Practice Areas
From misdemeanors to serious felonies, Zapata Defense provides strategic, aggressive representation across South Florida. Explore our practice areas.
HOW WE WORK WITH YOU
We're in your corner, across every stage and every type of criminal charge.
Free consultation
Case strategy
Personalized Attention
Representation
Communication
Compassionate Guidance
Violent Crimes
Assault, battery, and other violent crime charges require an attorney prepared for high-stakes courtroom strategy. We prepare every case as if it's headed to trial, ensuring you have the strongest possible defense.
Personal Injury
Beyond criminal defense, our team also advocates for individuals who have been injured due to another party's negligence, working to secure the compensation and outcome you deserve.
Restraining Orders
A restraining order can affect your home, your family, and your daily life almost immediately. We act fast to represent your interests at the hearing and work toward an outcome that protects your rights and relationships.
Gun Cases
Firearm charges in Florida carry some of the state's strictest mandatory minimum sentences. Our team scrutinizes the circumstances of the stop, search, and seizure to identify every opportunity to challenge the charge and protect your rights.
DUI and Traffic Offenses
DUI and traffic charges move quickly, with strict deadlines that can affect your driving privileges. We act immediately to review the stop, the testing procedures, and the evidence against you.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence allegations carry immediate legal consequences, including protective orders that can impact your family and living situation. We approach these cases with both urgency and discretion, working to protect your rights from the very first hearing.
Aggravated Battery
Aggravated battery charges carry serious penalties in Florida, often elevated by allegations of a weapon or significant injury. We move quickly to examine every detail of the incident and build a defense strategy focused on protecting your record and your future.
Drug Crimes
From simple possession to trafficking allegations, drug charges hinge on the details of the search, seizure, and arrest. We examine every step of that process to identify weaknesses in the prosecution's case and build the strongest possible defense.
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Juvenile
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Federal Crimes
Federal charges move through a different system entirely, with their own procedures, sentencing guidelines, and stakes. Our trial tested approach is built to meet that complexity head on, with a defense strategy tailored to federal court.
When a minor is facing criminal charges, the goal is protecting their future as much as resolving the case. We guide families through the juvenile justice system with a strategy focused on minimizing long-term impact.
Sexual Battery
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Misdemeanors
Even a misdemeanor conviction can affect your job, housing, and reputation. We work to minimize, or eliminate, the impact of the charges against you, with the same level of attention as any felony case.
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Probation Violations
A probation violation can put previously resolved matters back on the table, with the risk of new penalties. We work to present the full picture of your circumstances and advocate for the most favorable resolution available.
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Sexual battery allegations carry severe, life-altering consequences and demand an aggressive, meticulous defense. We conduct a thorough review of the evidence and circumstances to protect your rights and your future at every stage of the process.
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Theft and Burglary
Theft and burglary charges range widely in severity, and the specific facts of your case can significantly affect the outcome. We build a defense tailored to the details of your situation, aimed at the best possible resolution.
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Our Services
Experienced defense backed by former prosecutor insight
Every practice area above is handled with the same edge: Founding Partner Carlos Zapata built cases from the prosecution's side of the courtroom before defending clients. That means our strategy for felonies, DUI charges, and everything in between is shaped by knowing exactly how the other side argues, and where their case is most likely to break.
Why it matters to hire a criminal defense attorney in your area
Criminal cases move on local timelines, in local courtrooms, in front of judges and prosecutors your attorney should already know. A firm rooted in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach means faster response to urgent matters, familiarity with how each county's courts actually operate, and a defense strategy shaped by real local experience.
FAQ