Florida spanking cases usually turn on one thing a jury can see: what the discipline left on the child’s body. I learned how much that matters in the Major Crimes Unit of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where I handled child abuse, sex crimes, and homicide cases, and later as the former Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where I oversaw a staff of over 100 attorneys. I am Rocky Brancato, founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, and I have spent more than 25 years in Hillsborough County courtrooms. Our attorneys now defend parents, stepparents, and teachers whose discipline has been reported to DCF or the police.

Is it illegal to spank your child in Florida?

It is legal to spank your child in Florida as long as the spanking is reasonable and does not harm the child. The Florida Legislature wrote that rule into the child welfare code: under section 39.01(2), Florida Statutes, “corporal discipline of a child by a parent or legal custodian for disciplinary purposes does not in itself constitute abuse when it does not result in harm to the child.” Florida has no statute that bans spanking at home.

The Florida Supreme Court set the framework in Raford v. State, 828 So. 2d 1012 (Fla. 2002). Willie Raford was convicted of child abuse for repeatedly striking his girlfriend’s eight-year-old child with a belt, and he argued that a parent cannot be prosecuted for disciplining a child. The court rejected that argument and held that a parent, or a person acting in the place of a parent, has no blanket immunity from a child abuse prosecution. The court also held that a parent may raise reasonable or nonexcessive corporal punishment, such as a typical spanking, as an affirmative defense to a charge of child abuse.

Put simply, Florida protects the spanking and punishes the injury. That is why the questions our attorneys ask first in every discipline case are physical ones: what was used, where on the body the child was struck, how many times, and what marks were left. If you are already facing a report, our Tampa child abuse attorney page explains how our firm defends these cases from the first DCF contact through trial.

What does Florida’s corporal punishment statute say?

Florida’s corporal punishment rule lives in the definitions section of Chapter 39, the law that governs DCF investigations. Section 39.01(2) protects disciplinary spanking that causes no harm, and section 39.01(37)(a)4 defines harm to include “inappropriate or excessively harsh disciplinary action that is likely to result in physical injury, mental injury as defined in this section, or emotional injury.” The same subsection lists the injuries that can make corporal discipline excessive or abusive.

The statute also tells investigators how to judge an injury. Section 39.01(37)(a)4 requires DCF to weigh the age of the child, any prior history of injuries, the location of the injury on the body, the multiplicity of the injury, and the type of trauma inflicted. A single mark on the buttocks of a 12-year-old is analyzed differently from repeated marks on the face of a toddler, and our firm builds the defense around those five factors.

When does spanking become child abuse in Florida?

Spanking becomes child abuse in Florida when the force is excessive for the child and the misbehavior, or when it causes the kind of injury listed in section 39.01(37)(a)4. The criminal statute, section 827.03, Florida Statutes, defines child abuse as the intentional infliction of physical or mental injury on a child, or an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury. Florida courts have drawn the line between discipline and abuse case by case.

The leading Tampa-area case is State v. McDonald, 785 So. 2d 640 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001). A father was accused of spanking his six-year-old daughter hard enough to leave dark bruising over both buttocks, and the trial court dismissed the felony charge on the theory that parental discipline is privileged. The Second District Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, reversed the dismissal. It explained that a spanking causing significant welts can be charged as the misdemeanor of contributing to the dependency of a child, that more serious beatings without permanent injury can be charged as felony child abuse, and that aggravated child abuse is reserved for great bodily harm, permanent injury, or actual malice.

Two later cases show where courts refuse to call physical punishment discipline. In Czapla v. State, 957 So. 2d 676 (Fla. 1st DCA 2007), a father punched his 15-year-old son in the head and kicked him in the side while the boy was on the floor during an argument over yard work, and the court held that kicking a child lying on the ground is not reasonable corporal discipline as a matter of law. In Julius v. State, 953 So. 2d 33 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007), a mother beat her children with a wooden table leg after losing a shoe, and the court affirmed her convictions because the jury could find she acted out of frustration and without any disciplinary purpose.

Is hitting a child with a belt illegal in Florida?

Hitting a child with a belt is not automatically illegal in Florida, but it appears again and again in Florida child abuse appeals. In both Raford and Hall v. State, 260 So. 3d 1152 (Fla. 1st DCA 2018), a belt was the instrument. In Hall, a father whipped his 11-year-old son with a belt hard enough to break the skin and leave marks visible days later, and the court affirmed his felony conviction, explaining that his discipline defense was extremely weak because the boy was punished for trying to stop his father from hitting his mother. When a belt leaves welts, broken skin, or marks outside the buttocks, our attorneys expect DCF and the State Attorney’s Office to treat the case as a possible felony.

Is it legal to slap your child in the face in Florida?

No Florida statute makes a slap automatically a crime, but a slap to the face carries far more risk than a spanking. Section 39.01(37)(a)4 makes the location of the injury a required factor, and several injuries the statute lists, such as disfigurement, brain damage, or impairment of a body part or function, are most likely to come from blows to the head and face. A slap that leaves a handprint, a split lip, or a bruise near the eye can be charged as battery or child abuse, and our firm handles those cases with the same focus on medical evidence that we bring to any aggravated child abuse defense.

What charges can a parent face for excessive discipline?

A parent accused of excessive discipline in Florida can face four main charges, and the charge usually tracks the injury. Prosecutors in Hillsborough County choose among battery, contributing to the dependency of a child, felony child abuse, and aggravated child abuse, and the difference between them is the difference between probation and a prison sentence.

The prison and fine maximums come from section 775.082 and section 775.083, Florida Statutes. A felony charge also carries consequences outside the courtroom, which can include a dependency case, a no-contact condition with your own children while the case is pending, and problems with professional licenses. Much of our early work in these cases is aimed at moving the charge down this ladder, and our published results include an aggravated child abuse charge reduced to misdemeanor battery with probation.

Does a bruise from spanking mean felony child abuse?

