How Much Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Cost in Tampa?

I’m Tampa Attorney Rocky Brancato, founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. For more than 25 years, I’ve defended clients in Hillsborough County at every level—from misdemeanor DUI through capital murder. This guide will help you understand what drives criminal defense pricing, why experienced representation costs more, and what you should actually be looking for when you evaluate an attorney’s fee.

What Factors Determine Criminal Defense Attorney Fees?

There is no single price for criminal defense because no two cases involve the same work. However, three factors consistently drive the fee, and understanding them helps you evaluate whether a quoted price is reasonable.

Severity of the charge. A second-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum of 60 days in jail. By contrast, a first-degree felony carries up to 30 years, and a capital case carries death. The higher the stakes, the more preparation the defense requires, and the higher the fee. A standard misdemeanor may cost a few thousand dollars with experienced counsel. On the other end of the spectrum, a death penalty case requires a minimum of two death-qualified attorneys, a mitigation specialist, forensic experts, and sometimes years of preparation—with attorney fees alone exceeding $500,000.

Complexity of the evidence. A straightforward possession case involves different work than a case built on DNA, cell tower data, digital forensics, child hearsay testimony, or surveillance video from multiple angles. Complex evidence requires expert analysis, independent testing, and hours of preparation that simpler cases do not. At The Brancato Law Firm, our Major Crimes Unit background gives us firsthand understanding of how much work serious evidence challenges actually require.

Experience of the attorney. A newly licensed attorney may charge $1,000 for a case. An attorney with 25 years of trial experience, death qualification, and a track record in serious felony cases will charge significantly more. That gap reflects a real difference in preparation, courtroom skill, and outcomes. Experience is not a luxury—it’s the thing that makes every other part of the defense work.

Why Does Experienced Criminal Defense Representation Cost More?

Because the work is different. An experienced criminal defense attorney doesn’t just know the law—they know how cases are actually won and lost in courtrooms like the Hillsborough County Courthouse and the 13th Judicial Circuit.

Experienced attorneys investigate—visiting crime scenes, reviewing surveillance footage, and identifying evidence the state missed. Witnesses are deposed under oath before trial, locking in testimony and exposing inconsistencies. Independent forensic experts are retained to challenge the state’s evidence on its own terms. Motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence and dismiss charges based on constitutional violations are filed and argued. Every case is prepared for trial, which creates genuine leverage in plea negotiations—because prosecutors know the difference between an attorney who will actually try the case and one who won’t.

Because I taught criminal procedure and courtroom testimony at the police academy, I understand how law enforcement is trained to build cases and present testimony. That knowledge directly informs how we prepare cross-examinations and challenge evidence at The Brancato Law Firm. It’s the kind of preparation that doesn’t exist in a $1,000 fee.

What Is the True Cost of Your Criminal Defense Attorney?

Most people evaluate attorneys by the number on the fee agreement. But the fee is only what you pay—it’s not what the defense costs you. The true cost is measured in outcomes.

A low fee with a conviction means prison time, a permanent criminal record, job loss, housing barriers, loss of professional licenses, and—in sex crime cases—lifetime sex offender registration. A higher fee with a dismissal, acquittal, or reduced charge means your life continues. That’s not an abstract comparison. It’s the difference we see play out in Hillsborough County courtrooms every week.

The right attorney is not the cheapest. An extremely expensive attorney is not always the best. The right attorney is the one who fights—and the fee should reflect the preparation required to fight effectively. At The Brancato Law Firm, every fee we quote reflects the actual work the case demands.

What Is the Difference Between Attorney Fees and Costs?

This is a distinction many attorneys fail to explain clearly, and it matters when you’re comparing quotes.

Attorney fees pay for the lawyer’s work—investigation, discovery review, motion practice, depositions, client communication, negotiation, and trial preparation.

Costs are separate third-party expenses required to build the defense. These include expert witnesses (forensic scientists, toxicologists, DNA analysts, accident reconstruction specialists), private investigators, court reporters for depositions, and—in capital cases—mitigation specialists. Depending on the case, costs can add thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on top of the attorney fee.

Should I Be Concerned About Separate Trial Fees?

Probably. This is something most clients don’t think to ask about, but it affects how your case is prepared from day one.

Many criminal defense attorneys quote a “pre-trial fee” and a separate “trial fee.” The problem isn’t just additional cost to you—it’s the built-in motivation on the attorney’s side to try to work things out without fully preparing for trial. When the attorney only gets paid more if the case goes to trial, there’s less incentive to do the exhaustive preparation that drives better outcomes at every stage.

