
Weapons Offense Attorney in Jacksonville
Defense Against Weapons Violations in Florida
Are you facing weapons charges in Jacksonville? If so, it’s important to protect your rights under the Second Amendment and Article 1, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution. Even though Florida has generous gun laws compared to other states, for example, citizens are NOT required to register their firearms, the penalties for violating one of the state’s gun laws can be severe and have life-altering consequences.
All Floridians should be aware that if they commit a crime and they use a firearm while committing the offense, they can face enhanced penalties. Under Section 775.087(1) of the Florida Statutes, whenever someone is charged with a felony offense, and during the commission of the crime they carry, display, use, threaten to use, or attempts to use a firearm, the crime will be elevated as follows:
- A felony of the first degree will be elevated to a life felony
- A felony of the second degree will be elevated to a first degree felony
- A felony of the third degree will be elevated to a felony of the second degree
Prohibited Possessors in Florida
There are laws in place at both the federal and state levels to prevent certain individuals from gaining possession of firearms. These laws are in place for two reasons: to prevent violence and to punish criminals. Federally speaking, a person would be prohibited from gun ownership if they:
- Have a felony conviction
- Have been convicted of certain domestic violence crimes that are classified as misdemeanors
- Have court orders due to domestic violence cases or grave mental illnesses
The state of Florida does not allow people to purchase or possess firearms if they:
- Have any felony convictions or if they are younger than 24 and have been convicted of a crime that would be a felony if committed by someone older than 24
- Have received a final injunction that is still in effect and intended to prevent that person from continuing to commit domestic violence
- Are considered a violent career criminal under Florida law, which essentially means they have committed multiple felonies in a short amount of time
- Have been legally considered mentally unwell (conserved people, prior mental institution stays, etc.)
- Are under a protection order that specifically states they cannot possess or attempt to possess a firearm for the duration of the order
Florida recently legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Because marijuana is still considered a controlled substance in Florida, people who use it (even legally for medical purposes) cannot ship, receive, or possess a firearm. It is also illegal to sell a firearm to anyone who uses controlled substances.
Why Pick Porter™ for Weapons Defense?
In the face of weapons charges, you need a strong legal defense. Our founding attorney, Jason K.S. Porter, Esquire has garnered a reputation for excellence in the field of criminal law. In the legal community, his peers have recognized him with the Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rating®, and he has been awarded a 10.0 Superb Avvo Rating in criminal defense.
The above recognitions demonstrate Attorney Porter’s high standard of excellence in the legal field. Going further, with approximately 100 years of collective experience, our legal team stands ready to defend you against gun-related charges in Jacksonville.
Schedule your case evaluation – contact us online or call (904) 701-0591 today.
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A Guided, Hands-On ApproachStep-by-Step Guidance for Any Legal Matter
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A Compassionate TeamYour Story Matters - We're Here to Listen
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Extensive ExperienceApproximately 100 Years of Combined Legal Experience On Your Side
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Award-Winning CounselTop-Rated Ethics & Legal Skill – AV Preeminent® Rating
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Trusted & RecommendedTrusted by the Media & Recommended by Our Clients
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Top-Rated AttorneysTop-Rated Personal Injury, DUI, & Criminal Defense Lawyer

Hear From Our Happy Clients
Serving Jacksonville, FL Since 2004
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Jason and his firm came highly recommended by my family member. My son's case would have eventually ended up with negative consequences if not for Jonathan Thatcher. Jonathan was supportive, knowledgeable and kept us informed at all stages of the case. Great firm and appreciate all your hard work in the success of my son's case. I would use this firm again and again.- Kim J.
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One night I was awaken by a phone call that my son was in jail, I thought I was having a nightmare. I knew the charges were false but knew we faced a difficult road ahead to prove his innocence. The charges against him could have been enough to have caused him to lose his children, as well as his job and ruin any further career opportunities. He could have served time and had a felony on his record. . We were so lucky to find the law offices of Jason Porter. They came highly recommended and were rated high on the AVVO site. We were scheduled for an appointment the day we called and greeted openly but candidly with the facts of what could happen. He already had the police report and had a pretty good picture of what happen before we even opened our mouth. Jason put us at ease and explained how things would work and assured my son he would do his best to protect him and his good name and to get the charges dropped or reduced to the minimum he assured him he would not make him settle for something he did not do. He was not afraid to take it to trail if that’s what needed to happen. We felt good after hearing his trial record. Gary Shumard also in the office was involved in the day to day dealing of the court appearances and trying to keep it out of trial. He spoke for my son and there were several court appearances. My son was able to work and carry on his normal day because of Gary. During the six month process my son only had to attend one court appearance and that was only because the other side tried again to file additional fraudulent charges against him however, they were immediately dismissed thanks to Gary. In the end they wanted to drop the charges to a misdemeanor; but my son didn’t want anything on his record because he was not guilty! Gary had reviewed their evidence and my son’s evidence and in the end, after six months Gary was able to keep my son’s a record clean. Gary fought hard, gathering evidence and challenging the opposing side with professionalism and knowledge. I feel sure that due to his expertise we were able to avoid a long drawn out trail and more legal expenses. Gary works hard and is at the court house it seems almost every day working for his clients, he is a dedicated attorney with knowledge, and proficiency in handling the law he gathers evidence astutely and reviews both sides he has the ability to present his findings in a very comfortable but clever way. The day the findings came down I think he was almost as happy as we were. He had a right to be it’s like climbing a mountain and getting to the top you know you deserve the view. This law office is wonderful from the secretary who answers the phone, the legal assistants, and everyone in between. We trust this law firm and believe in them with any legal matter they we may have ever!! Richard & Diane Bornstein- Diane and Richard
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Attorney Nichole Carlucci was great to work with and her paralegal Ashley Chadwell was awesome! Highly recommend this team!- M.F.
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It always baffled me how much both Jason and Gary knew about the intricacies of my case at any given time. These guys work for, and show up to court for, their CLIENTS - in other words, they're not cutting a bunch of deals to clear dockets. I will never go anywhere else for legal advice - these guys are the real deal.- Meagan V.
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If I could give 10 stars, I would. I was blessed to have selected first, from a long list of lawyers, Jason Porter. From our first meeting, Jason was kind, comforting, and non-judgmental. Jason and his team fought long and hard for me, and our outcome was as predicted, far better than I was expecting considering my initial circumstances. A heart felt Thank You to Jason, Jonathan, and Darlene.- S.H.
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Thank you to Nicole Carlucci and Ashley Chadwell for guiding me through my case. I would recommend them to anyone!- M.F.
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Very attentive to the needs of my case. This firm was prompt and on point with the affairs surrounding my case and paid attention to the special details. Overall, I received the results I was hoping for and expecting. Thank you guys for a job well done.- James M.
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My fiancé and I were referred here by a friend. Our lawyer was Nicole Carlucci and paralegal was Danielle Castillo, they were beyond wonderful. Easy to communicate with, always gave us our options and never made us feel pressured. Our relationship with them was very personable and we always felt as if we were their only clients! We seeked their help with regards to child support and time sharing. The experience was just wonderful!!!!! We would recommend them 10 times over.- Kizgel D.
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