A bruise from spanking does not, by itself, prove felony child abuse in Florida. In King v. State, 903 So. 2d 954 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005), a private school administrator paddled an eight-year-old student twice on her clothed buttocks with a wooden paddle for cheating and lying, and she developed significant welts and bruises but needed no medical treatment. The Second District held that those injuries, without a corresponding mental injury, were not felony child abuse as a matter of law, reversed the conviction, and ordered the administrator discharged. The Second District later distinguished King in Julius because King involved real discipline under a school policy, so this argument works only when the facts show punishment for misbehavior.

What is the parental discipline defense in Florida?

The parental discipline defense is an affirmative defense that lets a parent argue the force used was reasonable punishment for misbehavior. Florida’s standard jury instruction on child abuse, quoted in Hall, tells jurors: “It is not a crime for a parent of a child to impose reasonable physical discipline on a child for misbehavior under the circumstances even though physical injury resulted from the discipline.” The instruction applies to a parent or a person acting as the child’s lawful guardian.

Three facts usually decide whether the defense succeeds. First, there must be real misbehavior that called for discipline, which is the element the defendants in Hall and Julius could not show. Second, the method and force must be reasonable for the child’s age and size. Third, the injury must stay below the level the Legislature treats as excessive. Who bears the burden of proof on this defense is not settled by the statute; the Florida Supreme Court’s jury instruction committee noted that the statute and case law are silent on that point and left it to trial judges. Our attorneys ask for a special instruction placing the burden on the State to disprove the defense beyond a reasonable doubt, as Florida courts have done for defenses such as self-defense.

A 2025 appellate decision on discipline and domestic violence injunctions

The defense also protects parents outside criminal court. In Bechert v. Bechert, 408 So. 3d 17 (Fla. 4th DCA 2025), decided April 9, 2025, a mother obtained a domestic violence injunction on behalf of the parties’ 14-year-old daughter after the father physically wrenched a cell phone away from her as punishment for suspected theft and possession of marijuana and a vape pen. The Fourth District reversed, holding that reasonable and non-excessive parental corporal discipline is not domestic violence as a matter of law. For parents in a custody dispute, Bechert means a reasonable act of discipline should not become the basis for an injunction, and our attorneys raise it whenever an injunction petition rests on ordinary parenting.

Can teachers, stepparents, or daycare workers spank a child in Florida?

Stepparents, guardians, and teachers can sometimes use the parental discipline defense in Florida, but licensed daycares cannot spank at all. The rule depends on who the adult is and what role they hold over the child.

Can teachers hit students in Florida?

Florida teachers can paddle students only where the district school board’s policy authorizes corporal punishment, and Florida law now requires that policy to include parental consent. Under section 1002.20(4)(c), a district that allows corporal punishment must require a parent’s consent, either for the school year or before each paddling, and must review the policy every three years at a public board meeting. In Morris v. State, 228 So. 3d 670 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017), a teacher’s aide in Pensacola was acquitted of child abuse but convicted of battery after disciplining a combative pre-kindergarten student; the First District reversed and ordered an acquittal, holding that teachers stand in loco parentis and that non-abusive discipline is privileged. A school policy violation can still cost a teacher a job and a certificate, which our post on what happens when a Florida teacher is arrested covers in detail.

How often do DCF child abuse investigations end in a verified finding?

Most DCF investigations in Florida do not end with a verified finding of abuse. Until July 14, 2023, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office ran child protective investigations in the county, and in fiscal year 2021-2022 it received 11,751 child and special condition reports, according to the Florida Sheriffs Performing Child Protective Investigations Annual Program Performance Evaluation Report, Fiscal Year 2021-2022. On July 14, 2023, DCF took over those investigations in Hillsborough County, as the Sheriff’s Office announced in July 2023.

DCF conducted 179,246 child protective investigations across Florida in state fiscal year 2024-2025, according to its Results-Oriented Accountability 2025 Annual Performance Report. The same report shows that only 8.4% of investigations ended with a most serious finding of “verified,” both statewide and in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, which is Hillsborough County. In Circuit 13, that rate fell from 15.9% in state fiscal year 2021-2022 to 8.4% in state fiscal year 2024-2025.

Those numbers matter to a parent because an investigation is not a finding. A spanking report starts a process with a predictable sequence: a hotline call, a home visit, photographs, interviews with the child, and often a medical exam. How a parent handles that process often decides whether the case closes with no further action or moves to the State Attorney’s Office, and our firm steps in at that stage through representation before charges are filed.

The law and the research on spanking point in different directions. A 2016 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Family Psychology by Elizabeth Gershoff of the University of Texas at Austin and Andrew Grogan-Kaylor of the University of Michigan, covering five decades of research on more than 160,000 children, found spanking significantly linked with 13 of 17 detrimental outcomes, as the University of Texas reported in 2016. Florida’s Legislature has kept reasonable spanking legal anyway, so the legal question in any case remains whether the discipline was reasonable and caused no harm.

What happens when DCF or the police investigate a spanking in Hillsborough County?

A spanking report in Hillsborough County often triggers two investigations at once: a DCF child protective investigation and, when injuries are reported, a criminal investigation by the Tampa Police Department or the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Teachers, doctors, and daycare workers who call the Florida Abuse Hotline must give their names under section 39.201, Florida Statutes, and any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect abuse by a parent is required to report it.

In the Hillsborough County cases our firm handles, the medical opinion usually comes from a Child Protection Team physician who examines the child at the request of DCF or law enforcement, and the DCF investigator, the Child Protection Team, and the detective share what they learn. Investigations often last weeks before the State Attorney’s Office decides whether to file charges in the Hillsborough County courts. During that window, what a parent says to an investigator can become the central evidence in the criminal case, and conversations with some professionals may not be as confidential as parents assume, as our post on privileged communication in Florida child abuse cases explains.

Some discipline investigations widen into claims that a child lacked needed care or supervision, which Florida charges as child neglect; our post on child neglect charges in Tampa covers those cases.

How fast does DCF act after a spanking report, and why does timing matter?

