Bogin, Munns & Munns P.A.
(855) 780-9986
(855) 780-9986
Click Here to Request a Consultation
Click Here to Request a Consultation
Bogin, Munns & Munns

Orlando Felony Lawyers

Your legal issues need our expertise. With 40+ dynamic attorneys on staff, Bogin, Munns & Munns serves Central Florida’s legal needs and treats our clients like family.
1000 Legion Place, Suite 1000, Orlando, Florida 32801 855-686-6752 View all Google Reviews here
Speak To An Attorney Now
BBB Accredited Business Avvo Top Attorney Car Accident Super Lawyers Google Top Rated
On This Page
Reading time: 7 minutes
  1. Why Is a Felony Charge So Much More Serious Than a Misdemeanor?
  2. What Are the Degrees of Felony in Florida?
  3. How Is a Felony Sentence Actually Calculated in Florida?
  4. Can a Felony Be Reduced or Dismissed in Orange County?
  5. What Rights Do You Lose With a Felony Conviction?
  6. Who Handles Felony Defense at Our Orlando Office
  7. Ready to Talk to an Orlando Felony Attorney?
person in handcuffs with drugs and a syringe on the floor

A felony charge puts your freedom, your record, and rights you may never fully get back on the line, which is why an Orlando felony lawyer should be involved from the earliest possible moment.

We defend people charged with felonies in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties from our Orlando office, building a defense while the evidence is fresh and every option is still open. The sooner we are involved, the more we can do.

Call our Orlando office at 407-578-9696 for a free, confidential consultation.

Why Is a Felony Charge So Much More Serious Than a Misdemeanor?

Clermont Criminal DUI LawyerA felony carries the possibility of state prison time exceeding one year, and a conviction follows you permanently in ways a misdemeanor does not. The consequences reach past sentencing into rights and opportunities that are difficult or impossible to restore.

A felony conviction in Florida can strip your right to vote until rights restoration, permanently bar you from owning a firearm, end professional licenses, and disqualify you from many jobs and housing options. Because the stakes are this high, the defense has to be built carefully and early.

To consult with an experienced criminal misdemeanor & felony lawyer serving Orlando
(855) 780-9986

What Are the Degrees of Felony in Florida?

Florida classifies felonies by degree, and each degree carries a different maximum sentence. Where a charge falls determines the exposure, but the actual outcome depends on the defense and the sentencing analysis.

Felony Degree Maximum Prison Maximum Fine Examples
Third-degree Up to 5 years Up to $5,000 Drug possession, grand theft (lower value), certain gun charges
Second-degree Up to 15 years Up to $10,000 Aggravated battery, burglary of a dwelling
First-degree Up to 30 years Up to $10,000 Armed burglary, some trafficking offenses
Life felony Up to life Up to $15,000 Certain violent and sexual offenses
Capital felony Life or death penalty N/A First-degree murder

Enhancements, prior convictions, and aggravating factors can push penalties higher. We analyze exactly what you are exposed to before building the defense.

How Is a Felony Sentence Actually Calculated in Florida?

Gavel in the foreground during a legal consultation between two peopleFlorida uses the Criminal Punishment Code, which applies a scoresheet to determine the lowest permissible sentence. Points are assigned for the current offense, any prior record, victim injury, and other factors, and the total sets a minimum sentence range.

This scoresheet matters enormously, because reducing the points, through a charge reduction, a challenge to prior-record scoring, or negotiation, can move a case below the threshold that requires prison. We prepare the scoresheet analysis in every felony case, since it is often where sentencing outcomes are won.

The Florida Department of Corrections publishes information on sentencing and the scoresheet system at fdc.myflorida.com, which reflects how seriously the state treats felony sentencing.

Orlando Criminal Misdemeanor & Felony Lawyer Near Me
(855) 780-9986

Can a Felony Be Reduced or Dismissed in Orange County?

Sometimes, yes. Depending on the charge, the evidence, and your record, a felony may be reduced to a lesser felony or a misdemeanor, dismissed on legal grounds, or resolved through a program that avoids a conviction.

Common paths include challenging how evidence was obtained, negotiating a reduction with the State Attorney’s Office, and pursuing diversion for eligible offenses. Florida law excludes forcible felonies from diversion, but many non-violent felonies remain candidates. We assess which path is realistic based on the specific facts.

