Strategic Defense,
From First DUI to Death Penalty
From First DUI to Death Penalty
Tampa Criminal Defense Practice Areas
| Charged with a crime, or under investigation, in Tampa Bay? The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. defends people in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties in every kind of criminal case, from a first DUI to a capital murder charge. Find your charge below, or call (813) 727-7159 for a free, confidential consultation. Call us at any hour. |
Most criminal cases in Tampa Bay are decided long before a jury is seated: in the investigation, at the bond hearing, and in the motions that test the State’s evidence. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm founded by Rocky Brancato, work every one of those stages and prepare every case as if it will be tried.
Rocky has tried more than 150 cases to a jury verdict, defended homicide, sex crime, and child abuse cases in a Major Crimes Unit, and served as Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, overseeing a staff of over 100 attorneys. Trial attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole and French, and our office has Spanish-speaking staff.
Jump to: Serious felonies | DUI and traffic | Drugs, weapons, internet | Domestic violence and mental health | Investigations | Bond and probation | Results | Counties | FAQ
Where can a criminal case be won?
A criminal case can be won at four stages, and our firm works all four. Many people assume the only choices are a plea or a trial. In practice, the strongest results often come earlier.
- Before charges are filed. When police are still investigating, our attorneys speak with the prosecutor and present the defense before the State Attorney’s Office decides what to charge, through our representation before charges are filed.
- Motions and investigation. We investigate the case ourselves, retain independent experts, and file motions to suppress evidence that police gathered unlawfully.
- Negotiation. Prosecutors negotiate differently with a lawyer who has the case ready for trial. We present mitigation and the weak points in the State’s case together.
- Trial. When the State will not resolve the case fairly, our attorneys try it to a jury.
If you or a family member was just arrested, start with our guide to the first steps after an arrest in Tampa.
Which practice area fits your situation?
Start with the situation you are in right now. Each link goes to the page that answers the first questions people in that situation usually ask.
| Your situation | Where to start |
|---|---|
| A detective called, or you expect to be charged | Representation before charges are filed |
| Someone you love was just arrested in Hillsborough County | Hillsborough County criminal defense and our bond hearing guide |
| You were arrested in Pinellas or Pasco County | Pinellas County or Pasco County criminal defense |
| You were arrested for DUI and the 10-day license deadline is running | Tampa DUI defense |
| You are on probation and a violation has been alleged | Violation of probation defense |
| The case depends on DNA, phone data, or a lab report | Forensic science defense |
| A family member with a mental illness was arrested | Criminal mental health defense |
| You are a defense attorney who needs trial or expert support | Criminal trial consulting |
Homicide, sex crimes, and other serious felonies
These cases carry the longest sentences in Florida law, and they are usually decided by forensic and medical evidence. Our attorneys retain independent experts in every one.
Homicide Defense
First-degree and second-degree murder, manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and DUI manslaughter. Rocky meets the Florida Rule 3.112 qualifications for capital cases.
Sex Crimes Defense
Sexual battery, lewd or lascivious offenses, unlawful sexual activity, and registration issues, defended from the first call from a detective.
Child Abuse and Neglect Defense
Aggravated child abuse and neglect allegations, including cases where an independent medical review shows the injury was not abuse.
Violent Crimes Defense
Aggravated battery and assault, robbery, kidnapping, and self-defense and Stand Your Ground cases.
DUI and criminal traffic
A DUI or criminal traffic charge puts your license and your record at risk at the same time, and some of the deadlines run in days.
DUI Defense
First and repeat DUI, breath test refusal, drug DUI, felony DUI, and the 10-day license review.
Criminal Traffic Defense
Driving while license suspended, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene, and habitual traffic offender cases.
For DUI cases, our posts explain how to fight a DUI charge in Hillsborough County and what happens after a DUI arrest.
Drug, weapons, internet, and white collar crimes
These cases often turn on a search, a phone, or a paper trail, and each has its own rules for how the State must prove possession, intent, or knowledge.
Drug Crimes Defense
Possession, sale, and trafficking, including constructive possession and the mandatory minimums Florida attaches to trafficking weights.
Gun Crimes Defense
Felon in possession, carrying a concealed firearm, and felonies enhanced under Florida’s 10-20-Life law.
Internet Crimes Defense
Online solicitation, traveling to meet a minor, undercover stings, and child sexual abuse material cases built on digital evidence.
White Collar Crime Defense
Fraud, scheme to defraud, embezzlement, employee theft, and money laundering investigations and charges.
Domestic violence and criminal mental health
These cases involve families and, often, people who need treatment more than punishment. Our attorneys build the defense and the plan for what comes after the case.
Domestic Violence Defense
Domestic battery, injunction violations, and cases where the alleged victim wants the charges dropped.
Criminal Mental Health Defense
Competency to proceed, the insanity defense, mental health court, and mitigation when a psychiatric condition is part of the case.
Investigations and forensic evidence
The earliest and most technical parts of a case are where our firm spends the most time, because what happens there shapes everything that follows.
Representation Before Charges Are Filed
When police are investigating, our attorneys take over communication with detectives and present the defense to the prosecutor before the filing decision.
