A review of 3 top Q&As You MUST Know by ➪ Boca Raton ➪
West Palm Beach Arson Attorney Josh LeRoy on:

Arson F.S. 806.01 & Related Charges

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Before hiring an Arson Attorney, what should I know about F.S. 806.01?

According to Florida law, the crime of arson occurs when:

(1) Any person… willfully and unlawfully, or while in the commission of any felony, by fire or explosion,
damages or causes to be damaged.

1. Any dwelling, whether occupied or not, or its contents.
2. Any structure, or contents thereof, where persons are usually present, such as jails, prisons, or detention centers; hospitals, nursing homes, or other health care facilities; department stores, office buildings, business establishments, churches, or educational institutions during regular hours of occupancy; or other similar structures; or
3. Any structure they knew, or had reasonable grounds to believe, was occupied by a human being.

In simpler words, the criminal act of arson is causing damage to a building by fire or an explosion.

What Example Defense Would an Experienced Arson Attorney Use?

If the State is prosecuting you for arson, the State must show beyond all reasonable doubt that you caused the damage “willfully,” That is to say, you caused the damage on purpose.

As a defense to the charge, if found guilty of arson, if your attorney shows the damage was unintentional—that is, the fire or explosion was a result of an accident or negligence.

Remember: the law requires the State to prove its case against you beyond all reasonable doubt. Thus, to win your case, it is not an arson attorney’s job to prove you are innocent.

Instead, by carefully studying the facts and the law, it is your attorney’s job to show that reasonable doubt, or better yet, several reasonable doubts, exist in the State’s prosecution.

What are the penalties for arson?

A conviction for arson, as described above, is a first-degree felony that subjects the defendant to a range of punishments, from a term of probation up to 30 years in prison. A conviction for arson under any other circumstances is a second-degree felony punishable by a probation period of up to 15 years in prison.

Charged? Contact West Palm Beach Arson Attorney Josh LeRoy Because Experience Wins. Can You Afford to Lose?

If you, or someone you know, find yourself in need of an arson attorney in West Palm Beach (Palm Beach County from Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, and up to Jupiter), or any of the surrounding areas, use the form below to drop me a note.

Tell me about yourself, what’s happened, and when would be a good time to contact you.

-Joshua LeRoy, Esq.

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