Mario, Gunde, Peters, Rhoden & Kelley, llc

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    • Kenneth E. RhodenKenneth E. Rhoden – Mr. Rhoden has been an attorney practicing in Brevard County since 1986. He has litigated many serious cases including complex divorces and death penalty cases.
    • Michael J. KelleyMichael J. Kelley – Mr. Kelley is an experienced trial attorney with a strong emphasis on Criminal Defense such as DUI, misdemeanors, felonies, VOP, and juvenile cases.
    • Barbara Helm PetersBarbara Helm Peters – Ms. Peters is an experienced trial attorney with an emphasis in Family Law and Criminal Defense. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1995, she is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator.  
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    • Anthony P. MarioAnthony P. Mario – Mr. Mario founded our firm in Brevard County in 1976. He is retired and is of counsel to the firm. He focused on Family Law, Criminal Defense, and complex Civil Litigation.
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    Home » Criminal Law » Felonies

    Felony Charges

    (See more information on Felony Sentencing)

    In Florida, a felony crime is any crime that is punishable by more than one year in prison. All felonies are serious charges and can result in a sentence of imprisonment, fines, and probation. You can also lose your right to vote or own or possess firearms.

    For a serious crime, you need a serious criminal attorney. Our attorneys include a former assistant State Attorney and former assistant Public Defenders. Our attorneys have tried hundreds of criminal Jury trials. The trials include Death Penalty cases to third degree felonies and everything in between. Our firm is one of a handful of firms in Brevard County that are qualified under Florida Supreme Court Rules to handle death penalty cases (see Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.112). Our attorneys have received Not Guilty verdicts in murder, sexual battery, drug possession, Grand theft, and many other felony crimes.

    If you have been arrested for a crime, or think you may be arrested, do not discuss the facts of your case with anyone, especially law enforcement. Call our offices as soon as possible. The police will try to use anything you say against you. For example, if you are arrested by the Palm Bay Police, they may ask you if you want to tell your side of the story. All you need to say is that you want to speak to your lawyer.

    The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felonies. Each Judge has hundreds of felony cases on their docket. The Judges have vast power over how your case will be handled. The Assistant State Attorneys assigned to prosecute your felony case are usually experienced and hard-nosed. It is their duty to prosecute you and, if appropriate, have you sent to prison. You need an attorney who can be equally tough and aggressive.

    In Brevard County, all felony cases are tried in the courthouse located in Viera. In years past, felony cases were tried in the Melbourne, Rockledge, and Titusville Courthouses. Now the Rockledge Courthouse has been converted to other uses and Titusville and Melbourne only handle misdemeanor cases.

    If you are charged with a felony, you may end up going to trial. You should do everything you can to have a strong defense. Your trial may be your only chance to present your defense. Your trial is certainly your best chance to present all possible defenses to the charges. The State will present every fact to try and convict you. You need to be fully prepared to rebut the State’s case and present any facts that can help you. Once the Jury finds you guilty, you are in a hole you may never be able to climb out of.

    Felony Plea Bargains

    Before entering any plea bargain, you should thoroughly understand the facts of your case and your chances at trial. Remember the State has to prove to a Jury, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you committed the crime charged. If you were caught red-handed, you may want to look at a plea bargain, but if you have a chance at trial it is often better to take that chance.

    If the evidence against you is so strong that you are forced to consider a plea bargain, there is still a lot of work to be done. Maybe if the State knows more about your side of the case, they will make a better offer. We will work to get you the best possible offer. If you have a Judge who may be less harsh than the State, consider a plea to the Court. You can use bargaining chips like entering drug treatment or promptly paying restitution to avoid or lessen an original offer of prison time. There are many options and they all need to be explored.

    As the largest and most experienced criminal law and family law firm in Brevard County our office has several highly experienced criminal attorneys including former public defenders, a former state attorney, and hundreds of trials on all types of felony charges including complex multiple felony cases.

    Initial consultations are a courtesy and attorneys are available 24/7 for your urgent needs.  Call the office to speak with an attorney by phone (321-631-0506) or use the Contact Form at the top of this page to email the office.

    Examples of felonies in Florida are:

    • Aggravated Assault
    • Aggravated Battery
    • Battery on Law Enforcement Officer
    • Burglary
    • Child Abuse
    • Drug Possession (Except Marijuana)
    • Felony Battery
    • Grand Theft
    • Homicide
    • Kidnapping
    • Resisting Officer with Violence
    • Sex Crimes, including Sexual Battery (Rape)
    • Sexual Abuse By Teachers, Volunteers, Coaches, Other Authority Figures
    • Lewd and Lascivious Battery
    • Lewd and Lascivious Molestation

    Related Topics

    1. Felony Sentencing
    2. Sexual Battery
    3. Felony Homicide in Florida
    4. Brevard County Battery and Domestic Violence Attorney
    5. Criminal Law
    6. I Was Charged With Assault in Brevard County, Florida, Now What?
    7. Criminal Appeal Attorney
    8. Violation of Probation or Community Control
    9. Criminal Charges, Guilty Defendant, But a Surprising Result
    10. DUI

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      The information on this website is not legal advice and is provided only as general information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. The law changes rapidly and can be interpreted in different ways by different courts. The contents of this site could be unsuitable to your circumstances, outdated, or not sufficiently detailed for your needs. An attorney-client relationship is not created by review of this site. By use of this site, as with any electronic communications privacy is not guaranteed. Mario, Gunde, Peters, Rhoden & Kelley will not sell or disclose or in anyway use information you provide that is not consistent with the provision of legal services, unless required by law. This website is provided without warranty either express or implied of any kind. Links within this website are independent of this website and are provided only as a convenience and MGPR&K disclaims any responsibility for the contents of the sites.