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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.
Finebloom & Haenel is a Florida criminal defense law firm with locations in Tampa, Sarasota, Orange, and Pinellas County. Our office represents inviduals throughout the State of Florida and through our network of lawyers we can assist you in your case. Our defense lawyers and staff are dedicated to our clients and resolving their traffic tickets and issues involving traffic violations and laws. If you have received a ticket or have had your license suspended, we may be able to help you contest the charge and have your license reinstated. If you have been arrested for DUI (driving under the influence) our lawyers may be able to build a successful defense and help you avoid jail time and other penalties.
Defending any type of traffic offense requires a defense attorney with the know-how and experience to meet with success both in and out of the courtroom. Finebloom & Haenel is different than many other defense law firms in that our lawyers have extensive experience with traffic and driving offenses in particular, having dedicated our practice to defending these rights. We offer our clients one-on-one attention and are truly dedicated and passionate about what we do.
Whether you need help with a DUI charge, traffic ticket, suspended license, toll violation, speeding ticket or traffic accident, our attorneys may be able to help. We serve all sixty-seven counties within Florida, and we are in court throughout the State on a daily basis.
The Law Offices of Finebloom & Haenel provides traffic ticket defense for speeding ticket, traffic violation, running a red light, toll violations, had your license suspended, involved in a traffic accident, or have been arrested for DUI.
If you need help with a DUI, criminal case or traffic violation defense in any Florida county, contact our criminal defense attorneys.
Important Information
Most people throughout Florida don’t realize that if he or she pays their ticket, it’s an automatic admission and adjudication of guilt on their driving record. In addition, points will be assessed for all moving violations and an accumulation of these points can lead to a license suspension. Often, insurance companies use this information as a justification to raise your insurance rates.
In most traffic ticket cases, our defense attorneys advise prospective clients that they should not pay their traffic or speeding tickets before we asess the merits of their case.At Finebloom and Haenel, we are dedicated to reaching a desirable outcome for your traffic ticket. Best of all, you are not required to make a court appearance. Contact your Florida Traffic ticket attorneys TODAY.
Fines are doubled when infractions occur within a school zone or construction zone, with possible civil penalties up to $1,000 and you can be required to complete a driving course.
The Law Offices of Finebloom & Haenel provides traffic ticket defense for speeding ticket, traffic violation, running a red light, toll violation, had your license suspended, involved in a traffic accident, or have been arrested for DUI.
If you have questions regarding a Florida traffic ticket, call our criminal defense attorneys 24/7.
If your license has been suspended or revoked, please visit our license suspension website for more information about how our lawyers can help.
Important DUI Information and Penalties
We know how traumatic it can be following an arrest for a Florida DUI. Our firm handles hundreds of DUI cases a year, so allow our firm the opportunity to fight for you on your Florida DUI arrest. All of our lawyers are well versed on DUI issues. One of the founding partners, David Haenel, was Florida’s 2004 DUI Prosecutor of the Year. His partner Darren Finebloom has years of experience in handling DUI cases throughout the State of Florida. In addition, lawyers Stephen Higgins and AnneMarie Rizzo are all available to assist you with exploring all issues of your Florida DUI arrest. We will fight to get you the best result possible.
Driving Under the Influence can be either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the number of prior DUI convictions or the seriousness of the offense.
If you have ever been charged with a DUI, it is imperative that you retain a DUI Defense attorney as quickly as possible.
YOU ONLY HAVE 10 DAYS TO CHALLENGE YOUR LICENSE SUSPENSION FOLLOWING AN ARREST FOR DUI IN SARASOTA, TAMPA, CLEARWATER, BRADENTON, LAKELAND OR ANY OTHER COUNTY
Our DUI Defense Lawyers will be happy to discuss your case with you and answer your questions. There is no charge for the initial DUI consultation.
Accused of DUI in Tampa or Sarasota? Contact our offices today.
