Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
In many cases, people accused of a violent Florida criminal offenses may not be guilty. State law clearly emphasizes that individuals seeking to protect themselves, family members, or other individuals from harmful threats are, in most cases, not in violation of the law.
Being unclear about what constitutes self-defense rights in Florida may cause a person to make poor decisions following an altercation when they need to defend themselves or when they are discussing the altercation with law enforcement. Having a clear understanding of the right to defend yourself will put you in a better position should an altercation situation ever arise.
A physical altercation may happen in a public or private setting at any moment. Perhaps someone feels you bad-mouthed their team watching a sports game or a spouse becomes aggressive during an argument. A self-defense claim will only work if you weren’t the instigator in the fight turning physical.