What Are the Next Steps After Filing a Criminal Complaint?
In almost all matters, a criminal complaint in Florida must be submitted to the State Attorney’s Office by a Law Enforcement Agency, or LEA. The only exceptions in which a citizen can directly present a criminal complaint to the State Attorney are:
- Violations of Florida’s Public Records Law.
- Violations of Florida’s Sunshine Law related to open government.
- Some violations involving worthless checks and drafts.
- Some violations involving truancy.
- Any other matter in which the State Attorney deems they should be the primary investigator.
All other matters will be directed to the local LEA with jurisdiction over the alleged crime scene. If the LEA determines that probable cause does not exist, then the complaint is dead in the water.
However, if the criminal complaint falls into one of the exception categories above, or is passed on to the State Attorney by an LEA, then it’s time to prepare for court. The State Attorney will represent the State of Florida as the plaintiff in the case, so they must gather all relevant information required to present the case in trial. Among many other tasks, they will also need to arrange for service of process and retrieve various documents and files.
All case stakeholders must be notified of their required appearance in court by either the local Sheriff’s department or a Certified Private Process Server. In Florida, private process servers must be certified by the Judicial Circuit in which they work. A process server can deliver all the required case notifications and documents. Just a few types of process that process servers deliver include:
- Summons
- Complaints
- Subpoenas
- Writs
- Orders
Using a certified private process server instead of the local sheriff has several advantages, including:
- Quicker turnaround
- Ability to request services completely online (no office visit required!)
- Better communication
- 24/7 online status tracker if you choose Accurate Serve!
No matter what type of case is being tried, records and documents will be a core part of the evidence on both sides. At Accurate Serve, our document retrieval experts know the most efficient way to track down these vital pieces of the case. In today’s digital world, document retrieval doesn’t always mean just standing in line at a records department or filling out paper requisition forms. Documents, videos, images, and all other types of digital files require investigation and retrieval for the modern court case. Knowing how to request, retrieve, store, and then make both paper and digital evidence accessible is crucial, and something we do quite well at Accurate Serve.
Filing a criminal complaint is often just the beginning of the long process of gathering information, identifying stakeholders, requesting testimonies, and cross-referencing evidence. Fortunately, not all of the burdens of case preparation must fall on the shoulders of the prosecuting or defending attorneys. In Tampa Bay, taking advantage of the legal support services offered at Accurate Serve is a smart move. We give attorneys peace of mind by professionally and efficiently handling these legal tasks that can have tremendous impacts on their cases. If you need a reliable process server or document retrieval expert in the Bay, visit www.accurateservefl.com to find the contact information for the office nearest to you. If you are outside of Tampa Bay, tap into our nationwide network of offices by visiting www.theaccurateservefranchise.com.