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Pasco County Criminal Defense Attorney | Brancato Law Firm, P.A.

Short answer: A Pasco County criminal defense attorney represents people charged in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, where Pasco criminal cases are split between the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. People arrested in Pasco are held at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, which has been run by Pasco County government, not the Sheriff’s Office, since 2022. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. defends felony and misdemeanor cases in both Pasco courthouses from our downtown Tampa office.

Rocky Brancato, founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., has more than 25 years of experience defending felony and misdemeanor cases in Tampa Bay. He served as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Assistant Public Defender of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, overseeing a staff of over 100 attorneys, and he has tried more than 150 jury trials to verdict. Our attorneys at this Tampa criminal defense firm defend Pasco County clients from Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes to New Port Richey and Dade City.

Where Are Criminal Cases Heard in Pasco County?

Location	Address	What happens there
West Pasco Judicial Center	7530 Little Rd., New Port Richey	Criminal cases from west Pasco
Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center	38053 Live Oak Ave., Dade City	Criminal cases from east Pasco
Land O’ Lakes Detention Center	20101 Central Blvd., Land O’ Lakes	Booking and custody, operated by Pasco County

Under Sixth Circuit Administrative Order 2026-015, Pasco criminal sections are divided between East and West, so where a case is heard depends on where it arose (Sixth Circuit courthouse directory). Pasco County had an estimated 674,516 residents in 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau), and law enforcement agencies made 13,975 arrests in 2020 (FDLE).

What Happens After an Arrest in Pasco County?

Infographic of how a Pasco County criminal case begins: the Land O' Lakes jail run by Pasco County, first appearance within 24 hours, courthouses in New Port Richey and Dade City, and diversion programs.

Booking. People arrested in Pasco are booked at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, run by Pasco County Corrections. Family members can check custody status at the Pasco Corrections inmate search. Because the jail is run by the county, the Sheriff’s inmate pages are not the right place to look.
Bond. Many charges have a set bond under Administrative Order 2026-021, the Pasco bond schedule for 2026. Cash bond can be posted at the detention facility, or through a bondsman.
First appearance. First appearance takes place within 24 hours of arrest, as described in the county’s 2023 Sequential Intercept Mapping report, and the judge sets release conditions.
The filing decision. The Sixth Circuit State Attorney’s Office decides what charges to file.
Resolution. Cases end in a decision not to file, a dismissal, a diversion program, a negotiated plea, or trial.

Our guide on what to do in the first 48 hours after an arrest walks through the steps that protect your case.

Who Prosecutes and Defends Cases in Pasco County?

Pasco cases are prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, led by State Attorney Bruce Bartlett, the same office that prosecutes Pinellas County cases. The Sixth Circuit Public Defender is Sara Mollo. Most arrests are made by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, along with the New Port Richey, Port Richey, Zephyrhills, and Dade City police departments and the Florida Highway Patrol.

What Diversion Programs Are Available in Pasco County?

The Sixth Circuit State Attorney’s programs are generally available in Pasco, including pretrial intervention and the DROP first-time DUI diversion program. Pasco has an Adult Drug Court and a Veterans Treatment Court, which has operated since 2013. The State Attorney’s Mental Health Court serves Pinellas County only, so mental health cases in Pasco depend more on pretrial intervention, treatment-based negotiation, and mitigation. Our criminal mental health page explains those options.

Read about the 21-day rule and adversarial preliminary hearings and the right to an interpreter in Florida criminal court. For more answers at each stage, see our stage-by-stage guide to the Florida criminal case process.

Criminal Charges We Defend in Pasco County

DUI and criminal traffic offenses
Drug crimes, including trafficking
Violent crimes and gun charges
Domestic violence
Sex crimes and internet crimes
Child abuse
Homicide
White collar and theft charges
Cases involving mental health or forensic evidence
Investigations before charges are filed

Areas We Serve in Pasco County

We defend clients from Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, Trinity, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson, Holiday, Zephyrhills, Dade City, San Antonio, and every other community in Pasco County.

Pasco County Criminal Defense FAQs

Which courthouse will my Pasco County case be in?

Pasco criminal cases are divided between the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City, depending on where the case arose. The Brancato Law Firm appears in both courthouses.

Who runs the Pasco County Jail?

The Land O’ Lakes Detention Center has been run by Pasco County government, through Pasco County Corrections, since 2022, not by the Sheriff’s Office. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm can help families find a client’s custody status and bond.

Does Pasco County have a DUI diversion program?

Yes. The Sixth Circuit State Attorney’s DROP program, a first-time DUI diversion program, is available in Pasco County for eligible cases. The Brancato Law Firm reviews DROP eligibility in every Pasco DUI case.

Is there a veterans court in Pasco County?

Yes. Pasco County has had a Veterans Treatment Court since 2013, and it shares a judge with the county’s Adult Drug Court. The Brancato Law Firm helps veterans gather the service records needed to apply.

Can a Tampa law firm handle my Pasco County case?

Yes. The Brancato Law Firm defends cases in both Pasco courthouses from our downtown Tampa office, and many Pasco communities, such as Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes, are a short drive away.

Can Pasco County charges be dropped before court?

Yes. The State Attorney decides what to file after an arrest, and a defense presentation before that decision can lead to no charges, reduced charges, or diversion. The Brancato Law Firm contacts the prosecutor early whenever the facts support it.

Talk to a Pasco County Criminal Defense Attorney Today

Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, can begin working on a Pasco County case today. Call (813) 727-7159 for a confidential consultation. We also defend clients in Hillsborough County and Pinellas County.

Trial attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French, and our office has Spanish-speaking staff, so clients and families in Pasco County can talk with us in their own language. See our guide for Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers charged with a crime.

The Brancato Law Firm, P.A.
620 E. Twiggs Street, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 727-7159
Serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties

Super Lawyers badge recognizing Tampa criminal defense attorney Rocky Brancato of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. for excellence in criminal defense law in Florida.

The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. is a Tampa-based criminal defense practice. We are not affiliated with any other Brancato-named law firms.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on the individual facts and circumstances involved. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

What Our Clients Are Saying

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Tampa Office

620 E Twiggs St Suite #205

Tampa, FL 33602

Map / Directions

Phone: (813) 727-7159

Located minutes from the Hillsborough County Courthouse.

Meet Rocky Brancato

For over 25 years, Rocky Brancato has been a prominent force in Tampa Bay’s legal arena. Rocky rose to second-in-command at Tampa Bay’s largest defense firm before launching Brancato Law Firm, P.A. As a former specialized major crimes attorney for serious offenses like...