Most contempt cases are won or lost on procedure, because the rules a judge must follow before punishing someone are strict and appellate courts reverse when they are skipped. I learned how courtroom conduct is judged as a former police academy instructor who trained officers on testimony, and over more than 25 years in Hillsborough County courtrooms. I’m Rocky Brancato, founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, and our attorneys start every contempt case by checking whether the order to show cause, the notice, and the proof meet the rules before we argue the facts.

What Is Contempt of Court Under Florida Law?

Contempt of court is conduct that defies a court’s authority, either by refusing to obey a lawful order or by obstructing or disrespecting the court itself. Section 38.23, Florida Statutes, defines one core form: “A refusal to obey any legal order, mandate or decree, made or given by any judge relative to any of the business of the court, after due notice thereof, is a contempt.” Section 38.22 gives every court the power to punish contempts “whether such contempts be direct, indirect, or constructive.”

Florida courts sort contempt into three types, and the type controls the procedure, the penalty, and the defense:

What Is Direct Criminal Contempt?

Direct criminal contempt is misconduct the judge personally sees or hears in the courtroom, and the judge can address it the same day. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.830, the judge must still tell the person what conduct is at issue, give the person a chance to explain or offer mitigation, and then enter a written judgment reciting the facts. The person must be allowed to present excusing or mitigating circumstances before sentencing.

Twine v. State, 188 So. 3d 44 (Fla. 3d DCA 2016) shows how fast this moves. Chakaris Twine said “This is a bunch of bullshit” after a judge refused to lower his bond in a cocaine case, then immediately apologized and explained that he was the sole caretaker for his mother, who was undergoing chemotherapy. The judge found him in direct criminal contempt and imposed 180 days in jail. The Third District said the sentence “appears to be excessive” but affirmed it, because the judge followed rule 3.830 and an appellate court has no authority to reduce a lawful sentence. The lesson is that the hearing in front of the trial judge is usually the only real chance to shape the sentence.

What Is Indirect Criminal Contempt?

Indirect criminal contempt is a violation of a court order that happens outside the courtroom, so the judge did not see it and the accused gets most of the protections of a criminal case. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.840, the process starts with a written order to show cause that states the essential facts, and when it is based on someone else’s report, that report must be sworn by a person with personal knowledge. The accused has the right to counsel, a reasonable time to prepare, and a hearing where the State must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The most common source of indirect contempt in our practice is an alleged violation of a domestic violence injunction or a pretrial no-contact order. Under section 741.31, Florida Statutes, the State Attorney decides whether to file a new criminal charge for the violation, move for an order to show cause for criminal contempt, or both. A willful violation charged as a new crime is a first-degree misdemeanor, and it becomes a third-degree felony when the person has a prior conviction for domestic violence or an injunction violation against the same victim. Our Tampa domestic violence defense attorney page covers injunction cases in more detail.

Criminal vs. Civil Contempt: What Is the Difference?

Criminal contempt punishes something that already happened, while civil contempt pressures a person to do something the court ordered. The difference decides whether jail time has a fixed end date or ends the moment the person complies.

Civil contempt in Florida reaches a very large number of families through child support enforcement. The Florida Department of Revenue’s Child Support Program reports that, as of 2026, it provides child support services to over 879,000 children, and contempt is one of the tools courts use when a support order goes unpaid.

What Are the Penalties for Contempt of Court in Florida?

Criminal contempt in Florida carries up to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine, because contempt is a common-law crime and no statute sets a different maximum. In Aaron v. State, 284 So. 2d 673 (Fla. 1973), the Florida Supreme Court reviewed a man convicted of trying to influence a grand juror, held that “criminal contempt is a crime under Florida law,” and applied the limits in section 775.02, Florida Statutes: “the fine shall not exceed $500, nor the imprisonment 12 months.”

Contempt also carries consequences outside the jail sentence. A criminal contempt conviction is a criminal record, and a contempt finding in a family case can affect custody and timesharing decisions.

When Do You Get a Jury Trial for Contempt in Florida?

