Aggressive Defense Against Violent Felony Charges Across Florida
✓ Free Consultation 24/7
✓ Offices Throughout Florida
✓ Former Prosecutors
✓ Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer
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First-degree murder, second-degree murder, and manslaughter defense
1. Arrest
Officers detain you at the scene or on a warrant — anything you say can be used against you
2. Booking & First Appearance
Fingerprints, mugshot, and a judge sets bond within 24 hours — no bond on capital charges
3. Charging Decision
State Attorney files formal information or presents to grand jury for capital cases
4. Arraignment
Formal reading of charges and entry of plea — counsel should already be engaged
5. Discovery & Depositions
Police reports, witness statements, video, and forensic evidence are exchanged and challenged
6. Plea, Immunity Hearing, or Trial
Stand Your Ground immunity motion, negotiated resolution, or jury trial
We attack violent crime charges from every angle:
Florida Statute 776.032 grants immunity when force was justified — we file pretrial immunity motions that can end the case before trial.
Eyewitness identifications are notoriously unreliable — we challenge lineups, photo arrays, and cross-racial identification.
Fourth Amendment violations in searches, seizures, and interrogations can knock out the state’s evidence.
DNA, ballistics, and blood-pattern analysis are attackable — chain of custody, contamination, and expert cross-examination.
Depositions expose inconsistencies, bias, and motive to fabricate that destroy the state’s case at trial.
Where dismissal isn’t possible, we negotiate down to lesser-included offenses to avoid mandatory minimums.
Second-degree misdemeanor | Up to 60 days jail | $500 fine
Second-degree felony | Up to 15 years prison | $10,000 fine
First-degree felony | 10-year mandatory minimum under 10-20-Life | Up to life
Second-degree felony | Up to 15 years | Reclassified to first-degree if firearm used
Life felony | Up to life in prison | 25-year minimum if firearm discharged causing death
Capital felony | Life without parole or death penalty
Beyond the core offenses, we defend against the full range of violent felony charges:
Mandatory minimum for possession of a firearm during commission of a listed felony.
Mandatory minimum for discharging a firearm during a listed violent felony.
Mandatory minimum when a firearm discharge causes death or great bodily harm.
We attack whether the firearm element can be proven — removing 10-20-Life often changes the entire negotiating posture.
Immunity, Not a Defense: Florida Statute 776.032 grants immunity from prosecution when force was legally justified.
Pretrial Immunity Hearing: Judge can dismiss the entire case if defense proves justification by a preponderance of the evidence.
No Duty to Retreat: Where you are lawfully present, you have no duty to retreat before using justified force.
Castle Doctrine: Presumption of reasonable fear in your home, vehicle, or workplace against unlawful intruders.
Covers murder, manslaughter, and vehicular/vessel homicide across all degrees.
Simple, aggravated, and felony variants including battery by strangulation.
Strong-arm robbery, robbery with a weapon, home invasion, and carjacking.
Mandatory-minimum enhancements when firearms are involved in violent felonies.
Grants immunity from prosecution when force was lawfully justified.
Orlando, Winter Park, and surrounding areas.
Tampa and Tampa Bay area courts.
Sanford, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary.
Kissimmee and Osceola County courts.
Lakeland, Winter Haven, and surrounding areas.
Melbourne, Cocoa, and Space Coast.
20+ Attorneys – Full team of experienced criminal defense lawyers
15+ Florida Offices – Serving defendants throughout the state
Thousands of Cases Handled – Decades of combined experience
Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer – Recognized expertise in criminal law
Available 24/7 – We answer when you need us most
Aggravated Battery Dismissed – Stand Your Ground immunity granted; entire case dismissed pretrial
Attempted Murder Reduced – Life-exposure charge negotiated down to aggravated battery with probation
Armed Robbery Acquittal – Not-guilty verdict at jury trial on eyewitness misidentification
10-20-Life Broken – Firearm element struck; client avoided 10-year mandatory minimum
Manslaughter Withhold – Downward departure and withheld adjudication after mitigation
Employment: Violent felony convictions permanently close off many careers, especially those requiring background checks.
Firearms Rights: Permanent loss of the right to possess firearms and ammunition under both state and federal law.
Family Court: Convictions weigh heavily in custody and time-sharing determinations.
Immigration: Aggravated felonies trigger deportation and permanent inadmissibility for non-citizens.
Housing: Public and private landlords routinely reject applicants with violent convictions.
Violent charges are often filed alongside additional counts. We defend against all of them:
Domestic Battery – Enhanced penalties and no-contact orders on top of the base charge
Felon in Possession of a Firearm – Stand-alone felony with 3-year minimum
Aggravated Stalking – Frequently added when there is a prior relationship
Resisting Arrest with Violence – Third-degree felony automatically added
Witness Tampering – New felony charge if the state believes contact with witnesses was improper
Violent crime cases move fast and the state builds its file from the moment of arrest. Available 24/7, free consultation, and payment plans available.
Say nothing to police or detectives. Invoke your right to counsel and remain silent.
Preserve every piece of evidence. Texts, photos, video, injuries — document while memories are fresh.
Do not contact witnesses or the alleged victim. That is a new felony charge — witness tampering — waiting to happen.
Call a violent crimes defense lawyer today. The earlier we engage, the more options remain open.
Stand Your Ground in Florida – How self-defense immunity works
10-20-Life Explained – Mandatory minimums when a firearm is involved
Assault vs. Battery – The legal distinction and how it drives penalties
Motion to Suppress – How illegal-search rulings can gut a case
Arthur Hearings – Getting bond on charges that normally have none
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