Battery Defense In Lake County

What is Battery?

In Florida, battery is defined by intentional, unwanted physical contact. The level of the charge depends on the victim, the extent of the injury, and whether a weapon was involved.

Strategic Defenses: Standing Your Ground in Lake County

The most effective defense against a battery charge is often proving that the contact was legally justified.

1. Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Law (F.S. § 776.012)

Florida law provides that you have no duty to retreat if you are in a place you have a right to be. If we can prove you acted in reasonable self-defense, we can move for a Stand Your Ground Immunity Hearing. If successful, the judge must dismiss the charges entirely before the case ever reaches a jury.

2. Lack of Intent & Mutual Combat

For a battery conviction, the State must prove your touch was intentional. If the contact was accidental, or if both parties were engaged in “Mutual Combat” (a common defense in bar fights or sporting disputes), the charges may not stand.

3. The “Incomplete Investigation” Defense

Police often make arrests in battery cases based on a single, one-sided statement. As a former prosecutor, I conduct an independent investigation:

• Reviewing body-worn camera (BWC) and any surveillance footage.
• Identifying and interviewing witnesses the police ignored.
• Cross-referencing “victim” statements with medical records or photos to find inconsistencies.