You are entitled to a jury in a criminal contempt case when the judge intends to impose six months or more in jail. In Aaron (1973), the Florida Supreme Court held that a judge who denies a jury “cannot impose a sentence of six months’ imprisonment, or greater,” and that a judge who contemplates that sentence “must empanel a jury to try the facts, unless the defendant has made a waiver thereof.” The court reaffirmed the six-month line in Aaron v. State, 345 So. 2d 641 (Fla. 1977), the second appeal in the same grand juror case, and declined to extend the jury right to every criminal contempt.

Demanding a jury changes the case. It caps the sentence a judge can impose without one, and it gives the defense time, discovery, and twelve citizens instead of one judge who may also be the person whose order was violated.

Firm case result: jury trial demand leads to dismissal. A client faced indirect criminal contempt with exposure to more than six months in jail. Our firm demanded a jury trial, a right that neither the judge nor the opposing attorney expected in a contempt case. As the case moved toward the jury trial date, the contempt charge was dismissed. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

What Happens When the Rules Are Not Followed?

When a judge skips a required step, Florida appellate courts often reverse the contempt finding as fundamental error, even if no one objected at the hearing. The Second District Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, has done this repeatedly in cases where the order to show cause was not backed by a sworn statement from someone with personal knowledge.

In A.N.W. v. State, 386 So. 3d 621 (Fla. 2d DCA 2024), a Pasco County dependency judge held a teenager in indirect contempt based on an unsworn report from a care provider who admitted at the hearing that she had not seen any of the conduct. The Second District reversed, holding that the affidavit requirement in Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.150(c)(2) is substantively the same as rule 3.840(a) and that failing to follow it is fundamental error. A year later, in C.M.B. v. State, 406 So. 3d 361 (Fla. 2d DCA 2025), the same court reversed another Pasco County juvenile’s contempt judgment and secure detention order because none of the orders to show cause was supported by an affidavit, and the State conceded the error.

These cases arose in juvenile court, but the same rule applies to adults through rule 3.840. Our attorneys read the order to show cause and the supporting affidavit first, because a defect there can end the case before the facts are ever argued.

Can You Go to Jail for Civil Contempt in Florida?

Yes, but only if the judge finds you have the present ability to do what the order requires. In Bowen v. Bowen, 471 So. 2d 1274 (Fla. 1985), a father was jailed for failing to pay a $966 child support purge amount even though the record showed he was indigent. The Florida Supreme Court held that the trial court “must make a separate, affirmative finding that the contemnor possesses the present ability to comply with the purge conditions,” and explained that without that ability, “the contemnor holds no key to the jailhouse door.”

The U.S. Supreme Court set national minimums in Turner v. Rogers, 564 U.S. 431 (2011). Michael Turner was sentenced to 12 months for unpaid support in South Carolina at a hearing where no one told him his ability to pay was the central question. The Court held that due process does not always require appointed counsel in civil support contempt, but it does require safeguards: notice that ability to pay is critical, a way to gather financial information, a chance to respond, and an express finding of ability to pay. Because Turner received none of these, his jailing violated due process.

Legal scholars have long warned about what happens when those safeguards fail. In “Civil Contempt and the Indigent Child Support Obligor: The Silent Return of Debtor’s Prison,” published in the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy in 2008, Professor Elizabeth G. Patterson examined how civil contempt can become imprisonment for debt when courts jail parents who cannot pay. Bowen and Turner are the tools our attorneys use to keep that from happening to a client.

How Do Our Attorneys Defend a Contempt Charge?

Our attorneys defend contempt by attacking the procedure first, then the proof of willfulness, then the sentence. The strongest defenses we see in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco County courts are:

1. A defective order to show cause. No sworn affidavit, an affiant without personal knowledge, or an order that does not state the essential facts.
2. No proof of willfulness. Indirect criminal contempt requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the person intended to disobey the court. An unclear order, lack of notice, or an honest misunderstanding can defeat that element.
3. No present ability to comply. In civil contempt, inability to pay or perform is a complete answer to jail under Bowen.
4. The jury demand. If the court wants a sentence of six months or more, the defense can insist on a jury, which caps the judge’s sentencing power without one.
5. Judicial disqualification. When the contempt involves criticism of the judge, the rules allow the defense to ask that a different judge hear it; our post on disqualifying a trial judge in Tampa explains that process.
6. Mitigation and a compliance plan. Showing the court that the order is now being followed often resolves a civil contempt and can reduce a criminal contempt sentence.

