The Law Office of Christina J. Opsahl, LLC in St. Augustine, FL Serves A Variety of Law Areas:

Wooden Judge Gavel — St. Augustine, FL — Law Office Of Christina J. Opsahl, LLC

An Attorney with Experience

To successfully defend against criminal charges in St. Johns County, you need a St. Augustine criminal defense attorney with courtroom experience. Attorney Christy Opsahl is a former prosecutor with extensive trial experience. She handles a variety of criminal offenses, including misdemeanors, felonies, and juvenile delinquency.

Areas of Practice:

DUI - Driving Under the Influence

We understand the long-lasting consequences of a DUI conviction on your life and driving privileges. Suppose you or a loved one gets arrested for a DUI. You need to consult an experienced, local DUI trial attorney.

Christy understands and handles every type of DUI.

Including:

drugs
medication
alcohol
1st offenses
subsequent offenses
misdemeanor DUIs
felony DUIs
DUIs involving property damage or injury
DUI manslaughters

The State of Florida brings criminal charges against a defendant and can pursue prosecution with or without the victim's consent. Both the criminally accused and victims of crimes have constitutional rights afforded them by the State of Florida. Criminal defendants and victims of crimes must understand these rights.

Time is of the essence once arrested for a DUI. Refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test can result in an administrative suspension of your driving privileges by the Department of Motor Vehicles. You only have ten (10) days from the date of arrest to request an administrative review of this suspension. You may be eligible for an immediate hardship license to allow travel to and from work.

It is crucial to consult an experienced local trial attorney to review your case within ten (10) days of arrest and determine the best course of action regarding an administrative suspension while your criminal case is pending in the court system.

If you agree to submit to a breathalyzer test and have breath alcohol of over .08, your driving privileges may be suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles. You may be eligible for an immediate hardship license to allow travel to and from work.

DUI convictions can result in enhanced penalties if you have had prior convictions, cause property damage or injuries, or have breath alcohol of over .15.

Hiring an experienced; local trial attorney will ensure that your case is analyzed for constitutional or legal violations of rights as well as factual deficiencies in the State's case. This analysis allows an attorney to gather mitigation, negotiate the best plea offer, or obtain the best result at trial.

DUI convictions can also have long-term implications on your driving privileges. Multiple convictions for DUI or DUIs coupled with other major traffic violations can result in you being deemed a Habitual Traffic Offender by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The result of a simple DUI with these enhancements can be classified as a felony offense ranging from prison time or long-term driver's license revocation from six (6) months up to lifetime revocation.

DUI offenses have unique legal and factual issues that need to be analyzed by an attorney familiar with these investigations, constitutional matters, discovery, and jury trial experience.

Traffic Offenses

Criminal traffic offenses have serious and long-lasting consequences. Florida Statutes define both misdemeanor and felony traffic offenses. In addition to fines and court costs, a criminal traffic conviction can result in prison time, jail time, probation, or suspension of driving privileges. If you have been charged with a criminal traffic offense it is crucial that you consult a local, experienced trial attorney who understands the legal burden that a prosecutor must overcome in order to obtain a conviction, the consequences to your insurance premiums, and the consequences of a criminal disposition to your driving privileges.

Christy has experience on both sides of the law as a former prosecutor and defense attorney to guide you through the risks and rewards of plea negotiations, motion practice, and taking your case to trial. Traffic offenses have unique legal and factual issues that need to be analyzed by an attorney familiar with administrative DMV consequences, constitutional issues, discovery, and jury trial experience in this area of law.

Homicide

Homicides may be intentional or unintentional, and both have serious consequences involving significant prison time or death. There is a range of degrees of homicides that affect the severity of the sentence imposed. It is crucial to hire an attorney with jury trial experience when faced with prosecution for any degree of homicide. DUI manslaughter, Leaving the scene involving death, aggravated manslaughter, manslaughter, attempted murder, felony murder up to capital first-degree murder all require significant legal analysis to effectively represent a defendant facing such serious charges. These charges are often enhanced by the use or possession of a weapon or firearm.

Juvenile Offenses

Juvenile offenses are heard in a separate court than adult criminal court (with the exception of traffic offenses). There are separate and distinct rules and statutes for the prosecution of juveniles in delinquency court. The penalties for a juvenile who is adjudicated delinquent can be severe and greatly impact their future. The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is heavily involved in juvenile delinquency proceedings and will make recommendations to the State Attorney as well as the court. The purpose of juvenile delinquency court is to make an attempt to rehabilitate a juvenile offender before punishment. Juvenile offenses include misdemeanor and felony offenses, drug offenses, weapons offenses, assault/battery, domestic abuse, sexual offenses, theft, vandalism, burglary, trespass, and all other criminal violations of the law excluding traffic offenses.