DCF usually reaches the child within a day of a spanking report, so the time to get a lawyer involved is before the first interview. In the last quarter of state fiscal year 2024-2025, DCF reported that 92.2% of alleged child victims in Circuit 13 were seen within 24 hours, against a department target of 90% or higher, according to the same 2025 DCF performance report. That means photographs and the child’s first statement are often taken before a parent has spoken with anyone.

Our attorneys use that early window to collect evidence for the defense: the child’s pediatric records, prior injuries with innocent explanations, witnesses to the misbehavior, and, when needed, an independent medical review of the Child Protection Team findings. We then present that information to the investigator or the assigned prosecutor before a charging decision is made.

Results in child abuse cases

Our firm’s published results in child abuse cases include the following. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Frequently asked questions about spanking and Florida law

Can you go to jail for spanking your child in Florida?

You can go to jail for spanking your child in Florida only if the discipline was excessive and the State proves a crime such as battery, child abuse, or aggravated child abuse. The Brancato Law Firm defends parents charged under section 827.03 by testing every element, starting with whether the injuries meet the statute’s definition of harm, and you can read more about our approach to defending parents accused of child abuse.

Does Florida law allow a daycare to spank my child if I give permission?

No, Florida law does not allow a licensed daycare to spank a child, even with a parent’s permission. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm point to section 402.305(12)(a)3, Florida Statutes, which states that spanking or any other form of physical punishment is prohibited in licensed child care facilities, with no parental-consent exception.

Can a stepparent or grandparent spank a child in Florida?

A stepparent or grandparent may be able to use the parental discipline defense in Florida if they stand in loco parentis, meaning they actually act as a parent to the child. When The Brancato Law Firm represents a stepparent or relative, we document the adult’s day-to-day parenting role, because the defense depends on showing that the adult actually acted as a parent.

Can child abuse charges from spanking be dropped in Florida?

Yes, child abuse charges from spanking can be dropped or reduced in Florida when the evidence shows reasonable discipline, injuries below the statutory threshold, or weak medical proof. The Brancato Law Firm works to resolve these cases before charges are filed whenever possible through our pre-file advocacy, and after filing we press for dismissal or a reduction to a misdemeanor.

Will DCF take my child because a spanking left a mark?

A single mark from a spanking does not automatically lead DCF to remove a child, because section 39.01(2) protects corporal discipline that does not harm the child. The Brancato Law Firm advises parents to treat any DCF contact as serious, since significant bruises or welts are listed in section 39.01(37)(a)4 and can support both a dependency case and a criminal referral.

Should I talk to a DCF investigator about a spanking without a lawyer?

You should speak with a lawyer before giving a DCF investigator or detective a detailed account of a spanking, because those statements can be used in a criminal case. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm can speak with the investigator for you and help you decide what, if anything, to say.

¿Es ilegal pegarle a sus hijos en Florida?

No, en Florida no es ilegal dar una nalgada razonable a un hijo, pero el castigo físico que causa moretones o verdugones significativos, cortes o quemaduras puede llevar a una investigación del DCF y a cargos de abuso infantil. 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.

Talk to our attorneys before you talk to DCF

Before you sit down with a DCF investigator or a detective about a spanking, call our firm so an attorney can review the facts and handle that conversation with you. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, defends parents, stepparents, and teachers in child abuse investigations across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. Call (813) 727-7159 for a confidential consultation; DCF often sees the child within 24 hours, and the earlier we are involved, the more we can shape what investigators and prosecutors see. 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 about our Spanish and Haitian Creole criminal defense services.

For more about our defense strategies, visit our Child Abuse Defense 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.

A condition present from birth can leave findings on a scan that look like the result of a blow from an adult. I saw that pattern as a trial attorney in the Major Crimes Unit of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where I tried child abuse cases alongside homicide and sex crimes cases, and over my career I have tried more than 150 jury trials to verdict. I’m Rocky Brancato, founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, and our attorneys answer a Child Protection Team abuse finding with the child’s full medical record and an independent expert. This case study shows how that work ended in the dismissal of a young father’s aggravated child abuse charges.

What does a Child Protection Team do in a Florida child abuse investigation?

A Child Protection Team (CPT) is a medically directed team that evaluates children for the State during abuse and neglect investigations. Under section 39.303, Florida Statutes, the Children’s Medical Services Program in the Florida Department of Health develops and coordinates one or more teams in each Department of Children and Families (DCF) service circuit, and the teams supplement DCF’s investigation. DCF must refer certain reports to a CPT, including any report of fractures, head injuries, or burns in a child of any age and bruises anywhere on a child 5 or younger.

The same statute lists “expert medical, psychological, and related professional testimony in court cases” among the services a CPT provides, and it requires a DCF representative to attend every CPT case staffing involving a child. A parent should expect the CPT physician to be a witness for the State if the case reaches a courtroom. In Tampa, the USF Child Protection Team works out of Mary Lee’s House on North Armenia Avenue. When our firm is retained during an investigation, we read the CPT report as the first draft of the State’s medical case and begin testing it right away.

Does a DCF child abuse investigation mean you will be charged?

Most Florida child abuse investigations do not end in a verified finding, and a verified finding is a separate question from a criminal charge. In state fiscal year 2023-24, DCF conducted 185,390 investigations statewide, and 8.3% ended with a most serious finding of “verified,” according to the Florida Department of Children and Families Results-Oriented Accountability 2024 Annual Performance Report. In DCF’s Circuit 13, which covers Hillsborough County, the verified rate was 9.3% that year.

A verified finding is DCF’s administrative conclusion. A criminal charge is a decision the State Attorney’s Office makes on its own, and a prosecutor must prove that charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Our attorneys work in the window between the two systems: the earlier we put medical evidence in front of a prosecutor, the better the chance a charge is never filed. That is the purpose of representation before charges are filed.

How was a young father accused of aggravated child abuse?

My client was a young father. His toddler daughter was hospitalized with a fractured pancreas, and a Child Protection Team doctor immediately concluded that he had caused it. Within hours, DCF removed the child from both parents. Within days, prosecutors opened an aggravated child abuse investigation, and DCF moved to terminate his parental rights. He was facing a criminal case and a dependency case at the same time.