What Should You Do If You Receive an Order to Show Cause?

Appear on the date in the order, bring a lawyer, and do not argue with the judge. An order to show cause is a court order, and missing the hearing can lead to a writ of bodily attachment or an arrest warrant. Read the order closely, gather proof of any payments or compliance, and stop any contact the order prohibits, even if the other person reaches out first.

Courtroom conduct matters at that hearing. Our guides on what to wear to court and bringing a child to court cover the practical details that keep a hearing from going wrong, and our Hillsborough County criminal defense attorney page explains how local cases move through the 13th Judicial Circuit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Contempt of Court in Florida

Can a judge put you in jail on the spot for contempt in Florida?

Yes, for direct criminal contempt a judge can find you guilty and sentence you at the same hearing, as long as the judge follows rule 3.830 and lets you explain first. The Brancato Law Firm uses that moment to present mitigation, because the appellate court in Twine could not reduce a 180-day sentence it called excessive.

Is violating a no-contact order contempt of court in Florida?

Yes, violating a pretrial no-contact order or an injunction can be prosecuted as indirect criminal contempt, and some injunction violations can also be charged as a separate crime under section 741.31. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm check whether the client was properly served with the order and whether the contact was actually prohibited; see our domestic violence defense page.

Can contempt of court charges be dropped in Florida?

Yes, a contempt charge can be dismissed when the order to show cause is defective, when the State cannot prove willfulness, or when the accused comes into compliance. The Brancato Law Firm has seen a contempt charge dismissed after demanding a jury trial, though every case turns on its own facts.

Do you get a public defender for contempt of court?

An indigent person facing indirect criminal contempt with possible jail time is generally entitled to appointed counsel, while in civil support contempt counsel is not automatically required under Turner v. Rogers. The Brancato Law Firm represents clients in both kinds of contempt hearings and can step in before the show cause date; our Tampa criminal defense team can be reached at any hour.

How long can you be jailed for civil contempt of child support in Florida?

Civil contempt jail lasts until the parent pays the purge amount or otherwise complies, but the judge must first find the parent can actually pay it under Bowen v. Bowen. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm bring pay records, job search evidence, and financial affidavits to prove inability to pay when that is the truth.

Does a contempt conviction go on your criminal record in Florida?

Yes, a criminal contempt conviction creates a criminal record, while a civil contempt finding is part of the family or civil court file. The Brancato Law Firm looks at whether a withhold of adjudication or a later sealing is possible when we negotiate the outcome of a criminal contempt charge.

For how this fits into the rest of a case, see our overview of how a Florida criminal case moves from investigation to appeal.

Talk to a Tampa Attorney Before Your Contempt Hearing

The show cause date is the deadline that matters, and the defenses described above have to be raised at or before that hearing. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, will review the order, the affidavit, and your proof of compliance before you stand in front of the judge. Call (813) 727-7159; you can call us at any hour, and our office is two blocks from the courthouse. Our firm has Spanish-speaking staff, and attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French. Read our guide for Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers facing criminal charges.

For more about our defense strategies, visit our Tampa Domestic Violence Defense Attorney page.

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.

As founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, and the former Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where I oversaw a staff of over 100 attorneys, I have guided thousands of clients through Hillsborough County courtrooms, and the judge always sees the client before hearing a word from anyone. In more than 25 years in Hillsborough County courtrooms, I have watched people arrive in gym shorts or smelling of marijuana, and I have watched some judges refuse to hear a case until the person changed clothes.

Our attorneys prepare every client for court with the same checklist: what to wear, what to bring, what to leave at home, and when to arrive. This guide shares that checklist, with the security rules that apply at the Hillsborough County courthouses in 2026.

What should you wear to court?

Wear clean, conservative clothes that fit: dress pants or khakis, a collared shirt or modest blouse, a knee-length skirt or dress if you prefer, and closed-toe shoes. A suit is the best choice, and no one expects you to buy one. The goal is that the judge notices your case and not your clothes, and plain, neutral colors such as navy, gray, black, and white do that best. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm tell clients to choose the outfit the night before, so the morning of court is spent getting there on time.

What should a man wear to a court hearing?

