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West Palm Beach Gun and Weapons Charges Defense
Gun and weapons charges in Palm Beach County are prosecuted by the Fifteenth Circuit State Attorney's Office. The circuit's main courthouse is the Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse, 205 N. Dixie Highway, in downtown West Palm Beach.
People arrested anywhere in the county — from Jupiter to Boca Raton to Belle Glade — are generally booked at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Main Detention Center, 3228 Gun Club Road. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.130, an arrested person must see a judge within 24 hours. Because a firearm allegation can bring a mandatory minimum, the details of how the gun was found and who possessed it deserve close review from the start.
Chad Seibel is a former Florida prosecutor (Assistant State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit, 2013–2016) who now defends people charged with serious felonies across Florida. His office is in Kissimmee, and consultations and meetings can be arranged in West Palm Beach by appointment.
Florida gun and weapons charges
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (§ 790.23, Fla. Stat.) — a second-degree felony. Under § 775.087, a 3-year mandatory minimum can apply when a firearm was possessed.
Using, displaying or carrying a concealed weapon or firearm while committing a felony (§ 790.07) — a third-degree felony for a weapon, a second-degree felony for a firearm.
10-20-Life (§ 775.087(2)(a)) — for listed felonies such as robbery, burglary, aggravated battery, sexual battery, kidnapping, carjacking, home-invasion robbery and drug trafficking: a 10-year minimum for actually possessing a firearm, 20 years if it was discharged, and 25 years to life if the discharge caused death or great bodily harm.
Related: Crimes with firearms · Aggravated assault and battery · Robbery · Home invasion · Carjacking · Stand your ground
Why early defense matters in a gun case
Many firearm cases turn on how the gun was found: a traffic stop, a search of a car or home, or a statement about who owned it. Whether the search was lawful and whether the State can prove you knowingly possessed the firearm are questions a lawyer can start investigating right away.
Posting bond in Palm Beach County
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office lists three ways to post bond: a cash bond (cash, money orders or certified checks only, no personal checks), a surety bond posted by a bondsman, or a credit or debit card payment through a GovPayNet agent. Bond information can be verified through Inmate Records at (561) 688-4340.
Drug Court and Veterans' Court in the Fifteenth Circuit
The Fifteenth Circuit's Adult Drug Court serves nonviolent, adult, drug-involved felony defendants, and the circuit runs the Judge Ted Booras Veterans' Court for veterans in the justice system. Whether a firearm case can be considered for either program depends on the charge and the person's history.
Pretrial Services and first appearance
Palm Beach County's Pretrial Services Program interviews people held in jail before their First Appearance Court hearing and provides verified information to the judge, who uses it in deciding bond and Public Defender eligibility. The program's Supervision Unit oversees people released from jail while their cases are pending. The State Attorney's Office handles first appearances from its branch in the jail building at the Criminal Justice Complex on Gun Club Road.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Palm Beach County felony cases heard?
In the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit; the main courthouse is the Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse, 205 N. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach.
Can a lawyer from Kissimmee handle a West Palm Beach case?
Florida lawyers can practice in any Florida circuit court. Ask any lawyer how they will handle hearings and meetings in your county.
Are the 10-20-Life minimums automatic?
The minimums apply only when the firearm facts are charged and proven, or admitted in a plea. How the State charges those facts — and whether it can prove them — is often where the defense work begins.
Should I answer questions about where the gun came from?
No. You have the right to remain silent. Ask for a lawyer and stop answering questions.
Can bond be paid by card in Palm Beach County?
Yes. The Sheriff's Office lists credit or debit card payment through a GovPayNet agent, in addition to cash bonds and surety bonds.
Call or text 407-846-8008 for a free, confidential consultation. Office: 517 W. Bryan St., Kissimmee, FL 34741 · Office line 407-530-4920. Consultations and meetings available throughout Florida by appointment.