Is Obstruction of Justice a Big Deal in Florida?

There are more reports than ever before showing that Florida citizens may be in danger of “obstruction of justice”. Before we can decide whether or not obstruction of justice is a big deal in Florida, we should first understand what exactly it is.

An abbreviated version of obstruction of justice from the Florida Statutes include the language  “whoever knowingly and willfully resists, obstructs, or opposes any officer…or other person legally authorized to execute process in the execution of legal process or in the lawful execution of any legal duty…”  Know that this can occur both with and without violence, but both can have serious ramifications.

Obstruction of justice is one of our laws that can be interpreted in many ways. This means there are many ways through which obstruction of justice can be committed. Let us share a few of the offenses which could constitute obstruction of justice:

• Not following an order of the law enforcement agencies

• Bribing

• False impersonation of a police officer

• Not telling the truth while under oath

• Altering documents in a manner that they no longer are truthful

• Bearing witness to an act of tampering or harassment

• Escaping or trying to escape police custody

• Helping someone who is trying to escape police custody

• Resisting an officer of the law, with or without violence

• Being an accomplice to the crime

These are some of the ways you might be charged with obstructing justice right here in our local community. Know that some of these crimes are more severe than the others. Further, based on the severity of these crimes, you could face possible jail time.

People often commit obstruction of justice, unintentionally and unknowingly, especially right now. It may be unfair that you could face punishment for a crime you did not even know you were committing. We want to let you know that we are here for you, 24 hours a day, and we can protect you or your loved ones if you are facing potential punishment. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us and schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced attorney on our legal team.