Aggravated child abuse under section 827.03, Florida Statutes, includes knowingly or willfully abusing a child and causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement. It is a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison under section 775.082, Florida Statutes. Our Tampa child abuse attorney page explains the full range of child abuse and neglect charges and how our firm defends them.

Why did the State’s medical theory not fit this family?

The State’s theory did not match anything else in this family’s life. There were no prior incidents, no red flags in the home, and no history of violence. The CPT doctor had reached a conclusion anyway, and the reason is worth understanding.

Pediatric medical literature treats a pancreatic injury in a young child as a warning sign. A 2008 article in Pediatric Emergency Care, Pancreatic Injury: Accidental or Nonaccidental by Muhammad Waseem and Orlando Perales, states that pancreatic and duodenal injuries “are considered specific for abuse.” A doctor trained on that literature who sees a toddler with a damaged pancreas will suspect abuse first. That is exactly why the rest of the child’s medical history matters so much.

In our experience with Hillsborough County cases, the State’s discovery usually includes the records from the most recent hospital visit and little else, and the CPT opinion is often built on that single visit. So I reviewed every record that existed for this child, from birth to the present: specialist visits, test results, surgical notes, and radiology reports. That review took months. I then retained a forensic pathologist with experience testifying in complex abuse cases, someone who could separate inflicted trauma from natural disease.

What did the defense expert find?

The forensic pathologist identified a congenital choledochal cyst, a rare malformation of the bile duct that is present from birth. The CPT doctor had missed it. Our expert determined that the cyst played a direct role in the child’s injury. The family already knew about the condition, and the State’s doctors had ignored it as a possible cause.

Published research confirms that this condition reaches the pancreas. In a 2017 multicenter study in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, Acute Pancreatitis Complicating Choledochal Cysts in Children by S. King and colleagues, 17 of 49 children with a choledochal cyst (35%) presented with acute pancreatitis. The authors concluded that “pancreatitis was a common presentation in children with a choledochal cyst.”

Florida law singles out only a few conditions for a mandatory specialist consult. Section 39.303(4) requires a CPT to consult a physician or advanced practice registered nurse experienced with rickets, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, or vitamin D deficiency when a child has a reported preexisting diagnosis of one of them. A bile duct malformation is not on that list, so in a case like this one the defense has to bring the specialist knowledge itself.

How did the defense work lead to a dismissal?

The dismissal came from building the medical record the State never built. Our defense work in this case included:

• Deposing nearly every treating physician across multiple Florida hospitals.
• Traveling to a specialized hospital in Pennsylvania to obtain additional records.
• Working with the forensic pathologist, who prepared me for depositions, reviewed the transcripts, and helped develop the trial strategy.

After one deposition, the State’s lead doctor contacted the State Attorney’s Office and told them they should hire me. It was an unusual call for the State’s own witness to make, and it told me the medical case against my client had come apart. All aggravated child abuse charges were dismissed, and my client was no longer facing 30 years in prison.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Which medical conditions can be mistaken for child abuse?

Bone, collagen, and bleeding disorders are the conditions most often confused with abuse, and rare congenital malformations like a choledochal cyst belong on the same list. The American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report The Evaluation of Suspected Child Physical Abuse, by Cindy W. Christian and the AAP Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, Pediatrics, Volume 135, Number 5 (2015), tells physicians that “there are diseases that can be mistaken for child abuse.” The same report says that identifying conditions affecting collagen or bone mineralization “reduces false accusations of abuse.”

Our firm’s Tampa criminal forensic science attorney page describes the experts we work with on medical causation, and our post on medical opinion in Tampa child abuse cases covers the problems that recur in CPT testimony.

What do Florida courts say about defense medical experts in child abuse cases?

Florida appellate courts have ordered new trials in child injury and death cases when the jury never heard a qualified defense expert on causation. Two decisions show how.

In Council v. State, 98 So. 3d 115 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012), a man convicted of aggravated child abuse argued that the trial judge wrongly excluded his biomechanics expert, who would have testified that a fall from a day bed could cause the child’s brain injury and that shaking alone could not. The First District held that excluding the expert was an abuse of discretion because the testimony rebutted the State’s medical opinion that the injuries were consistent only with non-accidental trauma, and it ordered a new trial. The lesson: when the State’s case rests on a medical opinion, the defense is entitled to put a qualified causation expert in front of the jury.

In Spurgeon v. State, 298 So. 3d 726 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020), a licensed home daycare provider in Pinellas County was convicted of manslaughter after a one-year-old in her care suffered fatal brain injuries. Her trial lawyer’s experts answered a shaking theory the State never argued, and no expert told the jury that the State’s actual theory, repeated soft impacts, was not feasible. The Second District held that this was ineffective assistance of counsel and ordered a new trial. The lesson: the defense expert has to answer the State’s actual medical theory.

Florida admits expert opinions under section 90.702, Florida Statutes, only when the testimony rests on sufficient facts or data and reliable methods, reliably applied. Our attorneys use that standard in both directions: to qualify our experts and to challenge a CPT opinion that was formed without the child’s full history. Our article on why expert witnesses are not optional in major crimes cases explains how we choose and prepare them.

How do you challenge a Child Protection Team finding in Florida?

A Child Protection Team finding is challenged with medicine, on a deadline. These are the steps our firm takes, and the steps a parent can start on the first day:

1. Talk to a criminal defense lawyer before any interview. Under section 39.204, Florida Statutes, spousal, doctor-patient, and therapist privileges do not protect communications involving the person accused of child abuse, and the attorney-client privilege still does. Our post on privileged communication in Florida child abuse cases explains what that means for what you say and to whom.
2. Request a second medical opinion within 10 days. Since July 1, 2026, section 39.304, Florida Statutes, lets the parent or legal custodian of a child in a protective investigation or under a shelter order ask DCF, within 10 days after the medical examination, for another exam. If a CPT did not perform the first exam, the parent can ask for a CPT exam. If a CPT did perform it, the parent can choose a physician or advanced practice registered nurse who routinely treats children. A parent can also choose a specialist in the four conditions listed in section 39.303(4) to consider a differential diagnosis. The parent pays, including through insurance. The right does not cover exams for alleged sexual abuse.
3. Collect the child’s records from birth. Every pediatrician, specialist, hospital, and lab, in Florida and out of state.
4. Retain an independent expert. A forensic pathologist or the right pediatric subspecialist reviews the records, the imaging, and the CPT report.
5. Depose the treating physicians and the CPT doctor. Treating doctors often know the child’s history better than the CPT physician who saw the child once.
6. Test the State’s expert under section 90.702. An opinion formed without the child’s history is open to challenge on sufficient facts or data and reliable application.

