Balm Criminal Lawyers

David Haenel protects the rights of the accused. His firm,The Law Place, has offices in Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, and Clearwater but they represent people throughout the State of Florida. David is the former 2004 State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year and has spent his entire legal career representing individuals charged with traffic and criminal traffic violations. David and his team of lawyers are relentless in their legal representation and are not satisfied until they have exhausted all possible defenses.

Attorney Hillary Johnson is a former prosecutor who brings experience and exceptional legal knowledge to each case she tries. She holds a degree in communication from Florida State University and Juris Doctor from the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. While she was in law school, Ms. Johnson completed an internship with the State Attorney’s Office in Panama City. After graduation, she worked as an attorney with Florida’s Department of Children and Families before accepting a position at the State Attorney’s Office in Manatee County and Sarasota. It was while she was at the...

I have been practicing law since 1992 when I began as a Assistant State Attorney in the Tampabay area, In 1996 I entered private practice in an effort to share my experience with clients seeking legal help. My background includes 10 years of law enforcement experience as a patrolmen, K-9 officer and organized crime detective. I was trained by the DEA in narcotics investigations and worked on local and Federal task force. My experience includes investigating fatal traffic crashes, K-9 handler, covert investigations, state prosecution and extensive criminal defense including traffic and serious felony trials. I have represented injured families...

Jeff Thomas is a Tampa criminal defense lawyer at Thomas & Paulk, P.A. He is a Florida native and graduate of Stetson College of Law. Throughout his career, he has handled more than 3,500 criminal cases. He is experienced with non-jury cases, jury trials, and traffic cases.

Now Open – January 2025! With more than 25 years of experience in criminal law, Rocky Brancato has established himself as a leading attorney in the Tampa Bay legal community. As a seasoned criminal trial attorney, he worked his way up to the role of second-in-command at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office before launching The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., in January 2025. Rocky has a wealth of experience handling high-stakes criminal cases, including homicides and sex offenses, from his tenure in a specialized major crimes division. Throughout his career, Rocky has consistently taken on complex and serious cases, demonstrating an unwavering...

Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney, Ben Stechschulte, is a board-certified expert in criminal trial law. He has been practicing in the Tampa Bay area for nearly 15 years and has tried over 60 cases to verdict.  His experience is both varied and comprehensive, which makes him uniquely qualified to aggressively and effectively defend his clients who are facing criminal charges or have been injured in an accident. Ben attended Stetson University College of Law, which is recognized as one of the top law schools in the country for trial advocacy.  After graduating in 2005, Ben served as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County.  Ben...

Born and raised in Tampa, Drew attended Tampa Preparatory High School and then graduated from New College of Florida, The State’s Honors College, in Sarasota. During Law School at the University of Florida, Drew interned as a student law clerk for both State and Federal Judges in Tampa and worked as a certified legal intern at the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office.

At the State, Drew was able to conduct voir dire (jury selection) and prosecute criminal jury trials before he graduated from law school. It was during this later experience that he came to understand the invaluable...

Attorney Jackson Hilliard has lived in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area for the past ten years. Mr. Hilliard received his Bachelor’s degree in 1988 from the University of Central Florida. He earned his law degree in 2006 from Stetson College of Law. He is a member of multiple associations, including the Florida Bar, Clearwater Bar, St. Petersburg Bar, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer. Mr. Hilliard is the leading attorney at his Clearwater law firm, Hilliard Law, P.L. At the firm, he provides Florida residents with criminal and DUI...

Stephen Higgins is a lawyer who advocates for his clients and works tirelessly on their behalf. For almost 20 years, he has devoted his practice to represent people charged with traffic and criminal traffic violations, as well as personal injury cases. As a member of The Law Place, Stephen and the team of lawyers work to achieve the best possible result for every client.

American Dream Attorneys PLLC Immigration Lawyer Immigration Law Firm American Dream Attorneys is an immigration law firm that commenced operations in 2013 in Miami, Florida. Our lawyers are admitted to practice law in at least one state within the United States, and have experience handling cases and protecting both Federal and State rights. Whereas, U.S. immigration laws are applied in federal proceedings, the immigration lawyers at American Dream Attorneys are able to provide legal services to immigration clients located anywhere within the United States. American Dream Attorneys can also assist clients with immigration matters located outside of the U.S. Our...