At The Brancato Law Firm, we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. Just because we prepare for trial does not mean the case will go to trial. But the leaving-no-stone-unturned aspect of that preparation—the depositions, the motions, the independent investigation—often leads to better resolutions without a trial, precisely because the prosecutor knows we are ready. Prosecutors are rationally self-interested. They have personal lives and heavy caseloads of their own. Trials are extraordinarily work-intensive for both sides. When a prosecutor sees that the defense has prepared the case, filed relevant motions, and controls the narrative about where the case is heading, the calculus changes. That leverage only exists when the preparation is real.

How Should I Think About Paying for Criminal Defense?

We strive to make our services accessible and will work out reasonable payment plans when needed. We understand that criminal charges arrive without warning, and not everyone can write a check for the full fee on day one. Our goal is to ensure financial constraints don’t prevent you from receiving the defense your case requires.

That said, we believe in honesty over sales. If your financial situation means you’ll struggle to sustain payments, we will tell you that during the consultation—before you spend money you don’t have. The worst outcome is hiring a private attorney you can’t afford, making a few payments, watching them file a motion to withdraw, and ending up with the public defender months later, thousands of dollars poorer, with a case that’s been neglected in the interim.

What If I Think I Can’t Afford a Criminal Defense Attorney?

This is one of the most common reasons people hesitate to make the call—and it’s worth thinking through carefully before deciding you can’t afford representation.

Families pull together. Savings get repurposed. Financing options exist. None of those conversations are easy, but they’re worth having—because the cost of not hiring an attorney is rarely just the legal outcome. It’s the job you lose, the professional license that gets revoked, the housing you can’t secure, the registration requirements that follow you for life. When you weigh the fee against those consequences, the math changes.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Is a Public Defender a Good Alternative to Hiring a Private Attorney?

This question deserves a more honest answer than most private defense attorneys will give you.

Public defenders are not the enemy, and they are not automatically inferior. I spent years at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, eventually serving as Chief Operations Officer where I led and mentored a staff of over 100 attorneys. Many assistant public defenders are highly skilled, dedicated professionals who gain extensive trial experience early in their careers. Some of the best criminal defense attorneys in Florida started as public defenders.

The real differences are structural. Public defenders are not appointed until after charges are filed—sometimes not until arraignment—so they may not be able to provide pre-file intervention. Caseloads range from 125 to 400 or more cases depending on the circuit’s funding. High turnover means your attorney may leave mid-case and be replaced by someone new. And public defenders generally do not handle ancillary matters like license hearings, professional licensing consequences, or immigration issues. Finally, you do not get to choose your public defender.

But here’s what most private attorney websites won’t tell you: there are private attorneys running 400 cases at low fees who have less time for your case than a public defender would. There are statewide private firms that hire former public defenders who could not cut it as a public defender. The title “private attorney” does not guarantee better representation. If you qualify for the public defender—which requires household income below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines—and you cannot genuinely afford private counsel, a dedicated public defender may serve you well.

For more about how to evaluate the structural differences, visit our guide on Public Defender vs. Private Attorney in Tampa.

What Should I Look for Beyond the Price When Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney?

Price tells you something, but it doesn’t tell you everything. At The Brancato Law Firm, we encourage every prospective client to ask these questions during any consultation—even if they ultimately hire someone else:

• What does the fee include, and what costs are separate? Get this in writing before you sign anything.
• Is trial included, or does trial cost extra? Separate trial fees create incentives to skip full preparation.
• How many active cases are you currently handling? An attorney carrying 200 or more cases cannot give a serious charge the attention it demands.
• How many jury trials have you personally conducted? Trial experience is the leverage that makes every negotiation effective.
• Will the attorney I’m meeting today actually handle my case? At many firms, the consultation attorney is not the courtroom attorney.

These questions cost nothing to ask and will tell you more about a firm’s practice than any advertisement, website, or Google ranking. The answers should be specific, direct, and verifiable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Defense Costs in Tampa

Questions About the Brancato Law Firm, P.A.

The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. is a Tampa-based criminal defense practice serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. We are not affiliated with any other Brancato-named law firms.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Related Links

• Tampa Criminal Defense – Why You Need a Trial Warrior
• Public Defender vs. Private Attorney in Tampa
• Brancato Law Firm, P.A. – Practice Areas