Under section 39.304, the second examiner must deliver a written report within 10 days, and if the medical opinions conflict, DCF must convene a case staffing to resolve the differences. A parent who uses this right early gives the defense a second medical opinion before the State’s theory hardens.

How fast does a Florida child abuse case move?

A Florida child abuse case moves in hours and days, and the earliest deadlines arrive before most families have hired a lawyer. In this case, DCF removed the child within hours and prosecutors opened a criminal investigation within days.

Our firm defends the criminal case. The dependency case is a separate civil proceeding in which the parent needs dependency counsel, and both defenses should be built on the same medical evidence. Call us at any hour if a CPT exam or a DCF interview is scheduled.

What did this case teach me?

This case confirmed that a single medical opinion, formed early, can drive an entire prosecution. Even with every charge dismissed, my client will likely always remember being labeled a child abuser, losing custody of his daughter for a time, and facing doubt from family, friends, and strangers. Without the right expert asking the right questions, an innocent father could have gone to prison. Our firm defends every child abuse case with that in mind.

Frequently asked questions

Can aggravated child abuse charges be dropped in Florida if the injury had a medical cause?

Yes. Aggravated child abuse charges can be dropped or dismissed when the medical evidence shows a natural or congenital cause, as happened in this case. The Brancato Law Firm builds that evidence through records from birth, depositions, and an independent expert, the approach described in our guide to defending child abuse charges in Tampa.

What is a choledochal cyst, and can it affect a child’s pancreas?

A choledochal cyst is a rare malformation of the bile duct that is present from birth, and published research links it to pancreatitis in children. In the case described here, our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm relied on a forensic pathologist who found that the cyst played a direct role in the child’s injury. In a 2017 study, 35% of children with a choledochal cyst presented with acute pancreatitis, according to Acute Pancreatitis Complicating Choledochal Cysts in Children.

Can I get a second medical opinion after a Child Protection Team exam in Florida?

Yes. Since July 1, 2026, a parent of a child in a protective investigation or under a shelter order can ask DCF, within 10 days after the exam, for a second examination by a pediatric physician or nurse practitioner of the parent’s choosing, at the parent’s expense, under section 39.304, Florida Statutes. When a family calls The Brancato Law Firm inside that window, we help identify the right specialist before the deadline passes.

Should I talk to DCF or a Child Protection Team doctor before hiring a lawyer?

You should speak with a criminal defense lawyer first, because what you say to a child protective investigator or a CPT can be used in a criminal case. The Brancato Law Firm advises parents before those interviews as part of our pre-file advocacy work.

Does a Child Protection Team doctor testify for the prosecution in Florida?

Often, yes: section 39.303 lists expert medical testimony in court cases among the services a Child Protection Team provides, so the CPT physician who examined the child is frequently the State’s key medical witness. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm depose that physician and the child’s treating doctors well before trial.

What is the penalty for aggravated child abuse in Florida?

Aggravated child abuse is a first-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to 30 years in prison under section 827.03, Florida Statutes, and section 775.082. The Brancato Law Firm treats every aggravated child abuse investigation as a potential 30-year case and starts the medical review accordingly.

More case studies from our forensic series

• DNA Evidence Defense
• Case Study: Forensic Pathologist Expert Witness
• Fingerprint Evidence Is Not as Reliable as You Think
• Cell Phone Location Data Can Prove You Were Not There
• When Brain Damage Explains Criminal Conduct
• Your BAC at the Station Is Not Your BAC Behind the Wheel
• When Police Destroy Evidence They Do Not Get the Benefit of the Doubt
• When a Confession Is Not a Confession
• When the Car, Not the Driver, Caused the Crash
• The Injuries Were Real, But They Were Not From the Alleged Rape
• Similar Is Not the Same: How a Firearms Expert Kept Out Prejudicial Evidence

Related practice pages: Tampa Murder Attorney and Tampa Sex Crimes Attorney.

Talk to a lawyer before the next interview

Before you answer more questions from a child protective investigator or bring your child back for a Child Protection Team exam, call a criminal defense lawyer. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. was founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, and our attorneys start with the child’s medical history, the CPT report, and the 10-day window to request a second opinion. Call (813) 727-7159; we are available 24/7. For more about our defense strategies, visit our Child Abuse Defense practice area 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.

A Florida school district’s first move after a teacher’s arrest is to read the charge, because the charge decides which deadlines start running. A felony, or a misdemeanor on the state’s Level 2 screening list, starts a 48-hour self-report clock, a 24-hour classroom-removal policy, and often a complaint to the Department of Education. I saw how child abuse and sex offense investigations are built during my years in the Major Crimes Unit of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, and I later served as that office’s Chief Operations Officer, overseeing a staff of over 100 attorneys. As founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, I have tried more than 150 jury trials to verdict over 25+ years in Hillsborough County courtrooms. Our attorneys defend the criminal case and coordinate with the teacher’s union representative and certification counsel, so the criminal strategy protects the certificate too.

Do Florida teachers have to report an arrest within 48 hours?

Yes. Under section 1012.799(2), Florida Statutes, instructional and administrative personnel must self-report any felony arrest, and any arrest for a misdemeanor listed in the Level 2 screening statute, within 48 hours to the school district authority the superintendent designates. The same statute requires a second report within 48 hours after the final judgment for any conviction, finding of guilt, withhold of adjudication, plea of guilty or no contest, or entry into a pretrial diversion program, for any offense other than a minor traffic violation.