Forensic Science Defense
Independent review of DNA, fingerprints, toxicology, phone data, and medical findings by experts our firm retains.
Bond, probation, and other services
Some of the most urgent calls our firm gets are about what happens around a case: getting someone out of jail, answering a probation violation, or clearing a sex offender designation.
Bond Hearings
Bond and pretrial detention hearings in Hillsborough County, including capital and life-felony cases.
Violation of Probation
Probation violation warrants, hearings, and the sentencing exposure that comes with them.
Motions to Suppress Evidence
Challenges to unlawful stops, searches, and statements, filed before trial.
Sex Offender Registry Removal
Every path off the Florida registry, including Romeo and Juliet relief and correcting a wrongful designation.
Spanish and Haitian Creole Speaking Defense
Representation in your language for clients and families who speak Spanish or Haitian Creole.
Criminal Trial Consulting
Trial strategy, expert witness development, and co-counsel support for other defense attorneys.
What results has our firm achieved?
Our attorneys have ended cases before charges were filed, won not guilty verdicts at trial, and had the death penalty withdrawn. Representative results across our practice areas:
| Outcome | Charge | How our firm handled it |
|---|---|---|
| Not guilty | Second-degree murder | Presented justifiable use of deadly force at trial in a fatal shooting involving the client’s roommate |
| Death penalty withdrawn | First-degree murder (capital) | A Daubert motion exposed critical flaws in how the DNA evidence was collected and stored |
| Not guilty | Capital sexual battery and molestation | Proved the child had been coached by a parent during a contentious divorce |
| No charges filed | Lewd or lascivious molestation (investigation) | Hired right after the allegation; investigated and worked with law enforcement to avoid an arrest and charges |
| Dismissed within three weeks | Fentanyl trafficking | Challenged constructive possession and the legality of the vehicle search |
| Not guilty on both counts | DUI (refusal) and resisting an officer without violence | Used the scene video at trial to show the client was not impaired and did not resist |
Each case is unique. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. More outcomes are on our case results page.
Why do clients hire The Brancato Law Firm?
Clients hire our firm because serious cases are won on trial experience, forensic depth, and an early start, and our firm has all three. Our office is at 620 E. Twiggs Street, two blocks from the Hillsborough County Courthouse.
| Credential | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| More than 150 jury trials to verdict | Prosecutors know the case is ready for trial if it is not resolved fairly |
| Former Chief Operations Officer, Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, overseeing a staff of over 100 attorneys | Inside knowledge of how the 13th Judicial Circuit charges and resolves cases |
| Former Major Crimes Unit attorney (homicide, sex crimes, child abuse) | Years of defending the most serious charges the State brings |
| Former police academy instructor in criminal procedure and courtroom testimony | Knows how officers and detectives are trained to investigate and testify |
| Meets the Rule 3.112 qualifications for capital cases | Can try a case in which the State seeks death |
| AV Preeminent (Martindale-Hubbell), Super Lawyers selection, 10.0 Avvo rating, National Trial Lawyers Top 100 | Peer and independent recognition of legal ability and ethics |
Where do our attorneys practice?
Our attorneys defend criminal cases in the county and circuit courts of three counties:
Hillsborough County
Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, and Plant City, in the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Pinellas County
St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Largo, in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Pasco County
New Port Richey, Dade City, and Wesley Chapel, in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Frequently asked questions about our practice areas
What kinds of criminal cases does The Brancato Law Firm handle?
Our firm handles state criminal cases of every level, from misdemeanors and first DUIs to homicide and capital cases. The Brancato Law Firm defends these cases in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, and the directory on this page links to a dedicated page for each type of charge.
Can I hire a lawyer before I am charged with a crime?
Yes, and it is often the best time to hire one. The Brancato Law Firm represents people during police investigations so the defense can reach the prosecutor before the filing decision, as our pre-file advocacy page explains.
Is the consultation free?
Yes, consultations on criminal charges and investigations are free and confidential. The Brancato Law Firm quotes a flat fee based on the facts and complexity of the case, and our guide to how much a criminal defense attorney costs in Tampa explains how fees are set.
Does the firm handle cases outside Hillsborough County?
Yes, our attorneys also defend cases in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. The Brancato Law Firm focuses on those three counties so our attorneys know the local courts, prosecutors, and procedures in each one.
Does anyone at the firm speak Spanish or Haitian Creole?
Yes, our office has Spanish-speaking staff, and trial attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole and French. The Brancato Law Firm works with clients and families in the language they are most comfortable using.
What should I do if I was just arrested?
Do not discuss the case with police or anyone at the jail, and call a defense attorney before first appearance, which happens within 24 hours of arrest. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm can appear at first appearance to argue for bond, as our bond walkthrough for Hillsborough County explains.
Talk to a Tampa criminal defense attorney today
The sooner our attorneys start, the more options you keep. Call The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, at (813) 727-7159. Call us at any hour, and our attorneys will tell you what to do first.
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A.
620 E. Twiggs Street, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 727-7159
Serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. is a Tampa-based criminal defense practice. We are not affiliated with any other Brancato-named law firms.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on the individual facts and circumstances involved. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
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Tampa Office
620 E Twiggs St Suite #205
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 727-7159
Located minutes from the Hillsborough County Courthouse.
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