• Best: a suit and tie, or dress slacks with a button-down shirt and tie.
• Acceptable: khakis or dress pants with a collared polo shirt, or clean, dark jeans with a button-down shirt and a belt.
• Shoes: dress shoes, loafers, or clean boots.
• Grooming: shirt tucked in, pants at the waist, and hat off before you reach the courtroom door.

What should a woman wear to a court hearing?

• Best: a pantsuit or skirt suit, or a blouse with dress pants or a knee-length skirt.
• Acceptable: a modest dress at or below the knee, or clean, dark jeans with a conservative top and a cardigan.
• Shoes: flats, dress shoes, or modest heels you can walk and stand in for several hours.
• Avoid: tight, short, sheer, or low-cut clothing, and anything you would wear to a club or the beach.

Can you wear jeans to court?

Yes, you can usually wear jeans to court in Hillsborough County if they are clean, dark, free of rips and fading, and worn with a collared shirt or a modest top. Black jeans and dark-wash jeans work the same way. Dress pants or khakis make a better impression, so wear them if you own them, but do not miss court or show up late because you have only jeans.

Jeans become a problem when they are ripped, faded, baggy, sagging, or paired with a T-shirt and sneakers. The same rules apply to spectators, witnesses, and family members, because everyone in the courtroom is subject to the judge’s control of courtroom decorum. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm tell clients who are going to be sentenced, or who are testifying, to skip jeans entirely and wear the most formal outfit they have.

Can you wear sandals, flip-flops, or sneakers to court?

No, do not wear flip-flops, slides, or beach sandals to court, and treat sneakers as a last resort. Closed-toe shoes are the safe choice in every Hillsborough County courtroom, and flip-flops are one of the items judges most often single out. If the only alternatives are dress sandals or clean, plain sneakers, choose the plain sneakers and dress everything else up.

What should you not wear to court?

Do not wear anything that looks like beachwear, gym clothes, or a night out, and do not wear anything with words or images on it. The table below lists the items that cause the most trouble in Hillsborough County courtrooms and what to wear instead. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm would rather a client ask the night before than learn at the courtroom door that an outfit will not work.

You do not need to spend much money. Thrift stores, discount stores, and a relative who wears your size are all good sources for one plain court outfit. If money is the obstacle, tell your lawyer before the court date rather than skipping court, because missing court creates a far bigger problem than imperfect clothes.

Is there an official dress code for Hillsborough County courts?

Not in the circuit’s security rules: the courthouse security order does not set a dress code, so attire is left to the judge presiding in each courtroom, and in our experience most enforce a business-casual standard. The Thirteenth Judicial Circuit’s current courthouse security order, Administrative Order S-2026-047, entered by Chief Judge Christopher C. Sabella on August 19, 2026 and effective September 22, 2026, governs searches and weapons and says nothing about clothing. That leaves attire to the presiding judge, which is why one courtroom may tolerate what another will not.

Judges have a dress code of their own. Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.340 requires that robes worn by a judge during any judicial proceeding be solid black with no embellishment. Lawyers are expected to wear business attire, and our Hillsborough County defense attorneys dress for every hearing as if it were a jury trial.

The same standard applies to anyone who comes to support you. Spectators, witnesses, and family members sit in the same courtroom and answer to the same judge, so a guest in sandals and a tank top can be asked to leave. Parents who are thinking about bringing a child should first read our guide Can I Bring My Child to Court?

Does what you wear to court affect the outcome?

What you wear can affect how a judge or jury sees you, and research supports what courtroom lawyers have long believed. In a 2025 study in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, Kylene L. Street and colleagues gave community members an assault trial summary in which the defendant wore either a dress suit or an orange prison jumpsuit; participants rated the jumpsuit-clad defendant as more aggressive, and that impression indirectly led to more guilty verdicts. Clothing does not decide a case, but it shapes the first impression a judge forms at a bond hearing, a plea, or a sentencing.

The U.S. Supreme Court recognized the same risk in Estelle v. Williams, 425 U.S. 501 (1976). Harry Lee Williams was tried in Harris County, Texas, on an assault charge while wearing jail clothes, after a jail officer denied his request for his civilian clothes. The Court held that the State cannot compel a defendant to stand trial before a jury in identifiable prison clothes, but because neither Williams nor his lawyer objected to the trial judge, the conviction stood. The lesson for a client in custody is that the objection has to be made on the record before the jury sees the defendant, and our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm raise it with the judge before jury selection begins.

