St. Leo Criminal Defense Lawyer

Residents of St. Leo, whether you live near the abbey and university grounds or along the quiet roads of east-central Pasco, have a decision to make once police or prosecutors are involved: who will stand next to you when the case starts moving. King Law Group is a criminal defense firm that represents adults and juveniles charged with misdemeanors and felonies in Pasco County, Pinellas County and across the Tampa Bay area, and a St. Leo criminal defense lawyer from our firm can be involved from the first call, often before charges are even filed.

St. Leo sits in the Dade City corner of Pasco County, so the case that follows an arrest here is usually handled in the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. Felony cases and juvenile cases go to Pasco Circuit Court, while misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses and traffic infractions go to Pasco County Court. Both fall under Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, the same circuit where our lead attorney worked as a felony prosecutor, and that familiarity shapes how we read a charging decision, a bond argument or a plea offer.

A college town with a major state highway nearby generates a particular mix of cases: DUI stops after late nights out, theft and drug allegations involving students and visitors, domestic disputes, and probation problems for people already under supervision. What follows is a practical look at those situations, what the law says about them, and what to do in the hours and days after contact with law enforcement.

Why Choose King Law Group for Criminal Defense Near St. Leo

King Law Group is led by Cameron King, the firm’s founder and a former felony prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pasco and Pinellas Counties. We defend people in St. Leo and throughout Pasco County, Pinellas County and the wider Tampa Bay area, from pre-arrest investigation through trial and, when it applies, sealing or expunging a record afterward. Our practice is focused solely on criminal defense, and we take calls around the clock because arrests do not wait for business hours.

Cameron is a Tampa Bay native who earned both his undergraduate business degree and his law degree from Florida State University, where he concentrated on criminal law. As a state prosecutor he was promoted to felony prosecutor and handled thousands of cases, from murder, manslaughter and armed robbery to DUI, drug possession and domestic violence. He then practiced criminal defense at a prominent litigation firm before building a practice dedicated to people in his own community. That history matters to a client in St. Leo because he has sat on the side of the table that decides whether to file, reduce or dismiss, and he knows which kinds of evidence prosecutors lean on and where arrests tend to come apart.

Clients describe him as honest, straightforward and tireless, and they repeatedly mention fast callbacks, patient explanations at every stage and a willingness to listen to all the details. One client who hired him for a very serious felony said so plainly; another wrote that every step was explained and that the charges were ultimately dropped. We do not promise outcomes. We do promise that your goals, whether that is your job, your license, your immigration status or your family, shape the strategy, and that a free consultation and complimentary case evaluation cost you nothing.

Common Charges We Defend for St. Leo Residents

• DUI and Refusal Cases: A first DUI conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 6 months in jail, mandatory monthly reporting probation, a DUI program course with a psychosocial evaluation, and a license revocation of at least 180 days and up to a year. A court may order an ignition interlock for at least 6 months when the breath or blood alcohol level was .08 or higher. A DUI that damages property or injures someone is a first-degree misdemeanor, and DUI manslaughter is at least a second-degree felony.
• Theft Crimes: Florida’s felony line is $750. Petit theft under $100 is a second-degree misdemeanor, and $100 to under $750 is a first-degree misdemeanor. Grand theft of $750 to under $20,000 is a third-degree felony, and stealing a firearm or a motor vehicle can be grand theft regardless of value. Items taken from a home or its curtilage can be felony theft at far lower values.
• Drug Crimes: Possessing 20 grams or less of cannabis is a first-degree misdemeanor, while possessing other controlled substances without a valid prescription can be charged as a felony depending on the drug and amount. Constructive possession, shared vehicles and shared dorm or rental space are common fact patterns.
• Domestic Violence: Simple battery is a first-degree misdemeanor, but battery by strangulation of a family or household member is a third-degree felony. If the court adjudicates guilt and bodily harm was intentionally caused, a minimum of 10 days in county jail applies for a first offense, 15 for a second and 20 for a third or later, with higher minimums when a child under 16 witnessed it.
• Probation Violations: A violation can reopen the entire original sentence. Technical violations, such as missed reporting or unpaid costs, are treated differently from new offenses, but a judge who revokes probation may impose any sentence that was available at the start.
• Vehicular Manslaughter and Serious Crashes: Rural stretches around St. Leo and Dade City carry fast traffic, and a fatal crash can lead to manslaughter or DUI manslaughter charges that carry decades of potential exposure and a three-year license revocation on conviction.
• Weapons and Violent Crime Charges: Assault, battery, burglary, robbery and firearm offenses can rise from misdemeanors to felonies based on injury, prior record or the type of weapon, and each felony class has its own ceiling.
• Juvenile Offenses: Young people tied to the university and local schools can face delinquency proceedings that follow different rules than adult court, which makes early involvement especially valuable.