What Rights Do You Lose With a Felony Conviction?

driver smoking marijuana while operating a vehicleA felony conviction in Florida carries consequences that continue long after any sentence is served. These are not temporary penalties; several are permanent unless formally restored.

A convicted felon in Florida can lose the right to vote until rights are restored, the right to possess a firearm, eligibility for many professional licenses, and access to certain jobs, housing, and student aid. For non-citizens, a felony conviction can also trigger deportation or bar future immigration relief. Avoiding the conviction, not just minimizing the sentence, is often the most important goal.

Call 407-578-9696 or contact us online to discuss your charge.

Click to contact our Orlando Felony Lawyerss today

Who Handles Felony Defense at Our Orlando Office

Emma Boggs is a criminal defense attorney at Bogin Munns & Munns who represents clients in Orlando, Kissimmee, Clermont, and throughout Central Florida. Her practice focuses on criminal defense, including felony charges, misdemeanors, and traffic-related offenses.

She began her career as an Assistant Public Defender in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, where she represented clients in Orange and Osceola Counties and handled hundreds of criminal cases, developing a strong foundation in courtroom advocacy, plea negotiation, and trial strategy. She earned her Juris Doctor from Barry University School of Law in 2023 and served on active military duty before law school.

Our Orlando office is at 1000 Legion Place, Suite 1000. Consultations are free and confidential.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Case results depend on individual facts and circumstances.

Ready to Talk to an Orlando Felony Attorney?

A felony charge is not something to face alone or to wait on. The decisions made in the first days after an arrest often shape everything that follows, and the right defense begins with getting an attorney involved immediately.

We defend felony charges in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties and throughout Central Florida from our office at 1000 Legion Place, Suite 1000.

Bogin Munns & Munns also handles misdemeanor defense, DUI, drug charges, gun crimes, theft defense, and more from 11 offices across the region.

Call 407-578-9696 or contact our Orlando office online for a free felony defense consultation.

Call or Submit Our Consultation Request Form Today

Frequently Asked Questions

  • A felony is a serious offense punishable by more than one year in state prison, while a misdemeanor carries a maximum of one year in county jail. Felonies also bring lasting consequences a misdemeanor does not, including loss of voting and firearm rights. Some offenses can be charged either way depending on the circumstances and prior record.

  • Felony cases in the Ninth Judicial Circuit typically take several months to over a year, depending on complexity, the evidence involved, and whether the case is negotiated or goes to trial. More serious charges and cases requiring expert analysis take longer. We keep clients informed at each stage rather than leaving them guessing about timing.

  • The scoresheet is the tool Florida uses to calculate the lowest permissible felony sentence. It assigns points for the current offense, prior record, victim injury, and other factors, and the total determines the minimum sentence range. Reducing the score, where possible, can be the difference between prison and a non-prison sentence, which is why the analysis is central to felony defense.

  • Both happen. Many felony cases resolve through negotiated pleas, but not all, and the willingness to take a case to trial affects how prosecutors approach negotiation. We prepare every felony case as if it may be tried in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, which strengthens our position whether the case settles or goes before a jury.

  • Forcible felonies are violent offenses defined by Florida law, including murder, sexual battery, robbery, and aggravated assault, among others. They matter because they are excluded from most diversion programs and often carry mandatory minimum sentences. If you are charged with a forcible felony, the defense strategy differs significantly, and experienced representation becomes even more critical.

  • Contact a criminal defense attorney before speaking further with police or prosecutors. Anything you say can be used against you, and early decisions often shape the entire case. The sooner an attorney reviews the evidence and the charge, the more options exist to challenge it, negotiate it, or prepare a defense.

  • Yes, in some cases. Charges can be dismissed when evidence was improperly obtained, when the state lacks sufficient proof, or through negotiation. A charge can also be reduced to a lesser offense. Whether any of these applies depends on the specific facts, which we evaluate at the start of the case.

  • Generally, a felony conviction cannot be expunged. Limited exceptions exist, mostly where charges were dismissed or resolved without a conviction. This is why the goal in a felony case is usually to avoid the conviction itself, through dismissal, reduction, or diversion, rather than relying on later record clearing.

  • Not without formal restoration of firearm rights, which is a separate and demanding legal process. A felony conviction results in the loss of the right to possess a firearm under both state and federal law. Restoration is possible in some cases but not automatic, which is another reason avoiding the conviction matters.