What happens at courthouse security in Hillsborough County?

Everyone who enters a Hillsborough County courthouse through a public door is subject to search, including search by electronic or other specialized equipment, under Administrative Order S-2026-047. The order exempts Florida and federal judges, lets prosecutors and public defenders bypass screening only at certain buildings, and provides that anyone who refuses to let security search them or their bags, briefcases, or purses will be denied access. Security at the Thirteenth Circuit’s courthouses is provided through the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the chief judge.

The order applies at every building where the court conducts business, plus the parking for those buildings. Check your paperwork for the building and courtroom, because a hearing can be set at any of them.

Section 3 of the order denies entry to anyone carrying a firearm, chemical weapon, destructive device, explosive device, sharp object, weapon, or hazardous material of any kind unless the item is surrendered. A surrendered item that is legal to own can be reclaimed when you leave, but illegal weapons, explosives, hazardous materials, and contraband are reported to law enforcement. A Florida concealed weapon license does not change this: section 790.06(12)(a), Florida Statutes, lists any courthouse and any courtroom among the places a license does not authorize a person to carry, and a knowing and willful violation is a second-degree misdemeanor under section 790.06(12)(d).

The practical problem is time. A client who has to walk a pocketknife or pepper spray back to the car, or wait while it is surrendered, goes back through the line and can miss the moment the case is called. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm tell clients to empty their pockets, purse, and backpack the night before court.

Can you bring your phone to court?

You can generally bring a phone into a Hillsborough County courthouse, because phones are not on the security order’s list of prohibited items, but you cannot use it in a courtroom without the judge’s permission. Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.451 places the use of electronic devices in a courtroom under the authority of the presiding judge at all times, and gives the chief judge control of device use throughout the courthouse. In 2024 the Thirteenth Circuit rescinded its older courthouse photography order in Administrative Order S-2024-078, explaining that those rules now give judges broad discretion over electronic devices in court facilities.

In practice, turn the phone off or to silent before you enter the courtroom and keep it out of sight. Do not text, take photos, or record anything inside. A phone that rings or a person caught recording can lose the phone for the day or face contempt of court, and our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm ask clients to give family members the same warning.

What should you bring to court?

Bring a government-issued photo ID, every piece of paper you have about the case, and proof of anything the court ordered you to do. The checklist below is the one our attorneys give clients before a Hillsborough County court date.

Why proof of completed conditions matters

Proof of what you have already done is often the most useful thing you can bring. A certificate from a class, a signed log of community service hours, or a receipt showing costs were paid answers the question the judge or prosecutor is about to ask, and it can turn a contested hearing into a short one. If you are on probation, the same documents are your first defense to a violation, as our guide to fighting a probation violation in Florida explains. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm ask clients to send copies to the office before the court date so the documents can be filed or given to the prosecutor in advance.

How early should you get to court?

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time, and earlier if you have never been to that building. You need time to park, clear security, find the right building and courtroom, and talk with your lawyer before the judge takes the bench. Morning dockets are the busiest, because many cases are set for the same start time and the people in all of them pass through the same screening stations.

The volume explains the lines. In the county fiscal year from October 2024 through September 2025, the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court opened 20,659 new felony cases, 12,447 new misdemeanor and worthless check cases, and 25,983 criminal traffic citations, according to the Clerk’s monthly outputs report for September 2025 filed with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. Every one of those cases brings defendants, witnesses, and family members to the same downtown courthouses.

Being late can cost more than a bad first impression. If your case is called and you are not there, the judge can issue a capias, the bench warrant explained in our guide to what to do after a missed court date in Tampa. A person on pretrial release who willfully fails to appear also commits a separate crime under section 843.15, Florida Statutes: a third-degree felony when the release was on a felony charge, and a first-degree misdemeanor when it was on a misdemeanor.

Two free tools help you get there. The Hillsborough County Clerk’s HOVER website shows the docket for your case, and the Clerk’s court case text messaging notifications send hearing reminders for most felony, misdemeanor, and criminal traffic hearings 10, 7, and 1 day before the hearing date. The Clerk notes that reminders do not cover every hearing, so check the docket and confirm the date with your lawyer as well.

