If you have been charged with false imprisonment in Florida then you may have a defense. False accusation and “armed trespasser” are both defenses that are oftentimes successful when fighting a false imprisonment case. Even if you don’t think you have a defense, you should always speak to an attorney to make sure you have a full understanding of how the law applies specifically to your case. If you want to know more about how to prove your innocence when you’ve been falsely accused, the “armed trespasser” defense or if you want to speak to a lawyer about how to beat your false imprisonment case in Florida, then contact Matthew Williams now for a free consultation.
In Florida, false imprisonment is defined under Florida Statute 787.02. A person commits false imprisonment when they forcibly, by threat, confine, abduct, imprison, or restrain another person without lawful authority against their will, or when they secretly confine, abduct, imprison, or restrain another person without lawful authority against their will.
Realistically, if you stand in front of someone and don’t let them leave a room, or if you briefly prevent someone from leaving an area that they are trying to leave, then you committed the crime of false imprisonment.
False imprisonment is a third-degree felony, meaning it is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, or up 5 years of probation and up to $5,000 in fines (you can also get a jail or prison sentence followed by probation, but the total length of the punishment cannot exceed 5 years). In addition to facing prison time, if you are adjudicated guilty of false imprisonment you will lose constitutional rights and you’ll have to deal with many other collateral consequences.
Criminal convictions, especially convictions for violent charges, carry severe consequences and can never be removed from your criminal record. If you are convicted of a felony you will lose your right to vote, your right to own firearms, and your ability to maintain certain business licenses. You can also lose your ability to receive financial aid, your ability to live in certain places and your ability to obtain a passport.
If you need an attorney who will advise you, fight for your rights, and do everything possible to protect your future, or if someone you know has been charged with false imprisonment in Florida, then contact Matthew Williams now for a free consultation.