State v. Woodson
The Fifth District reversed an order dismissing a battery charge under Florida's Stand Your Ground immunity statute, holding that the defendant's motion to dismiss was facially insufficient because it failed to allege specific facts showing an 'imminent' threat of unlawful force, relying instead on conclusory allegations. The court held that because the motion was facially insufficient, no evidentiary hearing should have been held at all, and the State's burden to disprove immunity by clear and convincing evidence never arose.
Key facts
- Defendant Woodson filed a motion to dismiss a battery charge based on Florida's Stand Your Ground immunity statute, alleging he feared for his safety and believed force was necessary.
- The trial court granted Woodson's motion to dismiss and held an evidentiary hearing on the Stand Your Ground claim.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
This opinion gives prosecutors and defense counsel a clear, usable standard for what must be pled in a Stand Your Ground motion to dismiss—specific facts about conduct, timing, and sequence showing imminence, not… — full analysis with a trial
🔒 Read the full opinion, holding & search the library
The full opinion PDF, the rules the court applied, our significance analysis, the background facts, and full-text search across every tracked Florida decision are available to members. Start a free 30-day trial — no credit card.
Not ready to sign up? Get the free Friday digest — the week's key Florida decisions by email, no login required.
Florida Court Tracker provides summaries of publicly available court opinions for informational and research purposes only. This is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Always verify holdings against the official opinion.