What should you do in the days before your court date?

Start preparing about 10 days out, which is when the Clerk’s first text reminder arrives. The timeline below is the one our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm walk clients through, and the earliest steps matter most because they are the ones that change what happens at the hearing.

If this is your first court date after an arrest, our guide to the steps in a Hillsborough County criminal case explains where the hearing fits, and our checklist on what to do after being arrested in Tampa covers the first days of a case.

How should you act in the courtroom?

Act the way the judge expects everyone in the room to act: quiet, attentive, and respectful. These are the rules our attorneys review with every client:

• Stand when the judge enters and leaves. The bailiff will announce it.
• Take off your hat before you walk through the courtroom door.
• No food, drinks, or gum in the courtroom.
• Call the judge “Your Honor.”
• Let your lawyer speak for you. If the judge asks you a question directly, answer briefly and politely.
• Stay calm. Do not react out loud to anything a witness, prosecutor, or the judge says, even if it is wrong.
• Keep your phone silent and out of sight the entire time court is in session.

Frequently asked questions about what to wear and bring to court

Can you wear black jeans to court in Florida?

Yes, clean black jeans without rips or fading are generally acceptable in Florida courtrooms when worn with a collared shirt or modest top and closed-toe shoes, though dress pants are better for a sentencing or for testifying. The Brancato Law Firm reviews each client’s planned outfit against the judge’s courtroom, and our Hillsborough County criminal defense lawyers know which judges hold a stricter line.

Can I wear sandals to court as a guest or spectator?

You should not wear flip-flops or beach sandals to court even as a guest, because the presiding judge’s decorum rules apply to everyone in the courtroom, not only to the defendant. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm ask clients to pass the dress guidance on to family members who plan to attend, since a supporter turned away at the door cannot speak for you at sentencing.

Can I bring a pocketknife or pepper spray into the Hillsborough County courthouse?

No, sharp objects, chemical weapons, and weapons of any kind are denied entry under Administrative Order S-2026-047 unless you surrender them, and only legal items can be reclaimed on the way out. The Brancato Law Firm tells clients to leave these items at home, because going back to the car can mean missing the moment the case is called.

What happens if I am late to court in Tampa?

If your case is called and you are not in the courtroom, the judge can issue a capias for your arrest and, for a defendant on bond, the bond can be put at risk. Call The Brancato Law Firm right away if you are running late or have already missed a hearing, and read our guide to clearing a capias in Hillsborough County for the next steps.

Do I have to stand up and speak when my case is called?

You will usually stand next to your lawyer when your case is called, but your lawyer does the talking unless the judge asks you a question directly. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm go over in advance any question the judge is likely to ask, such as during a plea, so nothing said in the courtroom catches the client off guard.

What do judges wear in Florida courtrooms?

Florida judges wear black robes, and Rule 2.340 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration requires that a judge’s robe during any judicial proceeding be solid black with no embellishment. The Brancato Law Firm’s attorneys appear in business attire at every hearing, and the Hillsborough County criminal court process guide on our site explains who else you will see in the courtroom.

¿Qué ropa debo usar para ir a la corte en Tampa?

Use ropa limpia y conservadora, como pantalón de vestir o caqui, camisa con cuello o blusa sencilla, y zapatos cerrados; no use pantalones cortos, chancletas, camisetas sin mangas ni gorras. The Brancato Law Firm tiene personal que habla español, y el abogado Jean-Luc Adrien habla español, criollo haitiano y francés; lea más sobre nuestros servicios de defensa penal en español.

For how this fits into the rest of a case, see our guide to each stage of a Florida criminal case.

Call before your court date, not after

A court date in Hillsborough County is a fixed deadline: if you are not in the courtroom when your case is called, the judge can issue a capias the same morning. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, represents people at every stage of a criminal case in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, and our attorneys will confirm your hearing, tell you what to wear and bring, gather your proof of completed conditions, and stand beside you when your name is called. Call (813) 727-7159 for a free, confidential consultation before your court date. You can call us at any hour, and our office is two blocks from the courthouse. Our firm has Spanish-speaking staff, and attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French.

For more about our defense strategies, visit our Hillsborough County Criminal Defense Attorney page.

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.