Criminal Defense Experience Focused on the Evidence, the Law, and the Courtroom
Matt Landsman is a Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer based in Gainesville, Florida. He has practiced criminal law for more than 20 years and represents people facing misdemeanor and felony charges, probation violations, criminal investigations, appeals, and other serious criminal matters throughout Alachua County and North Florida.
A criminal case is rarely defined by the charge alone. Effective representation can require analyzing how an investigation began, whether police lawfully stopped or detained a person, whether a search or warrant was valid, whether statements were obtained legally, whether witnesses are reliable, and whether the State can prove every required element beyond a reasonable doubt.
Landsman Law approaches each case by examining the actual evidence and legal issues involved rather than assuming that an arrest determines the outcome. Learn more about the firm’s criminal defense practice in Gainesville and North Florida →
What Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law Means
Matt Landsman earned Florida Bar Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law in 2016. Board certification is The Florida Bar’s highest level of recognition for attorney competency and experience in approved specialty areas.
Certification in Criminal Trial Law requires substantial involvement in criminal trial practice, significant contested-case and jury-trial experience, approved continuing legal education, peer review, and successful completion of a written examination. Certification must also be maintained through continuing requirements.
For clients evaluating a criminal defense lawyer, board certification provides an objective credential demonstrating that the lawyer has satisfied experience, knowledge, trial, peer-review, and continuing-education standards in the specialty.
Experience Across the Criminal Case
Matt Landsman’s criminal practice includes representation from the earliest investigative stage through motions, evidentiary hearings, plea negotiations, jury trials, sentencing, probation proceedings, appeals, and post-trial litigation. His experience includes misdemeanor and felony cases as well as complex constitutional and evidentiary issues.
Criminal Investigations
Representation can begin before an arrest. Early legal advice may be important when a detective requests an interview, police seek consent to search, a search warrant is executed, or investigators attempt to obtain digital evidence.
Search & Seizure Litigation
Criminal defense may require challenging traffic stops, detentions, vehicle searches, home searches, search warrants, phone searches, and other government conduct under the Fourth Amendment and Florida law.
Statements & Interrogations
The defense may examine whether statements were voluntary, whether constitutional rights were honored, whether questioning was custodial, and whether law enforcement used coercive or misleading interrogation techniques.
Trial & Evidentiary Hearings
Courtroom litigation may involve self-defense, Stand Your Ground proceedings, suppression hearings, witness credibility, admissibility of evidence, motions to dismiss, motions in limine, jury trials, and other contested matters.
Criminal Cases Handled by Landsman Law
Landsman Law represents clients in a broad range of Florida criminal matters. The appropriate strategy depends on the facts, the evidence available to prosecutors, the applicable statutes and case law, and any constitutional or evidentiary issues affecting the case.
DUI & Traffic Offenses
DUI, refusal cases, license-related issues, criminal traffic offenses, DUI manslaughter, and other serious driving allegations.
Drug Crimes
Drug possession, sale or delivery, trafficking, marijuana offenses, prescription-drug allegations, and related search-and-seizure issues.
Domestic Violence & Battery
Domestic battery, assault, aggravated assault, self-defense claims, injunction-related matters, and other interpersonal violence allegations.
Theft, Fraud & Burglary
Petit theft, grand theft, fraud allegations, burglary of dwellings, structures or conveyances, and related property-crime prosecutions.
Weapons & Violent Crimes
Firearm allegations, possession offenses, assault, battery, serious felony charges, and cases involving self-defense or defense of others.
Sex Crimes & Probation
Sex-offense allegations, sexual battery, lewd conduct, violations of probation, evidentiary hearings, and related collateral consequences.
How Landsman Law Approaches a Criminal Defense
1. Reconstruct the Investigation
Review reports, recordings, witness statements, photographs, digital evidence, forensic material, dispatch records, warrants, and the timeline of police activity.
2. Identify Legal Issues
Evaluate searches and seizures, statements, identification evidence, evidentiary admissibility, statutory elements, available defenses, and procedural issues.
3. Build the Defense Around the Evidence
A defense strategy should respond to the proof the State actually possesses, the evidence it may be permitted to use, and the facts that can be established for the defense.
4. Prepare for Court
Negotiation may be appropriate in some cases, but meaningful negotiation is strengthened by preparation for motions, evidentiary hearings, and trial when the circumstances require it.
Professional Background
Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law since 2016. Board certification reflects specialized experience and proficiency in criminal trial practice.
More than 20 years practicing criminal law. Matt Landsman has represented clients in misdemeanor and felony matters, pretrial litigation, contested hearings, jury trials, probation proceedings, and appeals.
University of Florida Levin College of Law graduate. His professional background and practice are centered in North Florida and the Gainesville legal community.
Florida Bar continuing legal education presenter. His criminal-law presentations have addressed litigation topics including search warrants, probation violations, and jury selection.
Gainesville Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving North Florida
Landsman Law is based in Gainesville and represents clients in Alachua County and throughout North Florida. The firm handles criminal investigations and prosecutions arising in Gainesville as well as surrounding communities and judicial circuits.
Although court procedures and local practices can vary by county and judicial circuit, the central defense questions remain the same: What evidence does the State have? How was it obtained? Is it admissible? Are the witnesses reliable? And can prosecutors prove every element of the charged offense?
Frequently Asked Questions About Matt Landsman and Landsman Law
Is Matt Landsman Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law?
Yes. Matt Landsman became Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Criminal Trial Law in 2016.
How long has Matt Landsman practiced criminal law?
Matt Landsman has more than 20 years of criminal-law experience representing people facing misdemeanor charges, felony prosecutions, criminal investigations, probation matters, trials, and appeals.
Does Landsman Law handle cases before an arrest?
Yes. Representation may begin during an investigation, including when a detective requests an interview, police seek consent to search, investigators execute a warrant, or law enforcement attempts to obtain digital evidence.
What areas does Landsman Law serve?
Landsman Law is based in Gainesville and represents clients in Alachua County and throughout North Florida, including Bradford, Levy, Gilchrist, Union, Columbia, Marion, Putnam, and surrounding counties.
Talk With a Gainesville Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you have been arrested, charged with a crime, accused of violating probation, or contacted by law enforcement during an investigation, contact Landsman Law to discuss the circumstances of your case.
Call (352) 664-9671 for a consultation.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
