Where Your Case Will Be Heard in Pinellas County
In Pinellas County, felony and misdemeanor criminal cases are handled through the Sixth Judicial Circuit, with most criminal matters heard at the Pinellas County Justice Center (often called the PCJC) in Clearwater. DUI license issues run through the Florida DHSMV office in Clearwater, where the formal review hearing has to be requested within ten days of an arrest.
That license side runs separately through the Florida DHSMV. For Pinellas County, formal review hearings are held at the Clearwater Bureau of Administrative Reviews (the BAR), the same office that handles Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto. Demanding that hearing within the ten-day window is the only way to fight the suspension, and it is an early chance to put the arresting officer under oath. We file the formal review demand and appear at the Clearwater BAR for you.
I am Rory Safir, and I defend DUI and criminal cases across Pinellas County, in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. I began my career as an Assistant Public Defender in Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, and I am one of only six attorneys in Florida recognized as a Forensic Lawyer-Scientist by the American Chemical Society. On the breath and blood chemistry I am trained in, I read the raw data myself, and on DNA, digital, and other evidence I bring in the right expert. The firm is based in St. Petersburg and works remotely, so distance is never a reason to settle for less. Learn more about my background.
DUI and Criminal Defense Across Pinellas County
Pinellas is one of the most densely populated counties in Florida, and that shows up in its enforcement. The nightlife along Central Avenue and Beach Drive, the Gulf beaches, and the bridges and interstates that tie the county together all see heavy DUI patrols, especially on weekends and holidays. A stop here can turn into a breath test, a blood draw, or a refusal in minutes, and each of those is something we know how to take apart.
We defend cases throughout Pinellas, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Seminole, Gulfport, and the beach communities along the Gulf.
Downtown St. Petersburg’s First Friday street party, the Clearwater Beach crowds, and the beach-town nightlife all draw extra DUI enforcement on weekend nights. And with the Gulf beaches and Tampa Bay right here, boating under the influence is its own charge with its own rules around the stop, the testing, and the roles of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Coast Guard; our Pinellas County boating under the influence page covers it.
Pinellas County by the Numbers
Pinellas is the most densely populated county in Florida, home to about 950,000 residents in a compact footprint on the peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf. That density, and the beach-and-bridge geography, drive a high volume of traffic stops and a busy criminal docket in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Population figures are from the latest U.S. Census estimates and are approximate.
How We Help
Whatever the charge, the work starts with the evidence: the stop, the search, the testing, and the witnesses. Here is where we can help in Pinellas County.
Cities We Serve in Pinellas County
We defend DUI and criminal cases across Pinellas County, from St. Petersburg and the courthouse city of Clearwater to the beaches and the north-county towns:
Neighborhoods We Serve in St. Petersburg
We serve every part of St. Petersburg and the surrounding county. A few of the neighborhoods clients reach us from:
Pinellas County DUI and Court Resources
A Pinellas DUI case runs on two tracks at once, the criminal case and the separate fight to save your license. These pages walk through the parts that matter most:
Local Law Enforcement and the Pinellas County Jail
Arrests in Pinellas County come from several agencies, including the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office along with the St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Gulfport, and Tarpon Springs police departments, plus the Florida Highway Patrol.
After a Pinellas arrest, booking runs through the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, which sits directly across from the Pinellas County Justice Center, where first appearances are held within about twenty-four hours. As of late 2025, the jail moved to fully remote video visitation for family and friends through its vendor, while attorneys can still visit in person with a Bar card or set up a confidential remote video visit. As your attorney, I can arrange a private video visit quickly so we can start on the case. Inmate search and visitation details are on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office site.