The State Board of Education added the same duty to the Principles of Professional Conduct, Rule 6A-10.081, effective October 28, 2025. A violation of the Principles is itself a ground for discipline. Before Senate Bill 1374 took effect on July 1, 2025, the arrest-reporting duty covered only child abuse and controlled substance charges, according to the Florida Senate’s 2025 bill analysis.

The statute says the self-report is not an admission of guilt and is not admissible for any purpose in any civil, criminal, administrative, or judicial proceeding. That protection covers the report. It does not cover a later conversation with a principal or an investigator about what happened. Our attorneys advise teachers to report the date, the arresting agency, and the charge, and to hold any explanation until we have read the arrest report.

What happens to a teacher’s job after an arrest in Hillsborough County?

A teacher arrested for a felony or a listed misdemeanor is removed from the classroom within 24 hours of the district learning of the arrest. Section 1012.22(1)(j), Florida Statutes, requires every school board to adopt that temporary-removal policy, and the 24 hours run from notice by law enforcement or by the teacher’s own self-report. The statute does not say whether the teacher is reassigned or placed on leave, or whether the leave is paid. Those terms come from the district’s policy and the union contract.

In Hillsborough County Public Schools, arrests of employees go to the district’s Professional Standards office, part of the Division of Human Resources. The district says that office conducts internal investigations of complaints against employees, coordinates all law enforcement and child protective investigator (CPI) investigations involving employees, manages employee arrest information, and handles due process under the teachers’ union contract. Its investigators are commissioned retired law enforcement officers. For that reason, our attorneys prepare a teacher for a Professional Standards interview the same way we prepare a client for a police interview.

The criminal case adds its own limits. Hillsborough arrestees see a judge at first appearance by video from the jail, and Hillsborough County does not offer pretrial services supervision as a release option, though nearby counties do. When the alleged victim is a student, the judge may enter a no-contact order under section 903.047, Florida Statutes. Unless the court says otherwise, that order bars the teacher from coming within 500 feet of a place the student regularly frequents, which can include the school itself. Our firm handles these cases in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, and Pasco County.

How does the Florida Department of Education investigate a teacher?

The Department of Education’s Office of Professional Practices Services investigates complaints against certified educators, and a school district must file every legally sufficient complaint with the Department in writing within 30 days of learning about it. That duty comes from section 1012.796, Florida Statutes, and it applies even if the teacher resigns. The Department’s description of the process follows these steps:

1. The district or another source files a complaint, and the Department confirms the person holds or has applied for a Florida educator certificate.
2. The Department opens a case and notifies the educator and the employing district.
3. Investigators interview the alleged victim and witnesses and collect documents and other evidence.
4. The educator is offered a meeting to respond with explanations, rebuttals, or documents.
5. Department lawyers review the file, and the Commissioner of Education decides whether probable cause exists.
6. If probable cause is found, the Commissioner files a formal complaint. The educator can settle, request an informal hearing before the Education Practices Commission, or request a formal hearing before an administrative law judge if the facts are disputed.
7. The Commission issues a final order.

The criminal case and the Department case run on separate tracks, but they feed each other. The state attorney’s power to pause the 90-day clock means the criminal case often goes first in student-misconduct cases. A plea entered in court then arrives at the Department as evidence.

What can the Education Practices Commission do to a teaching certificate?

The Education Practices Commission can dismiss the complaint or impose penalties ranging from a written reprimand to permanent revocation of the educator certificate. Section 1012.795, Florida Statutes, lists the grounds, which include any conviction, finding of guilt, withhold, or guilty or no contest plea to a misdemeanor or felony other than a minor traffic violation, personal conduct that seriously reduces the teacher’s effectiveness, and violation of the Principles of Professional Conduct.

The Disqualification List is small. As of October 1, 2025, 79 individuals were on the Department of Education’s Disqualification List, according to a November 2025 Professional Practices Services presentation. The statute also directs the Commission to adopt rules requiring permanent revocation for an educator sanctioned on two previous occasions, with a narrow exception for administrative violations such as a missed probation fee.

Which criminal charges disqualify a teacher from working in a Florida school?

A teacher becomes ineligible for certification or for any school job with direct student contact if the person has a qualifying disposition for an offense on the Level 2 screening list in section 435.04(2), Florida Statutes. Section 1012.315, Florida Statutes, applies that list to educators. The screening statute reaches anyone who has been found guilty regardless of adjudication, who has pleaded guilty or no contest, or who has been “arrested for and is awaiting final disposition of” a listed offense. A pending case alone can keep a teacher out of a student-contact position until it is resolved.

Some disqualified employees can apply for an exemption under section 435.07, Florida Statutes, by proving rehabilitation with clear and convincing evidence after completing the sentence. The exemption is closed to anyone designated a sexual predator or required to register as a sexual offender, and section 1012.315 closes it for a long list of serious offenses. Those limits are why our attorneys check every proposed plea against the screening list before a teacher signs anything.

What is Level 2 background screening for Florida teachers?

Level 2 screening is the fingerprint-based background check Florida requires as a condition of hiring and of continued employment for school staff. Under section 435.04(1), it includes a statewide check through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a national check through the FBI, local law enforcement records, and a search of the sex offender registries of every state where the person lived in the previous five years. Section 1012.315 assigns the eligibility decision for school employees with direct student contact to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Education employers began using the state’s background screening Clearinghouse on April 7, 2025, and all education staff must be phased in by June 30, 2027, according to the Department’s 2025 Professional Practices Services presentation. For a teacher, the screening system is one more place an arrest record can surface, whether or not anyone at school mentions it.

Does a withhold of adjudication or no contest plea still count against a teacher?

Yes. Section 1012.795(1)(f) makes a withhold of adjudication or a no contest plea a ground for discipline, and section 435.04(2) counts a no contest plea “regardless of adjudication” for screening. Both must also be self-reported within 48 hours after the judgment. A guilty plea goes further: section 1012.795(2) makes it prima facie proof of grounds for revocation unless the teacher proves it was caused by threats, coercion, or fraud.

