Criminal Law

If you are accused of a crime in the Dominican Republic, as a foreigner you will likely be placed in jail immediately. At this point it is essential that you can call a competent lawyer, experienced in criminal law and with knowledge of the procedure involved.

At Dominican Lawyer, we have English speaking criminal law specialists who are at your disposal night and day should the need arise.

Even if you are visiting the Dominican Republic briefly for a business trip or vacation, make sure you have our contact details with you should you need to call us. Having us immediately to hand could be the best decision you make.

Traffic Offences

It's common knowledge that driving in the Dominican Republic can sometimes be pretty hairy! Not all drivers show the same attention to the road and other vehicles as you might be used to. Driving on the wrong side of the road is common, as is motorbikes cutting across your path without looking. It's a sad reality, but traffic accidents are quite common. If you become involved in a traffic accident, however minor; and even if the accident is not your fault, you may be arrested and be forced to spend the night in jail with actual criminals while your case awaits trial. Unfortunately, foriegners are often immediately blamed for the accident even if it clearly appears the fault lies with the other party.

If you contact us immediately, we can often resolve the matter a lot more smoothly and quickly than attempting to resolve it yourself. Depending on the severity of the case, we may be able to get you released immediately under our responsibility, and we can then negotiate on your behalf to resolve the matter as expediently as possible.

Drugs and the DR

The Dominican Republic has a low tollerance of drug possession. If you are caught in possession of just a few grams of an illegal substance such as marajuana, you could face 3 to 6 months in prison. Even vacationers have fallen into the trap of assuming that something that might be overlooked in their home country would be similarly overlooked here. Larger amounts of illegal substances result in larger jail sentences. Above 5 grams, and sentences rise to 3 to 10 years. Obviously, we recommend that you don't consider even dabbling with drugs while on your vacation in the DR. If you are arrested for possession, it is vital to get a competent lawyer experienced in this area to work on your behalf immediately. A competent lawyer could mean the difference between no jail sentence and 6 months in a Dominican prison.

To find out more about our criminal law services, contact us.