Accessory After the Fact

If you have been charged with accessory after the fact in Florida, then you may have a defense.  No duty to report, being a domestic violence victim and simply refusing to cooperate are all defenses that are oftentimes successful when fighting accessory after the fact cases.  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 beat your accessory after the fact case in Florida, contact Matthew Williams now for a free consultation.

Accessory after the fact in Florida is defined under Florida Statute 777.03.  A person commits the crime of accessory after the fact when they maintain, assist, or aid an unrelated person known to have committed a felony, intending for the unrelated person to avoid or escape detention, arrest, trial or punishment for the felony.

A person cannot be charged with accessory after the fact if they are related to the suspect as a husband, wife, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, or sister by blood or by marriage.  That being said, this exemption does not apply if the underlying felony is child abuse, child neglect or involves the death of a child.

The penalties for accessory after the fact depend on what the underlying felony is.  For example, the penalty for accessory to murder is more serious than the penalty for accessory to grand theft.

Criminal convictions 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 accessory after the fact in Florida, then contact Matthew Williams now for a free consultation.