Ferris v. Turlington, 510 So. 2d 292 (Fla. 1987), shows both how a plea follows a teacher and how a teacher can still win the license case. Ferris was a Hernando County elementary teacher who pleaded no contest to sexual battery and received probation with adjudication withheld. A hearing officer later found that the alleged contact with the student never happened, and the Commission dismissed the revocation complaint. The Florida Supreme Court held that revoking a teacher’s certificate requires clear and convincing evidence and reinstated the dismissal. That plea would trigger today’s Level 2 screening disqualification on its own, which is why the plea decision now matters even more than it did in 1987.

Sealing or expunging the record later does not hide it from a school. Under section 943.0585, Florida Statutes, a person with an expunged record may not deny the arrest when seeking employment or licensure with the Department of Education or a school district. Pretrial diversion is different from a plea. A diversion program ends with the charges dismissed and no finding of guilt, though entering the program must still be self-reported within 48 hours and the Department can still review the underlying conduct.

What criminal charges do teachers face most often?

Most criminal cases against teachers fall into four groups: discipline or restraint allegations, sex offense allegations involving students, DUI, and drug possession. Each one carries a different screening and reporting result, so the defense plan starts with the charge.

Discipline, restraint, and child abuse allegations

Florida defines child abuse in section 827.03 to include an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to cause physical or mental injury to a child, and child abuse without great bodily harm is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Allegations against school employees are classified as “institutional child abuse or neglect” under section 39.01, Florida Statutes, so a teacher can face a child protective investigation and a police investigation at the same time. Our Tampa child abuse attorney team handles both tracks from the first call.

When does teacher discipline become child abuse in Florida?

Florida appellate courts have drawn a line between discipline and abuse, and two decisions show contact without injury falling short of a crime. In State v. Lanier, 979 So. 2d 365 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008), a Broward elementary teacher was charged with child abuse after she stomped on a four-year-old’s foot because he had stepped on another child’s foot, along with charges from a second classroom incident. The child had no bruise and needed no treatment. The Fourth District affirmed dismissal of all three child abuse and neglect counts on a sworn motion to dismiss, and it held that the school board’s ban on corporal punishment did not decide whether a crime occurred. The lesson for teachers is that violating a district discipline policy can cost a job without proving a felony.

Morris v. State, 228 So. 3d 670 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017), carried that reasoning to a misdemeanor. A pre-kindergarten teacher’s aide in Pensacola was charged with child abuse after a combative four-year-old spat at and kicked at her in a hallway. She slapped her hand down toward his face and caught his leg, and he fell; she said she was blocking the spit and the kick. The jury acquitted her of child abuse but convicted her of simple battery. The First District reversed and ordered a judgment of acquittal, holding that school staff acting in place of a parent are privileged to touch a student in a non-abusive way while moderately correcting him. Florida law adds a teacher-specific protection: under section 1015.05, Florida Statutes, a teacher may use reasonable force to protect himself, herself, or others, and in litigation or professional practices proceedings over that action there is a rebuttable presumption that the teacher was restoring or maintaining classroom safety. Our posts on the legal limits of discipline in Florida and on child neglect charges in Tampa cover the parent-side version of these rules.

Sex offense allegations involving students

Sex offense allegations are the most dangerous charges a teacher can face because they carry prison exposure, sex offender registration, and permanent loss of the certificate. Florida’s main statutes are lewd or lascivious offenses under section 800.04, unlawful sexual activity by a person 24 or older with a 16- or 17-year-old under section 794.05, which is a second-degree felony, and offenses against students by authority figures under section 800.101. Section 800.101 makes it a second-degree felony for any school employee, volunteer, or contractor 18 or older to solicit or engage in sexual conduct, lewd conduct, or a romantic relationship with an enrolled student, regardless of the student’s age. Our Tampa sex crimes defense lawyer team defends these cases, and our guide to unlawful sexual activity with a minor explains the penalties.

In a school case, a student may describe the allegation to a friend, a teacher, an assistant principal, a school resource officer, and a parent before a trained interviewer ever speaks with the child. The U.S. Department of Justice’s 2015 OJJDP bulletin on child forensic interviewing (Newlin et al.) warns against multiple interviewers repeatedly questioning a child and notes that opportunities for contamination increase as time passes. Our attorneys collect every one of those earlier conversations and compare them with the recorded forensic interview.

DUI

A first DUI in Florida carries up to six months in jail under section 316.193, and it is not on the Level 2 screening list. A teacher does not have to self-report a misdemeanor DUI arrest under the statute, but any conviction, withhold, or plea must be reported within 48 hours after the judgment because DUI is a criminal offense and not a minor traffic violation. A reduction to reckless driving is still a criminal disposition that must be reported. A third DUI within 10 years is a third-degree felony, and that arrest must be reported within 48 hours. Our Tampa DUI defense attorneys build the case with the reporting rules in mind.

Drug possession

Possession of 20 grams or less of cannabis is a first-degree misdemeanor under section 893.13, and it is not a listed screening offense unless a minor was involved. Possession of most other controlled substances without a prescription is a third-degree felony, so the arrest itself triggers the 48-hour self-report and the 24-hour classroom removal. Diversion is often the goal in a first-offense possession case because it ends in a dismissal without a plea. Our Tampa drug crimes attorney team negotiates diversion where the facts allow it.

Why is the criminal outcome a teacher’s best protection?

The criminal outcome is the best protection because almost every administrative consequence keys off it. A no-file or dismissal leaves nothing to self-report after the case, nothing for the Level 2 screening to count as a disposition, and no plea for the Department to use as proof. A no contest plea, even with adjudication withheld, triggers all three.

Many teacher cases start as a school or child protective investigation before anyone is arrested. That window is when our representation before charges are filed does the most good. Our attorneys request school surveillance, bus, and classroom video in writing right away, before routine retention schedules erase it. We interview witnesses, gather lesson plans and attendance records that place the teacher elsewhere, and present that evidence to the State Attorney’s Office before the filing decision. The teacher speaks to no investigator until we know what the State has.

