Home » Seal or Expunge Criminal Record » Lawful Self-Defense

Self-Defense Expunction

If your case is dismissed by the court for lawful self-defense or if the prosecutor drops the charges for this reason, then we can help you apply for a special type of administrative expunction.

Section 943.0585(5), Florida Statutes, and Rule 11C-7.006, Florida Administrative Code explains the requirements of the self-defense expunctions.

We can help you obtain the “Lawful Self-Defense Certificate of Eligibility” if:

  • the appropriate state attorney or statewide prosecutor certifies that the subject acted in lawful self-defense;
  • the acts of self-defense were pursuant to the provisions related to the justifiable use of force in Chapter 776, Florida Statutes; and
  • the state attorney never filed the charges, or after filing the charges, the charges were dismissed by the state attorney or the court.

Attorney for the Self-Defense Expungement in Florida

For information on how to apply for Lawful Self-Defense Expungement, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm.

Our main office is located in downtown Tampa in Hillsborough County. Our second office is located in New Port Richey, across from the West Pasco Judicial Center.

We can help you seal or expunge a criminal record in Hillsborough County, Pasco County, or any of the surrounding counties in the greater Tampa Bay area.

Call 813-250-0500.

Additional Resources

Read more about the procedures related to the use of deadly force in self-defense cases or the use of non-deadly force in self-defense cases.

This article was last updated on Friday, October 4, 2019.

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Office Locations

Tampa Office:

Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
1005 N. Marion St.
Tampa, FL 33602

(813) 250-0500

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Clearwater Office:

14010 Roosevelt Blvd. #701
Clearwater, FL 33762

(727) 210-7004

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New Port Richey Office:

7509 Little Rd.
New Port Richey, FL 34654

(727) 807-6392

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Seal or Expunge Criminal Record

Case Results

Not Guilty Verdict

Improper Exhibition of a Firearm
Our client was charged with Improper Exhibition of a Firearm. We took this case to jury trial and successfully held the State of Florida to its burden when the jury returned a Not Guilty Verdict in favor of our client .
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No Filed

False Imprisonment and Domestic Violence Battery
The Assistant State Attorney filed a “letter of release” to drop the charges for False Imprisonment and Domestic Violence Battery. As a result, the charges were “no-filed.” Prior to that decision, we were able to talk with the alleged victim and provide exculpatory evidence... read more »

Not Guilty Verdict

Lewd and Lascivious Molestation
The jury returned a “NOT GUILTY” verdict on the charge of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation. The charge was pending before the Honorable Susan L. Barthle in Dade City, FL. That version of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation is punishable by life in prison with a... read more »

Not Guilty Verdict

Felony Battery
The jury returned a “NOT GUILTY” jury verdict in Polk County at the courthouse in Bartow, FL. The defense involved extensive impeachment of the State’s only witness in addition to Justifiable Use of Nondeadly Force and Stand Your Ground in a Felony Battery case.

Dismissed

Sexual Violence Injunction
Our firm won a hearing on a sexual violence injunction in Division G in Hillsborough County. The court dismissed the injunction finding there was no competent substantial evidence to award an injunction. The Petitioner failed to present substantial evidence of any sexual violence committed... read more »

*The case results discussed here do not necssarily reflect the potential outcomes of other cases. The facts and circumstances of each case are unique and must be evaluated and handled on their own merit.

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“The experience I had with Sammis Law firm in May 2022 was exceptional. I was contacted by Joshua M and he was the absolute best at his job and very professional. He kept me informed every step of the way with my case, and he worked hard in getting my charges of domestic assault dismissed. Thank you Joshua and Sammis Law Firm. Their paralegal Danielle was also very amazing.”

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“Working with Sammis Law Firm was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication to their clients is unparalleled. The outcome of my case was extremely satisfactory, and I attribute that success to the hard work and dedication of the team at Sammis Law Firm. I am so grateful to have had them by my side, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you are in need of legal assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to Sammis Law Firm. They will fight for you every step of the way, just as they did for me.”

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“I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

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“Her knowledge of the law, and her exceptional communication skills, made it easy to navigate the complex legal system. I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Katty D

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“Leslie Sammis was extremely professional and provided guidance and support every step of the way. Her knowledge of the law, and her exceptional communication skills, made it easy to navigate the complex legal system. I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

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Our Attorneys

Jason D. Sammis
Leslie M. Sammis
Joshua Monteiro
Katherine A. Aranda
Dominique Celerin
Idalis M. Vento
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