Treatment Courts and Diversion in Pinellas County
Not every case has to end in a conviction. The Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pinellas, runs a range of diversion programs and treatment courts that can lead to a dismissal or a reduced charge for the right case: pretrial intervention for many first-time misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges, the Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion program that can resolve an eligible misdemeanor before charges are ever filed, and the DROP program for a first DUI. For cases driven by addiction, mental illness, or military service, the circuit also runs Adult Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. Eligibility is specific, and entering a program means giving up certain rights, so we walk through the tradeoffs with you before deciding whether diversion or fighting the charge is the better path. The Sixth Circuit State Attorney publishes its own overview of these programs, including options beyond DUI, on its site.
DUI School in Pinellas County
If your Pinellas County case ends in a DUI conviction, or you simply need your license back, Florida will require you to complete DUI school. The licensed program assigned to Pinellas County is Suncoast Safety Council, based in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, and the course comes in a twelve-hour Level 1 for a first offense and a twenty-one-hour Level 2 for repeat offenses, each with a substance-abuse evaluation built in. DUI school is also a condition of the Sixth Circuit’s DROP diversion program for eligible first offenses, so finishing it on time helps protect that resolution. We point you to the right provider, make sure you can register without delay, and keep the timing lined up with your court and license deadlines. Our Florida DUI school guide walks through exactly what to expect.
What to Do After a Pinellas County Arrest
If you have just been arrested in Pinellas County, a few things matter more than anything else. Stay calm and stay quiet, because you have the right to remain silent and using it is not an admission of anything. Do not consent to a search of your car, your phone, or your home. If a DUI is involved, the clock is already running: you generally have ten days to act to protect your driving privilege, and missing that window can cost you your license before your case is ever heard in court. Write down everything you remember about the stop, the testing, and what the officers said while it is fresh, since those details often decide a case. Then call us. The sooner we are involved, the more of your Pinellas County case we can protect, and the first consultation is free and available any hour of the day.
How We Defend Pinellas County Cases
We get the full file rather than the summary, test the science with the right expert, press the constitutional issues around the stop and the search, and tell your whole story in negotiation and, when needed, at trial. It is the same forensic-first approach in every county we serve.
Working a case in Pinellas County also means knowing the local courts and what truly moves a matter here, from an early conversation with the State Attorney to a fully built mitigation package when the facts are hard. We map out the path with you at the start, in plain language, so you always know what comes next and never feel like just another case number in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Common Questions
Do you handle DUI and criminal cases in Pinellas County?
Yes. We defend DUI and the full range of criminal charges in Pinellas County, including drug, theft, violent, weapons, domestic violence, and probation matters, along with sealing and expunging.
Are you based in Pinellas County?
Yes. The firm is based in St. Petersburg, in the heart of Pinellas, so we are right where your case will be heard, and we know the Sixth Circuit and the Clearwater courthouse well.
What makes your Pinellas County DUI defense different?
I am one of only six attorneys in Florida recognized as an ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, and I read the breath, blood, and urine science myself rather than taking the State’s report at face value. That scientific read is where many Pinellas County cases turn.
How fast should I call after a Pinellas County arrest?
As soon as possible. A DUI arrest starts a ten-day clock to protect your license, evidence can be lost, and the earlier we are involved, the more of your case we can protect. The first consultation is free and we are available 24/7.
Do you handle injury cases in Pinellas County too?
Yes. Alongside our DUI and criminal work, we handle serious personal injury and crash cases in Pinellas County.
Where is my DUI license hearing held for a Pinellas County arrest?
The administrative suspension of your license is handled by the Florida DHSMV, not the criminal court. Formal review hearings are held at the Clearwater Bureau of Administrative Reviews, which serves Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto. You have only ten days from the arrest to demand that hearing, so it is worth calling right away.
Is there a diversion program for a first DUI in Pinellas County?
For an eligible first DUI, the Sixth Judicial Circuit offers the DROP program, which can reduce a DUI to reckless driving after you complete enhanced conditions. Eligibility is specific and decided by the State Attorney, so we review whether it fits your case or whether fighting the charge is the better path.
This page is general information about Florida law and our service area, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Court structure and procedure in Pinellas County are summarized and can change, so confirm details with counsel about your own case. Every case turns on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