Brett is a Tampa native who graduated in 2009 from FSU College of Law – the top ranked law school in Florida. After passing the Bar, he immediately began working as a prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa. Brett prosecuted over 5,000 cases, including DUI’s, domestic violence, drug possession, drug trafficking, gun charges, and RICO cases. Most importantly, Brett tried over 100 cases to verdict during his time as a prosecutor. Armed with litigation experience, knowledge of the criminal system, and ambition, Brett opened his private practice in July of 2012. At Brett Metcalf, Criminal...

The experienced Tampa criminal defense attorney at The Law Office of Timothy Hessinger is dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of the criminally accused. Attorney Timothy Hessinger was a former 15 year state prosecutor, and he was named as Prosecutor of the Year in 2004. Due to this past experience, our team is able to bring a well-rounded view of the criminal justice system to the table no matter what crimes our clients' cases involve. If you’ve been arrested, don’t hesitate a moment to contact our firm. We offer a free online case evaluation – take advantage today!

As a felony prosecutor for over a decade, Mr. Elsea saw how criminal cases are built from investigation through trial and sentencing on thousands of cases. Joel gained a greater understanding that people who are facing serious consequences against powerful forces in the courtroom need an experienced and effective voice.

Mr. David A. Faulkner received his undergraduate degree in criminal justice/criminology from Florida State University. He later attended law school at FSU and received his Juris Doctorate with honors. Mr. Faulkner has practiced law for over 21 years. He focuses in the areas of criminal law and family law. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Faulkner is also a Florida Class C Licensed Private Investigator as well as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator.

Matt Mueller is a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and Tampa and an experienced trial lawyer. He focuses his practice on white collar defense, including civil and criminal tax, securities, and health care matters, regulatory enforcement actions, grand jury investigations, and civil litigation. Matt represents a diverse array of clients in these sensitive and high stakes matters including doctors, accountants and accounting firms, health care and dental professionals, firms and individuals in the financial services and securities industries, as well as small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Ashley Rector earned her Juris Doctor with a Certificate of Concentration in Advocacy from Stetson University College of Law in May 2013, after obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Florida in May 2010. Ashley is an Associate at Todd Foster Law Group, where she focuses mainly on federal criminal defense. Ashley is an active member of the Herbert G. Goldburg-Ronald K. Cacciatore Criminal Law American Inn of Court, Hillsborough County Bar Leadership Institute class of 2015-2016, Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers.

Judge Michael J. Scionti is a Circuit Court Judge with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in the State of Florida, who has served our community and country for over two decades, upholding the rule of law in and out of the courtroom, on and off the battlefield, and throughout all branches of government.

Judge Scionti is a Tampa native and lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Florida State University and his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law. Judge Scionti has held various positions of public trust as a...

Ms. George began her career as a defense attorney, defending claims made against the largest automobile insurance carrier in Florida and its insureds. Although she gained invaluable experience and knowledge in that position, she quickly realized that she would be better suited fighting for the rights of those who are injured instead of defending a billion dollar insurance carrier. Armed with the knowledge of how insurance carriers evaluate and defend claims, Ms. George joined a prominent Clearwater personal injury firm as a litigation attorney handling various types of cases including: car accidents (including those involving DUI/punitive damages), slip/trip...

Windy L. Wilkerson obtained her juris doctor with honors from Florida State University College of Law in 2001. Her professional legal services include the areas of personal injury, probate, family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, and workers' compensation. Her office, serving the Greater Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties, is located in Brandon, Florida 33511. There is easy parking and consultations are free!

Originally hailing from Maryland, Attorney William B. Wynne moved to Florida in 2001, and attended Valencia Community College and The University of Central Florida, earning an associate’s degree in general studies and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business, respectively. Mr. Wynne then went on to earn a law degree from The Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, Mr. Wynne holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from The University of Central Florida.

