Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Florida criminal defense attorneys who navigate the state’s 10-20-Life firearm mandatory minimums, the Criminal Punishment Code scoresheet, Stand Your Ground immunity, and Habitual Offender / Prison Releasee Reoffender enhancements.

Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
Matched with a Florida attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Florida criminal defense case review

A Florida attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Florida criminal defense case

When you submit a Florida criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Florida law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Florida who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a criminal defense claim in Florida

Day 0
Arrest or charge.
Say nothing beyond identifying yourself and ask for a lawyer. Do not consent to searches. Everything after this is built on what you did not say.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Florida criminal defense attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Days 1–14
First appearance and bail.
Your attorney addresses release conditions and gets the charging documents. In Florida, this is where the tone of the case is set.
Weeks to months
Discovery and motions.
Police reports, video, lab work, witness statements. Motions to suppress or dismiss are filed where the evidence was obtained improperly.
Before trial
Negotiation or trial.
Most cases resolve by dismissal or plea; some go to trial. Your attorney advises on the risk of each with the actual evidence in hand.
Resolution
Outcome and record.
Fees are quoted before you commit — hourly or a retainer, spelled out in writing at the free consultation.

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for capital, life, or first-degree felonies punishable by life; 4 years for first-degree felonies; 3 years for other felonies (Fla. Stat. § 775.15)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years for first-degree misdemeanors; 1 year for second-degree (Fla. Stat. § 775.15)
Sentencing Structure: Criminal Punishment
Criminal Punishment Code (Fla. Stat. § 921.0024) scoresheet system; 10-20-Life firearm mandatory minimums (§ 775.087); Habitual Offender (§ 775.084) and PRR (§ 775.082(9)) enhancements
Expungement / Record Sealing: Fla. Stat. § 943.0585
Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 (expungement of non-convictions); § 943.059 (sealing of records); narrow eligibility, one-time use, many exclusions; juvenile expunction under § 943.0515
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.131 and Fla. Stat. § 903; constitutional right to bail with exceptions (Fla. Const. Art. I, § 14); Arthur hearings for capital and life felony cases
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Florida uses the Criminal Punishment Code (Fla. Stat. § 921.0024) — a scoresheet system where the lowest permissible sentence is calculated from the primary offense level (1-10), additional offenses, victim injury, prior record, and other factors. Florida felonies range from Capital (life or death) and Life felonies (life max), through First-degree (up to 30 years), Second-degree (up to 15), and Third-degree (up to 5) felonies. The 10-20-Life statute (Fla. Stat. § 775.087) imposes mandatory minimums when a firearm is used in certain felonies: 10 years for possession, 20 years for discharge, 25-to-life for causing injury or death. Florida’s Habitual Felony Offender (Fla. Stat. § 775.084) and Prison Releasee Reoffender (PRR, Fla. Stat. § 775.082(9)) enhancements dramatically increase exposure for repeat offenders. Florida’s Stand Your Ground law (Fla. Stat. § 776.032) provides pretrial immunity in self-defense cases. Florida still aggressively prosecutes marijuana — recreational use remains illegal as of 2024 (Amendment 3 failed in November 2024). Florida has no general expungement statute, but Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 (expungement of non-conviction records) and § 943.059 (sealing of records) provide narrow relief.

Exhibit B

When to call a criminal defense attorney in Florida

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Criminal Defense cases we take in Florida

Which one is closest to yours?

DUI / Felony DUI

Florida DUI under § 316.193 (.08 BAC). First offense: up to 6 months jail, $500–$1,000 fine, 6-month license suspension. Second offense within 5 years: 10 days mandatory minimum. Third within 10 years: third-degree felony, 30-day minimum. Fourth and beyond: third-degree felony.

Sound like yours? A Florida attorney reviews it free — fees are quoted upfront, before you commit.

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Exhibit D

How much do Florida criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Florida · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in Florida are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in Florida work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Fla. R. Prof. Conduct 4-1.5(f)(3)(A) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases (homicide, federal healthcare fraud, multi-count) use hourly billing with substantial retainers. Florida’s 20 elected Public Defender offices represent indigent defendants.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Florida criminal defense compensation can include

A Florida criminal defense recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Charge Dismissal

Outright dismissal through motion to suppress, motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence (Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.190(c)(4)), speedy trial under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.191 (175 days for felonies, 90 for misdemeanors), Stand Your Ground immunity hearing (Fla. Stat. § 776.032), or State Attorney nolle prosequi.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Florida criminal defense questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Florida attorney will review it for free.

Start free review

No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. Florida law enforcement — Miami-Dade PD, Broward Sheriff, Orlando PD, FHP, FDLE — use trained interrogation techniques. Anything you say can and will be used against you. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and your right to counsel under Miranda.

Yes. Florida first-degree misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in jail and $1,000 fines under Fla. Stat. § 775.082. Pretrial intervention (PTI) under Fla. Stat. § 948.08 can result in dismissal for first-time offenders, but enrollment requires prosecutor consent. Convictions trigger collateral consequences — license suspension, federal firearm bans for DV, immigration consequences.

State cases go through Florida circuit court (felonies) or county court (misdemeanors). Federal cases go to U.S. District Court for the Northern (Tallahassee, Pensacola), Middle (Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), or Southern (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach) Districts of Florida — and follow the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Federal drug trafficking (Caribbean/Latin America routes through Miami), healthcare fraud (Florida is the #1 healthcare fraud jurisdiction), and immigration cases are common.

Florida plea agreements under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.171 are negotiated between the State Attorney’s Office and defense. Pleas can include charge reductions, withhold of adjudication (Fla. Stat. § 948.01 — defendant placed on probation without formal conviction), nolo contendere pleas, and stipulated sentences. Withhold of adjudication is uniquely valuable in Florida — it preserves civil rights and avoids many collateral consequences.

Florida has narrow record relief. Expungement under Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 applies only to cases without conviction (dismissals, acquittals, no-bills) — and only one expungement per lifetime. Sealing under § 943.059 applies to certain offenses where adjudication was withheld — also one per lifetime, with many exclusions (DUI, DV, sex offenses, drug trafficking). Automatic sealing/expungement for some non-judicial criminal history under § 943.0595.

Florida handles juveniles in juvenile court under Fla. Stat. § 985.01 et seq. Direct file by State Attorney is permitted for 16- and 17-year-olds for many felonies (Fla. Stat. § 985.557) — one of the broader direct-file statutes in the country, though restricted by 2018 reforms. Juvenile records can be expunged under § 943.0515 — early termination at 21 (or 26 for serious offenses) is automatic for some.

Florida DUI under Fla. Stat. § 316.193 uses .08 BAC (.04 commercial, .02 under-21). Implied consent under § 316.1932 — refusal triggers 1-year license suspension (18 months for second refusal). Mandatory IID for second offense, third offense, and any first offense with BAC ≥ .15 or with minor in vehicle (§ 316.1937). Fourth DUI is a third-degree felony.