front of the Judge and request that the case be continued to a SECOND disposition date. The Judge will generally grant our request, knowing that the State Attorney needs some time to review your case.
Over the course of the next few months, there will be a sequence of Disposition dates, each time we appear on your behalf, speak to the State Attorney, ask them to review evidence and consider making a good offer to resolve the case. While it may be frustrating for you that the case is pending for three to four months, it is often to your advantage that your case is continued several times because it allows us to prepare for a potential motion and consistently negotiate with the State Attorney regarding your case.
In most circumstances, the first element of a DUI arrest involves some visual observation by a police officer of a person’s driving pattern. Driving patterns that typically allow an officer to infer impairment include speeding, driving too slow, weaving, or running a red light. Other indicators include following another car too closely, hitting a curb or falling asleep at a traffic signal.
No matter the reason the officer uses to stop a person who he or she believes to be impaired, the officer’s suspicions must meet legal standards. Courts routinely hear motions, referred to as Motions to Suppress, argued by attorneys in an effort to invalidate the reason for the stop. After the arguments are heard, the Court will provide a written opinion deciding whether the stop in a particular case was a legally sufficient one. The success of a motion to suppress largely depends on the factual circumstances of each case.
In other scenarios, the 1st element of a DUI charge may stem from an accident. Accidents can be difficult cases for the state attorney’s office to prove DUI primarily because the officer did not witness whow was driving the car at the time of the accident. Without any visual observation of a driving pattern, the state attorney may find it difficult to prove that the defendant was in ‘actual physical control of the vehicle.’ Accident cases can either involve multiple cars or a single car. In a multiple car accident, the responding officer will typically arrive on the scene and begin an accident investigation. The officer will question the drivers of all cars involved to determine who was at fault. If the officer believes that any of the drivers involved in the accident are impaired, the officer must end his or her accident investigation and begin a DUI investigation.
In a single vehicle accident, the officer will usually respond to a scene where a car has hit a telephone pole or perhaps driven into a ditch. In these cases, there is no other driver involved in the accident which requires the officer to determine the cause of the accident. Upon contact with the driver, the officer must conclude the accident investigation and begin a DUI investigation if he or she notices signs of impairment.
We encourage you to contact the office immediately to discuss the reason for the stop of your vehicle. No matter the reason for the stop, your rights must be protected and we must make sure the state attorney can prove the DUI case against you.
After the Hillsborough County Deputy or Tampa, Florida Police Officer has made a decision to stop your vehicle based on his or her visual observations of your driving pattern, he or she will approach your vehicle to make some further assessments.
First, the Tampa officer will typically approach your driver’s side window and ask to see your driver’s license and registration. As you are searching for your license, the officer is making mental notations regarding your actions and he will commonly ask you where you were going or ‘Do you know why I stopped you?” Although the officer is interested in your response, he is much more interested in whether, during your response, he can smell an odor of alcohol coming from your breath and whether you are fumbling with your license and registration.
Other signs of intoxication include:
Once the Tampa Police Officer or Deputy checks the status of your license, and if he determines there are initial signs of impairment, he will likely ask that you to perform field sobriety tests to further determine whether you are DUI.
Initial police contact may have a big impact on defending your TAMPA DUI charge. Many times, the interaction you had with the Tampa police officer is recorded on videotape. Both Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department as well the Tampa Police Department utilize video surveillance during the stop of your vehicle. When we obtain this evidence, we analyze and review it to determine if the officer did something incorrectly during his interaction with you.
For example, did he fail to mention that he could smell an odor of alcohol coming from your breath?; does the video show a different interaction then what is in the police report?; does your speech sound coherent and clear as opposed to what is written in the police report?; and did the officer order you to perform field sobriety excercises as opposed to requesting that you do them?
Any number of things may be wrong with the initial police interaction. It is important for us to discuss your case with you, obtain the police report and acquire the video so we can determine whether your the facts of your case support a DUI arrest.
Contact us today. YOUR TAMPA DUI LAWYERS
WE PRIDE OURSLEVES IN BEING AVAILABLE TO YOU. WE KNOW THAT BEING ARRESTED FOR DUI IN TAMPA, FLORIDA IS A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE.
PLEASE CALL US TODAY – WE CAN GET YOU THROUGH THIS!
TEXT THE PHRASE DUIHELP To 41411 FOR CONTACT INFO RIGHT TO YOUR CELL PHONE
Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Tampa Office
3426 West Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33609
Click here for a map and directions
Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Sarasota Office
200 N. Washington Blvd.
Sarasota, Florida 34236
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Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Orlando Office
189 S. Orange Ave.
#1850S
Orlando, Florida 32801
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Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Pinellas Office
4500 140th Ave. North
Suite #101
Clearwater, Florida 33762
Click here for a map and directions
Email:
David Haenel
David@FightYourCase.com
Darren Finebloom
Darren@FightYourCase.com
Stephen Higgins
Stephen@FightYourCase.com
AnneMarie Rizzo
ARizzo@fightyourcase.com
Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Tampa Office
3426 West Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33609