Mr. Wynne currently resides in Tampa, where he runs his own law practice. He has represented clients in nearly a thousand different cases, including...

We are a full-service law firm servicing clients in Tampa and throughout the State of Florida.

Attorney Richard McCluskey began his legal career at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office where he handled thousands of cases from simple misdemeanors to severe felonies that are considered punishable by life. While there he completed many jury trials and hundreds of non-jury trails while working his way up from county court to circuit court. After leaving the Public Defender he has worked for private firms and handled numerous criminal and civil cases. Mr. McCluskey believes everyone deserves to have strong representation and will fight for you if you choose our firm. The Law Office of Richard McCluskey was founded on...

Jamila Little is an attorney licensed to practice law in Florida, Washington DC and in the Caribbean. Her practice areas include Immigration, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Business Law. Jamila continues to represent her clients in State court and Federal Immigration court. She hails from the beautiful twin isle of Trinidad and Tobago. Jamila graduated with honors from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, where she majored in Economics and minored in Business Administration. She obtained her Masters in Business Administration (MBA), with a concentration in Finance, from Clark Atlanta University School of Business. She worked in the Banking...

Brian joined Forizs & Dogali in 2009. He has focused his litigation practice on commercial, construction , personal injury, ADA discrimination, civil rights, insurance coverage and criminal law. Prior to joining Forizs & Dogali, Brian worked as an associate attorney at a local law firm, concentrating on insurance defense. Brian has handled various facets of litigation including depositions, motion practice, mediations, trials and appeals. Brian has also previously been a prosecutor, handling over 300 cases at any given time for the State Attorneyâs Office, and sitting first chair in over 30 jury trials, as well as...

Practicing law in Tampa, FL since 1997, in the areas of criminal law, personal injury, and family law.

Attorney Andrew Buda is a Tampa native. He attended the University of South Florida and earned a bachelor’s degree in business. Afterward, Andrew worked as a middle school teacher during the day and in the evenings, he attended Stetson University College of Law where he earned his law degree. Andrew’s experience as a state prosecutor trained him on how the state looks at a case from the initial arrest all the way through trial. He honed his skills in actual trials, with over 30 trials at all levels of severity, including DUIs, domestic battery, and all degrees of felony. This experience...

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, moved to Tampa in 1956. Attended Plant High School. Graduated from the University of Florida in 1963 with a degree in Pharmacy. Practiced pharmacy for 2 years then went to Stetson University, College of Law. Graduated in 1969 from Stetson with a Juris Doctor degree. 1970 went to work with the State Attorney's Office as an assistant State Attorney in Hillsborough County. In 1973 was made Chief Assistant State Attorney pursuing drug importation into the State of Florida and presented same to the First State wide Grand Jury for prosecution. In 1975 entered the...

Michael Beltran is an experienced and aggressive litigator who has been working in various capacities in the legal industry for more than a decade. Attorney Beltran has dedicated his career to developing the skills and experience necessary to render top-notch advocacy for his clients in all of their litigation matters. Attorney Beltran graduated from Harvard Law School and was previously associated with two of the world’s most feared litigation firms, Paul Weiss and Boies Schiller. Between his associations with those firms, Attorney Beltran clerked for a well-respected federal judge in Florida. Having handled litigation matters from both sides...

Martin J. Hernandez, Esq. has been practicing law since 2001 and is one of the few attorneys in Florida to have tried over 100 jury trials. He concentrates his practice in auto accidents and other negligence claims. He prides himself on aggressively, ethically litigating and pursuing his clients’ claims. He meets and sits down with nearly all of his clients at the onset of their cases, regardless of the size of the case, and treats each client with the same respect and diligence that he would want from an attorney. He proudly boasts that “You will meet the lawyer you...

Loren Rhoton P.A. is exclusively a criminal appeals and post conviction relief law firm. Our office focuses only on post conviction relief and criminal appeals for state and federal cases arising in the state of Florida. With over twenty years of combined experience in post conviction and criminal appeals cases, we strive to vigorously pursue post conviction relief for our clients throughout the state of Florida and in all phases of federal collateral proceedings