False Imprisonment
We Have Offices Conveniently Located in Deland and Daytona Beach
False imprisonment is a crime defined by Florida Statute 787.02. The offense is classified as a felony and carries the possibility of life imprisonment in certain circumstances. Attorney Matt Thompson’s experience in handling cases in Central Florida and Volusia Count, most False Imprisonment charges are coupled with domestic violence charges or an argument with a spouse over the children.
We have offices in DeLand and Daytona Beach and help clients throughout Central Florida fight their criminal charges.
What is False Imprisonment?
There are many situations where a person might be confined or imprisoned. For example, a law enforcement officer might temporarily confine a person to one location while conducting an investigation. A judge might order someone accused of a crime to remain within the county. In these instances, there is a “lawful authority” to the confinement. In situations where there is no lawful authority, a crime occurs. False imprisonment means to forcibly, secretly, or by threat confine, abduct, imprison or restrain another person without lawful authority and against the person’s will [Fl. Stat. 787.02(1)(a)].
When the imprisonment involves a child under the age of 13, the confinement does not have to be against the child’s will directly. Any confinement that is done without the consent of the child’s parent or legal guardian is considered against the will of the child under Florida Statute 787.02(b). Whenever a child is involved in a crime, the stakes are high. A conviction of a crime involving a child can leave a stain on your record that will affect future employment and success.
What is at Stake?
If convicted of false imprisonment, you could face a very lengthy prison sentence. Depending on the circumstances, false imprisonment is either a third degree or first degree felony.
Third degree – If the defendant forcibly, secretly, or by threat confined, abducted, imprisoned, or restrained the victim against his or her will without the legal authority to do so. Punishable by up to 5 years jail, 5 years probation, and a fine of $5,000.
First degree felony – If the victim is under the age of 13 and, in the course of committing the imprisonment, committed aggravated child abuse, sexual battery, lewd or lascivious battery, molestation, conduct, or exhibition, procured the child for prostitution or exploited the child. Punishable by up to life imprisonment and a fine of $15,000.
The Thompson Law Approach
If you are facing serious charges, such as false imprisonment, hiring an experience and qualified attorney is a necessary step in your defense. When you hire Matt Thompson, you get his full attention. Matt Thompson is a skilled attorney who will work quickly to put pressure on the State. As with all criminal cases, it is important to remember that the State must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. Having an attorney who can negotiate with the State and argue against their evidence is the best way to prevent facing the maximum sentence.
Matt Thompson is a former prosecutor who has handled a wide variety of cases, including false imprisonment and sex crimes. He is able to look past the shocking allegations and craft a defense that will put you in the best possible position give the specific circumstances of your case. At Thompson Law, we firmly believe that every case deserves a strong, solid defense, and we would be honored to assist you in creating yours. Call us today for your free case evaluation.
Client-Focused. RESULT-DRIVEN.
Working Closely with You To Build a strong case-
Domestic ViolenceClient was texting a friend when her significant other tried to grab for her phone. When the client tried to pull away, the victim claimed that he was battered and the client was arrested and brought before DCF due a child being in the house. Attorney Matt Thompson wrote a letter to the State explaining the discrepancy in evidence and claimed that the client was in fact moving away from the victim and did not intentionally try to hit the victim. All charges against the client were dismissed.
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Sale and Possession of Heroin
Defendant entered a treatment facility while case was pending. Attorney Thompson provided progress reports of all of her progress during her stay to show improvement. State agreed to amend all charges to simple possession and the Defendant was sentenced into Drug Court.
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Aggravated Assault with a Firearm
Client was accused of shooting a shotgun over the head of two minors. Attorney Thompson did a public records request to discover that officers reported to the scene of the crime the night of the incident and spoke to the victims on the evening the alleged crime occurred and believed the victims to be intoxicated and unreliable. Attorney Thompson conducted depositions of the officers and ultimately all charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and no incarceration.
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Grand Theft, Fleeing, Possession of a Fictitious Driver’s License
Attorney Matt Thompson, through depositions and litigation was able to show that officers did not act according to the warrant by picking up the client immediately upon sight. The charge of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, which carries a mandatory felony conviction, was dismissed by the State and the client was offered probation and no felony conviction.
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Sexual Battery & Domestic Battery
Mr. Thompson took depositions of the victim showing that the victim was not truthful with police when she provided her statement as to what happened. Confronted victim with social media posts, bank records, and telephone records to show that she was not in the places that she stated she was during the time the alleged crime took place. Case 1 was dismissed and the Defendant pled to Case 2 and received two (2) years of prison and credit for fifteen (15) months in prison.
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GIVE YOUR CASE THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES
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Over 15 Years of ExperienceThere's no substitute for experience. When faced with a serious crime, you need an attorney who has successfully handled numerous cases like yours.
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Aggressive Trial AttorneyMatt Thompson is a skilled trial attorney and has achieved many positive jury verdicts. If your case goes to trial, you can be confident that Matt is equipped to represent you.
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High-Quality Legal RepresentationAt Thompson Law, P.A., every client matters. This means that your case will receive the personal attention and care it deserves.
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Criminal Defense Is All We DoBecause our firm only focuses on criminal defense matters, you can trust our team has the specific knowledge needed to handle you case successfully.