A felony is considered to be one of the most serious crimes you can commit. Whether it’s in Fort Myers county, the State of Florida, or the rest of the United States – it is a conviction that comes with life-shattering consequences. Some of the penalties that follow a felony conviction are long prison sentences, extreme fines, and having it added to your criminal record for life. The prison sentence lengths and fines vary, as they are decided through an analysis of the circumstances surrounding your case. It is crucial that if you are being convicted for a felony charge that you get legal advice as soon as possible.
At The Law Place, we have a team of skilled criminal defense lawyers who have years of experience dealing with felony cases similar to yours. We offer a free consultation for all of our clients. This means that if you were to contact us today, we can explain to you the details surrounding your case and begin the steps to achieving justice for you during this uncertain time. As a law firm, we take our attorney-client relationship incredibly seriously. once you’re placed with a criminal defense attorney, they will be there to support you as much as possible during this time.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – we are here day and night to take your call. Contact us on (941) 444-4444, and receive a free consultation with a Fort Myers criminal defense attorney today.
Types of Felony Offences in Fort Myers, FL.
Felonies come under a variety of different definitions, so it is important that your Florida criminal defense lawyers are aware of the different laws surrounding each felony. All felonies are classified as serious crimes. However, the punishment for each can differ depending on the circumstances that surround the crime being committed. Listed below are the crimes that can be considered a felony in Fort Myers, FL.:
- Aggravated assault
- Battery
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Child abuse
- Murder or homicide
- Carjacking
- Felony DUI
- Kidnapping
- Domestic violence
- Resisting/assaulting a police officer through violence
- Robbery
- Sex crimes: rape, molestation, sexual battery
- Grand theft, or the stealing of property, e.g., a car
What some of the above crimes have in common is the violent methods used towards someone, or a violent incident that occurred, which resulted in extreme consequences, such as a loss of life. This explains why the punishments involved in felony crimes are severe. Your criminal defense attorney should also draw your attention to the fact that if someone suffers a great extent of injuries, you can be charged with multiple felony crimes, even if it all occurred during one instance.
If any of the above-listed crimes relate to you in some capacity, it is vital that you seek legal assistance immediately. The sooner you do, the sooner there is a chance of minimizing your impending penalties. At The Law Place, our team is well-versed in Florida law surrounding felonies and has years of experience representing people from Fort Myers in cases similar to yours.
What Are the Penalties for a Felony in Fort Myers, FL?
Felonies in the State of Florida can be categorized through many different factors. In some cases, what often happens is that a numerical value will be attached to the offense to distinguish what type of felony it is. The more severe the felony is classified, the higher the numerical value will be. This ranking system can be found in the Florida State Legislature and is structured through point-based criteria.
Listed below are the different kinds of felony classifications that can be found in the Florida Statute 755.081:
- Capital felony – This is the highest and most serious of felonies. The consequences include imprisonment for life without parole. In more serious cases, there is also the possibility of the death penalty. An example of a capital felony is murder in the first degree.
- Life felony – This category shares similarities with a capital felony. The punishment is life imprisonment as well as a fine of $15,000.
- First-degree felony – In this case, the punishment that follows is a 30-year prison sentence along with a fine of $10,000. Examples of a first-degree felony are assault, robbery, or battery.
- Second-degree felony – In this case, the punishment is 15 years of imprisonment with a $10,000 fine. An example of a second-degree felony is burglary.
- Third-degree felony – This felony has the least severe punishments but is still not something you want on your criminal record. You will face 5 years of imprisonment with a $5000 fine.
What Are the Consequences of a Felony Conviction in Fort Myers, FL?
The consequences for you and your loved ones if you are convicted of a felony in Fort Myers are pretty bleak. They do not go away and will remain on your permanent record for the rest of your life. If you have a felony on your record, the State of Florida will place restrictions on several aspects of your life in order to protect civilians. Listed below are some of the legal restrictions you will come into hardship with:
- Maintaining current employment, promotions in current employment, or being able to be considered for future employment.
- Having employment in specific areas, e.g., the care sector.
- Qualifying for state housing benefits.
- Joining a school or college system.
- Running for political office.
- Possessing and purchasing a firearm.
- The right to vote.
- Traveling outside of your state or the United States at all.
- Maintaining your parental rights.
As you can see, there will be several aspects that mean life-shattering consequences to you if you are convicted. A piece of positive news is that in some cases, through time, some of the above rights can be restored to some form of normality. Having said this, it is evident that this is a position that no-one wants to find themselves in. In order to achieve justice, you need the right kind of legal representation on your side. At The Law Place, our team is skilled in both state and federal law, representing many others from Fort Myers. Contact us today for your free consultation with a member of our team of criminal defense lawyers, and start the beginning of your steps towards freedom.
What Are the Defenses for a Felony in Fort Myers, FL?
There are several different lines of defense that your Fort Myers criminal defense lawyer can use in order to fight the criminal charges against you. Listed below are some of the options that could be appropriate to your case:
- Double jeopardy – This can be defined under the U.S. constitution, meaning your rights are instantly guaranteed. In the constitution, it states that a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice after a conviction or acquittal has been reached already.
- Duress – You were forced to behave in a way that was out of character. The felony was committed due to the threat of serious bodily injury or death.
- Entrapment – This refers to the position a person is in if they are being manipulated by law enforcement to carry out a felony.
- Infancy – You are underage or not of an age that warrants criminal responsibility.
- Lack of capacity – This means that you committed the felony when being in an altered state. E.G., you were under the influence of legally prescribed drugs. It also references delusion or a mental disability also.
- The mistake of fact – Not knowing your actions were illegal.
- Necessity or duress – In a case of emergency, you committed this felony to prevent harm to you or others.
- Self-defense – You feared serious bodily injury or death and had to use deadly force in order to avoid it.
What a Fort Myers Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do for You
Here at The Law Place, we want to support you through this entire process – beginning to end. We understand how stressful this time will be for you. Our team flourishes in felony criminal defense. Our lawyers will work to get all the essential evidence possible that can help benefit you during your case.
Something that is not known to many is that in the State of Florida, including Fort Myers county, negotiations have become more common. This is otherwise known as a plea deal, which is not a bad position for your criminal defense attorney to be in. This means you could achieve minimization for your penalties. If this is not possible to achieve, your Fort Myers criminal defense lawyer will be with you throughout your whole trial. It is extremely important to not accept any sort of plea deal without conferring with your criminal defense attorney. The option might be tempting, but it is likely there will be content contained within it designed to trick you, making it not the right choice. Let your criminal defense lawyer look over it first with a fine tooth-comb before agreeing to something that could massively alter your life.
At The Law Place, you get multiple lawyers for the price of one! We work as a collaborative force in order to combine all shared knowledge with your best interest at the heart of all of the work. With our years of experience, we can successfully fight to provide positive results for you.
Contact The Law Place, Fort Myers, FL., Today
If you are being convicted of a felony in Fort Myers county, it is a situation that comes with frightening consequences for both you and your loved ones. If you find yourself in this position, know that you do not need to go through it alone. It is crucial that you have the correct kind of criminal defense attorney in your corner, fighting for your rights and having a clear knowledge of both state and federal law. This will enable them to create the best defense possible for your case.
At The Law Place, we have years of experience in fighting in and winning felony cases that are similar to yours. We have represented people throughout the entire State of Florida, including Fort Myers, meaning we have a clear understanding of this process and how we can help you through it.
In order to begin this process, the sooner you get in touch with us, the better it will be for you. Contact The Law Place through our telephone line on (941) 444-4444 to begin your free consultation with a Fort Myers criminal defense attorney today.