Keep in mind that almost 15 percent of all moving violations issued in the United States come from the State of Florida. There is no doubt that revenue from tickets is a huge boost to the State’s bank account. When someone receives a ticket for speeding, they will receive one of two types of tickets. You may receive a ticket for violation of a traffic control device. This Florida Statute, 316.074, allows the officer to give you a citation for violating the speed limit sign. This type of ticket has a lower fine and fewer points. The other type of speeding citation is unlawful speed. The citation amount and points assessed are determined by the actual speed of your vehicle in relation to the posted speed limit. At all times be respectful to the officer. Once they decide to issue you the citation, the time to fight or contest the ticket occurs later in the courtroom.
There are several speed measuring devices used by law enforcement in the State of Florida. These include pacing(speedometer pace), aircraft , radar, and laser. All of the rules and regulations with regards to the different speed measuring devices can be found here in the Florida Administrative Code. There are particular rules and regulations that must be complied with before the officer gets a rebuttal presumption of reliability. In radar and laser cases they are required to provide documentation showing that their radar was calibrated at the beginning and end of their shift, within the last 6 months, and that they made a visual estimation of your speed and you were traveling above the posted speed limit. If the officer is able to establish the “scientific predicate” then there is a rebuttal presumption of reliability. Many people call my office and tell me that their cruise control was set on a particular speed. Unfortunately under Florida law that is not a legal defense. It’s an argument that can be made in mitigation but will normally not carry the day in a trial.
A common method used by Florida law enforcement agencies is to pace a vehicle via speedometer and issue a citation based upon the distance traveled and the speed the officer believes the violator was traveling. In order for the officer to have the presumption of reliability they need to provide documentation as to the number of pacing tickets, proof that their speedometer was calibrated within the last 6 months, and the distance that they observed the alleged violation. Many agencies are now purchasing undercover or covert vehicles in an attempt to combat “aggressive speeders”. Oftentimes the officer will pace you from behind while looking at their speedometer and will then issue you the ticket for unlawful speed.
Oftentimes people will call my office telling me that they were pulled over by a plane in the air.& The Florida Highway Patrol is aggressive in their use of airplanes for speed measuring purposes. They operate fix wing Cessna’s throughout the State of Florida in an effort to combat speeders. They will have a pilot in the plane who will circle a set of lines in a race track format. The pilot has several stop watches and he clocks the vehicles between the lines that are ¼ mile apart. He is doing this from at least 1,500 feet in the air while maintaining visual contact with your car. He then calls down to the stopping trooper as your vehicle is sequenced down to them. The stopping trooper then gets behind you and pulls your vehicle over and issues you a citation. Depending on the availability of troopers on any particular day, it’s not uncommon for them to issue 75-100 speeding tickets within a several hour period. The important thing to keep in mind is that both troopers need to appear in court in order for you to be found guilty of the offense. The aircraft trooper has no idea about your age, race, or identity. The stopping trooper is necessary to prove the identification element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
These types of tickets are most common. In the State of Florida there are two types of radar devices that are used by law enforcement. They operate on either the K or Ka band. The Florida Highway Patrol uses a Dual Stalker Ka band radar. Most troopers are issued dual antennas which mean they can clock you coming or going. Their rear antennas are mounted in their rear window and they can clock you as you are gaining on them. Other law enforcement agencies use either handheld units or two piece units mounted in their car. Radar can be used in either the moving or stationary mode. Laser or LIDAR is a handheld gun that can only be operated in the stationary mode. The laser light emitted is very small and is almost undetectable with a radar detector. In order for the Judge to find you guilty on a speeding ticket, the presumption is beyond a reasonable doubt. The officer needs to establish the reliability of the radar/laser and the fact that he observed your vehicle traveling at the speed written on your ticket. Our office owns the same units used by the Florida Highway Patrol and our lawyer has attended the same course that the cops have to attend. Wouldn’t you want to hire someone to fight your ticket who is familiar with the rules and regulations and knows the necessary law? Call our office to discuss the particular facts of your case. 1-800-FIGHT-IT
Telephone
Toll Free (800) FIGHT-IT (344-4848)
Tampa: (813) 649-8690
Orange County: (407) 472-1912
Sarasota: (941) 953-2622
Pinellas: (727) 217-9795
Fax (888) 365-6579
Finebloom and Haenel, P.A.
Sarasota Office (main office)
200 N. Washington Blvd.
Sarasota, Florida 34237
(941) 953-2622