What to Do in the First Hours After an Arrest or Police Contact

Start by saying very little. You may politely decline to answer questions, refuse consent to a search of your car, phone or room, and ask for a lawyer. Anything you say, including casual explanations offered before an arrest, can be used against you, and many cases are lost in the first interview rather than in the courtroom. Then call us before agreeing to any statement, even if officers say it will help clear things up.

If you are taken into custody in Pasco County, you are generally booked at the county jail in Land O’ Lakes and brought before a judge for a first appearance within about 24 hours. That hearing reviews probable cause and sets bond or other release conditions, so having a lawyer ready to argue for release or lower conditions can change the next several weeks of your life. After that, the case is assigned to Pasco County Court if it is a misdemeanor or criminal traffic matter, or to Pasco Circuit Court if it is a felony, and the courthouse for the St. Leo area is the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. We also handle cases at the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey, and cases from anywhere in Pinellas County.

Gather and protect what you can: names of witnesses, texts or messages, receipts, photos, and any paperwork you were handed, including bond paperwork and notices to appear. Do not delete social media posts or messages, because that can look like destroying evidence. If your license was taken after a DUI or refusal, tell your lawyer right away, because the administrative suspension runs on a separate track from the criminal case and has its own short deadline. Stay away from the alleged victim if there is a no-contact condition, and follow every term of release exactly; a bond violation hands the State a new problem.

Common mistakes are consistent: talking to detectives without counsel, ignoring a notice to appear, missing a probation appointment, contacting a complaining witness to “fix it,” and assuming a misdemeanor is not worth a lawyer. A misdemeanor can still mean jail, probation, a suspended license and a permanent record that appears on background checks.

Penalty Classes and How Florida Time Limits Work

Every Florida charge falls into a class, and the class sets the ceiling. A first-degree misdemeanor carries up to one year in jail and a fine up to $1,000. A third-degree felony carries up to 5 years and up to $5,000, a second-degree felony up to 15 years and up to $10,000, and a first-degree felony up to 30 years, or life when a statute specifically provides it, with a fine up to $10,000. A felony that the Legislature does not assign a degree to is treated as a third-degree felony. Conviction for fine purposes includes a guilty or no contest plea even when adjudication is withheld, which is one reason the wording of a plea matters.

Prosecutors also have deadlines. A first-degree felony generally must be filed within 4 years and other felonies within 3, a first-degree misdemeanor within 2 years and a second-degree misdemeanor within 1, with time beginning the day after the offense. Capital felonies, life felonies and felonies that result in a death have no time limit. Some categories carry longer periods, including cyberstalking and abuse of the elderly or disabled, and certain sex and child abuse offenses involving a minor victim do not start the clock until the victim turns 18 or the offense is reported. Time away from the state can extend a deadline, though by no more than 3 years. If you suspect an old allegation is surfacing, a limitations review is one of the first things we check.

Reduced Charges, Diversion and Cleaning Up a Record

Not every case is a fight over innocence. Sometimes the best result is a reduced charge, a withheld adjudication, or pretrial diversion that ends in dismissal, and prosecutors tend to agree to these only when the defense has found real weaknesses, such as an unlawful stop, a flawed breath test, shaky identification or a witness who will not hold up. We file motions to suppress when the evidence justifies it and try cases when that serves the client.

After a case ends, sealing or expunging may be available. Florida allows one arrest record to be sealed or expunged in a proceeding, and the applicant must attest that no record has previously been sealed or expunged. Before filing, you must obtain a certificate of eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and an expungement certificate is valid for 12 months. If adjudication was withheld, or not all charges were dismissed before trial, a record generally must be sealed for 10 years before it can be expunged; that wait does not apply when all charges were dismissed before trial or there was an acquittal. We review your history and tell you honestly where you stand.

