Fore & Pribble Criminal Defense Attorneys
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Weapons & Firearms Defense Attorney in Palm Beach County
Facing Firearm or Weapons Charges in Florida?
Protect Your Rights Immediately.
Florida enforces some of the most unforgiving firearm penalties in the country, where a conviction can carry mandatory minimum prison sentences that strip away your liberty for decades.
Defending your future requires an aggressive, highly technical strategy. At Fore & Pribble, we bring extensive courtroom experience fighting weapon offenses,
Your liberty, your clean record, and your future are on the line.
Contact Fore & Pribble 24/7 for a strict, completely confidential case review.
Aggressive Trial Representation Against Florida’s 10-20-Life Law
The Florida statute known as 10-20-Life applies to a person convicted of a felony committing while they had a firearm in their actual possession. The term “actual” is used to distinguish from possession which is merely “constructive,” meaning the person knows the firearm is in a place over which they have control, but the firearm is not on their person, in their hand, in their pocket, etc.
Which Felonies Fall Under 10-20-Life?
10-20-Life reclassifies the following list of felonies to a higher degree felony—this increases the maximum sentence:
Murder
Sexual Battery
Robbery
Burglary
Arson
Aggravated Battery
Kidnapping
Escape
Aircraft Piracy
Aggravated Child Abuse
Aggravated Abuse of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult
Unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device of bomb
Carjacking
Home-invasion robbery
Aggravated Stalking
Trafficking in certain drugs (listed in Fla. Stat. §775.087(2)(a)1.p.)
Felon in possession of a firearm - 10-year minimum
10-20-Life also increases the minimum sentence.
A minimum 10-year prison sentence applies to the above list of felonies committed or attempted while the person actually possessed a firearm. There these 2 exceptions, which provide a 3-year instead of a 10-year minimum for mere actual possession:
Felon in possession of a firearm 3 year minimum sentence
Burglary of a conveyance (i.e., car) 3 year minimum sentence
20-year minimum
Where the firearm possessed during that felony was discharged (fired), even accidentally, a minimum 20-year prison sentence is imposed.
25-year minimum
Where the firearm is discharged and the bullet hits a person, the law requires a minimum 25-year prison sentence up to a possible life sentence. The law requires that “death or great bodily harm” be inflicted on the person shot, but this standard is usually met since being struck by a bullet usually causes serious injury.
Harsh Results
The application of the 10-20-Life law produces harsh results. For example, an offender who intended only to use a gun during a robbery or other felony for purposes of fear or control will be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison if that gun accidentally goes off and shoots someone.
Self-Defense and Florida's Stand Your Ground Law
Florida's Stand Your Ground Law and other laws regarding self-defense can provide certain protections for individuals who use force to defend themselves from the threat of violence by others. Sometimes the police get in wrong when they respond to a call involving violence. Sometimes the police make the mistake of arresting the wrong person. Florida's Stand Your Ground Law can prevent a person from being prosecuted in certain situations and can be used by an experienced lawyer to shield a client from criminal prosecution altogether. Under recent changes to the law, the burden of proof is now on the prosecutor to prove that a person who claims self-defense under Florida's Stand Your Ground Law can be prosecuted. If you are charged with a crime of violence in Florida and you were defending yourself, you need an experienced defense attorney to defend you and protect your rights. Even if Florida's Stand Your Ground does not apply to the particular facts of your case, Florida's other self-defense laws may still provide a viable defense at trial.
Your Direct Line to Defense
Exceptional communication is a hallmark of our practice. You are an integral part of this defense team. That means we keep you constantly updated, return your calls promptly, and ensure you are never left guessing about the status of your case.