Who handles the Education Practices Commission case?

Our firm handles the criminal case, and the teacher’s union representative or certification counsel handles the employment and Education Practices Commission side. The two tracks have to move together. A statement given to Professional Standards, a plea entered in court, or a fact conceded in a settlement with the Department can damage the other case. Our attorneys coordinate with the teacher’s union representative and license counsel at each step so that nothing said in one forum undercuts the other. The same coordination applies to other licensed professionals, as our guide to criminal defense for healthcare professionals explains.

How do you choose a lawyer who understands teacher license consequences?

Choose a criminal defense lawyer who can explain, before you plead, exactly what each possible outcome will trigger under the self-report statute, the Level 2 screening list, and the Commission’s discipline grounds. The Brancato Law Firm practices criminal defense only, from misdemeanors to capital cases, in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. Founder Rocky Brancato is a former Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, a former police academy instructor, and the author of “How to Choose a Major Crimes Attorney – or Any Criminal Defense Attorney for That Matter.” He holds an AV Preeminent rating, has been selected to Super Lawyers, and has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

Clients can call us at any hour, follow their case through our client portal, and expect calls returned within 24 hours. Attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French. Our fees are flat fees that cover the whole case, including trial, quoted on the facts and intricacy of the case, with at least half up front and a payment plan for the balance while the case is pending. We are neither the most nor the least expensive firm in Tampa, and consultations are free. Our post on what a criminal defense attorney costs in Tampa explains why a separate trial fee gives a lawyer a financial incentive to settle before trial preparation.

What should a teacher do in the first 48 hours after an arrest?

A teacher’s first 48 hours after an arrest should go to the self-report, the bond conditions, and silence about the facts. Our attorneys walk teachers through these steps:

1. Make the self-report within 48 hours if the charge is a felony or a listed misdemeanor, limited to the date, the agency, and the charge.
2. Do not discuss the allegation with administrators, coworkers, students, or parents, and do not post or text about it.
3. Do not contact the student or the student’s family, even to apologize, and follow any no-contact order exactly.
4. Decline any interview with Professional Standards, a child protective investigator, or a Department investigator until a criminal defense attorney has reviewed the allegation.
5. Call your union representative about leave and pay, and tell your criminal defense attorney who that person is.
6. Write down names of witnesses and where cameras were, while you still remember.

Case results in the kinds of charges teachers face

These are published results from our firm’s case results page. None of these clients is described as a teacher; they show how our attorneys resolve the same charges teachers commonly face.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Frequently asked questions

I’m a teacher facing criminal charges in Hillsborough County. Can you recommend a lawyer who understands professional license consequences?

Look for a criminal defense lawyer who knows the 48-hour self-report rule, the Level 2 screening list, and how each possible plea will read to the Education Practices Commission. The Brancato Law Firm practices only criminal defense, and our attorneys build the criminal strategy around those certification rules while coordinating with your union representative or certification counsel. Founder Rocky Brancato has tried more than 150 jury trials to verdict over 25+ years in Hillsborough County. Our child abuse defense practice handles the discipline and student-allegation cases teachers face most.

Can a Hillsborough County teacher be removed from the classroom before being convicted?

Yes. Every Florida school board must have a policy removing a teacher from the classroom within 24 hours of notice of an arrest for a felony or a listed misdemeanor, under section 1012.22. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm work to resolve the criminal case quickly, ideally before charges are filed, so the removal stays temporary. Pay status and reassignment depend on the district’s policy and the union contract.

Does a teacher have to report a DUI arrest to the school district in Florida?

Not under the state statute, because a first or second DUI is a misdemeanor that is not on the Level 2 screening list. The Brancato Law Firm reminds teacher clients that any conviction, withhold, or plea on a DUI, including a reduction to reckless driving, must be reported within 48 hours after the judgment. Read your district’s own policy as well, and talk with our DUI defense attorneys before you decide what to report.

Will a no contest plea with adjudication withheld cost me my teaching certificate?

It can, because Florida’s discipline statute and its Level 2 screening statute both count a no contest plea and a withhold of adjudication. Before any plea, our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm compare it against the screening list in section 435.04 and the Commission’s discipline grounds so the teacher knows what the plea will trigger. For a listed offense, that plea can end eligibility for any school job with direct student contact.

Can a teacher be charged with child abuse for restraining or disciplining a student in Florida?

Yes, but the State must prove an act that could reasonably be expected to injure the child, and contact that causes no injury may not meet that standard. The Brancato Law Firm relies on decisions like State v. Lanier, 979 So. 2d 365 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008), where the court affirmed dismissal of child abuse charges against a teacher whose stomp on a four-year-old’s foot left no injury. A violation of school discipline policy can still lead to employment and certificate consequences.

Can teacher child abuse charges be dropped in Florida?

Yes. The State Attorney’s Office can decline to file charges or dismiss a filed case when the evidence does not support a crime. The Brancato Law Firm presents video, witness statements, and medical records to prosecutors before the filing decision through our pre-file advocacy work. Our published results include an aggravated child abuse case dismissed after expert analysis tied the child’s injury to a congenital condition.

Should a teacher talk to Professional Standards or a Department of Education investigator without a lawyer?

No, not before a criminal defense attorney has reviewed the allegation. The Brancato Law Firm advises teachers that a statement to a district or state investigator does not carry the protection the statute gives the 48-hour self-report. Investigators in Hillsborough’s Professional Standards office coordinate with law enforcement and child protective investigators, so anything said can shape the criminal case.

Talk to a Tampa defense attorney today

The district’s 48-hour rule starts running at the arrest, and the classroom-removal policy follows within a day, so the criminal defense has to start just as fast. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, defends teachers and school employees charged or under investigation in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. Call (813) 727-7159 for a free consultation, and call us at any hour if you or someone you love was just arrested. For more about our defense strategies, visit our Tampa child abuse defense page and our Tampa sex crimes defense 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.

For how this fits into the rest of a case, see our step-by-step guide to what happens in a Florida criminal case.