St. Leo Criminal Defense Questions Answered

Which court will hear my case if I was arrested in St. Leo?

Cases from the St. Leo area are generally heard at the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. Pasco Circuit Court handles felonies and juvenile cases, and Pasco County Court handles misdemeanors, criminal traffic and traffic infractions. We appear in both courthouses in Pasco County.

What happens at first appearance?

Within about 24 hours of arrest, a judge reviews probable cause and decides whether you are released and on what conditions. A lawyer can argue for a lower bond or release without money bail, and can request a later bond hearing if conditions are too strict.

Should I talk to officers if they say they just want my side?

No. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Decline politely, do not consent to searches, and call us before you agree to an interview.

Do I need a lawyer for a misdemeanor?

Usually yes. A first-degree misdemeanor can mean up to a year in jail, probation, fines, a suspended license and a record that shows up on background checks. A lawyer may secure a dismissal, reduction, diversion or withheld adjudication that keeps your record eligible for sealing.

Is refusing a breath test a crime now?

Florida’s implied consent laws were updated, and a first refusal of a breath or urine test is now a second-degree misdemeanor; it becomes a first-degree misdemeanor when the driving privilege was previously suspended or there was a prior refusal fine. A first refusal also carries a one-year license suspension, or 18 months with that prior history. Refusal cases still have defenses, including whether the stop and the request were lawful.

Can a DUI cost me my license for years?

Yes, depending on history. A first conviction means a revocation of at least 180 days and up to a year. A second within 5 years means at least 5 years, with possible hardship reinstatement after one year, a third within 10 years of the second means at least 10 years, and a fourth conviction means permanent revocation. Convictions for DUI manslaughter, DUI with serious bodily injury or vehicular homicide carry a three-year revocation.

What if I am accused of violating probation after a new arrest?

The judge can revoke probation and impose any sentence available at the original sentencing. Once a violation affidavit is filed and a warrant or notice to appear issues, the probation period stops running until the court rules. Technical violations are handled differently from new crimes, and the way the violation is framed can affect custody and outcome.

Can a conviction hurt my immigration status or my university standing?

Immigration consequences can be serious, and even a misdemeanor can matter for non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents, so we weigh them before any plea. Students at local schools should also tell us about any school or scholarship obligations, because conduct processes and aid rules can be affected by a plea.

How long does a case take in Pasco County?

A simple misdemeanor may resolve in a few months, while felonies, DUI cases with lab work and cases with contested evidence often take longer. Timing depends on discovery, motions and the court calendar, and we give you realistic expectations early.

Can my arrest be sealed or expunged?

Possibly. You must not have previously sealed or expunged a record in Florida, you need a certificate of eligibility from FDLE, and some offenses are excluded. Dismissals and acquittals are treated more favorably than cases where adjudication was withheld.

How much does the first consultation cost?

Nothing. The consultation and case evaluation are free, and we will explain the charge, the possible penalties and how we would approach the case.

Serving St. Leo and Pasco County Criminal Defense Clients

From St. Leo and the neighboring Dade City area, King Law Group defends clients across Pasco County. We regularly represent people arrested in West Pasco, including New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson, Bayonet Point, Holiday, Trinity, Elfers, Jasmine Estates and Beacon Square, and we take cases from every corner of the county, including Dade City itself.

Our work also reaches across the county line into Pinellas County, where Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg residents turn to us for the same focused defense. Because both counties sit in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the prosecutorial experience behind our work applies on both sides of the line, and we serve the wider Tampa Bay area for adults and juveniles facing DUI, drug, theft, violent, sex and weapons charges, probation violations and record sealing.

Call a St. Leo Criminal Defense Attorney Today

If you or someone close to you has been arrested or is under investigation, speak with a St. Leo criminal defense attorney at King Law Group before you give a statement or make a decision about a plea. Cameron King and our team answer calls 24/7, and your first consultation is free, so you can learn where the case stands and what options exist. Call us any time, day or night, and let us start building your defense before the State finishes building its case.