Judges in Pinellas County for Criminal Cases
In Florida, felony cases are prosecuted in circuit court with circuit court judges, and misdemeanor cases are prosecuted in county court with county court judges.
In Pinellas County, the clerk’s office will assign any felony or misdemeanor courtroom division at the time of the first arrest. If the defendant is arrested again, the case is typically assigned to that same division.
Criminal cases are prosecuted at the Pinellas County Justice Center (CJC) courthouse at 14250 49th Street North in Clearwater, FL.
You can find more information by searching the Pinellas County Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). The CJIS provides information about the judge, the criminal defense attorney, and the prosecutor assigned to the case, entries on the docket, upcoming court dates, and information about the final disposition.
Attorney for Criminal Cases in Pinellas County, FL
If you were arrested for a criminal offense in Pinellas County, FL, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm. We are familiar with the special procedures that vary from courtroom to courtroom.
Contact us for a free consultation to discuss the charges pending against you, the potential penalties for that offense, and the best defenses that can be used in your case to fight the charges.
Contact the attorneys at Sammis Law Firm to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney for Pinellas County, FL. Visit our office at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820, near the CJC Courthouse on 49th Street.
Call 727-210-7004.
Circuit Court Judges in Pinellas County
As explained in Administrative Order 2023-035 PI-CIR, beginning on December 1, 2023, the following judicial assignments for the criminal court sections in the Circuit Courts in Pinellas County took effect:
- Section A – Judge Philippe Matthey
- Section B – Judge Keith Meyer
- Section C – Judge Julie L. Sercus
- Section D – Judge Joseph A. Bulone
- Section I – Judge Chris Helinger
- Section J – Judge Shawn Crane
- Section K – Judge Susan St. John
- Section M – Judge Philip J. Federico
- Section N – Judge Kimberly Todd
- Section Q – Judge Philip J. Federico
- Section T – Judge Pat Siracusa
- Section Z – Judge Kimberly Todd
The following judges are assigned to the “Community VIolence Court Section” to preside over Protective Order Injunction Hearings:
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- CV1 – Judge Doneene D. Loar
- CV2 – Judge Aaron Hubbards
- CV3 – Judge Della Cope
Those judges hear cases involving petitions for dating, domestic, repeat, and sexual violence.
You can find more information about each judge on the Pinellas County Judicial Directory, which includes the judge’s name, phone number, judicial assistant, assigned courthouse, section, and courtroom.
County Court Judges in Pinellas County
As explained in Administrative Order 2024-055 PI-CTY, beginning on January 6, 2025, the following judicial assignments for the criminal court sections in the Circuit Courts in Pinellas County take effect:
- Section E – Judge Diane Croff
- Section F – Judge Brett Szematowicz
- Section G – Judge Kathleen T. Hessinger
- Section H – Judge Cathy McKyton
- Section L – Judge Robert Dittmer
- Section V – Judge Joseph Lawhorne*
- Section R – Judge Holly T. Grissinger (all domestic violence cases, including Violations of Probation)
- Section P/Advisory – Judge Elizabeth Zuroweste**
- conducts misdemeanor and felony advisories in Pinellas County;
- Local Ordinance Violations and non-criminal payable infractions;
- bond calendars;
- extradition hearings; and
- other duties assigned by the Court.
*Effective January 6, 2025, Section V became a new misdemeanor criminal section, handling misdemeanor and criminal traffic matters along with their related infractions.
**The temporary assignment of the advisory county court judges to the criminal or civil division is made under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.215.
Judges for Traffic Court Cases in Pinellas County, FL
Effective Monday, January 6, 2025, North County Traffic, South County Traffic I, and South County Traffic II were restructured. Criminal traffic and non-criminal traffic infraction cases, excluding DUI cases, are to be assigned to Section TC-I or TC-II based upon the agency issuing the citation as provided in this Administrative Order. This assignment will include cases that cannot be heard by a hearing officer under Florida Rule of Traffic Court 6.630(c).
The Clerk’s Office will set the case for arraignment within 20 days from the receipt of the citation. The Clerk will notify the Pinellas County Court Administrative Judge when cases cannot be scheduled within 20 days of the receipt of the citation in a traffic court section.
Upon request, the Clerk shall provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with a report that provides the percentage of cases assigned to TC-I and TC-II, or any other requested data.
Traffic Court I (Section TC-I) Sections 51 & 52 – The Honorable Theodora C. Komninos, County Court Judge
North County Traffic will be renamed Traffic Court I (Section TC-I) Sections 51 & 52. Cases currently assigned to North County Traffic will remain in the newly renamed Section TC-I. Effective January 6, 2025, Section TC-I will handle all non-DUI criminal traffic matters along with their related infractions, as well as all civil traffic matters that must be heard by a county court judge.
Traffic Court cases at Traffic Court I (Section TC-I) (formally known as “South County Traffic II”) at the Pinellas County Justice Center (CJC) are assigned to Judge Komninos for citations issued by any of the following agencies:
- Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
- Florida Highway Patrol
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Belleair Police Department
- Clearwater Police Department
- Kenneth City Police Department
- Tarpon Springs Police Department
- Treasure Island Police Department
When did the North County Traffic Court stop hearing DUI cases? In 2023, the rules were changed so that DUI cases are no longer heard at the North County Traffic Court. All new DUI cases are now funneled to the CJC Courthouse in Clearwater, FL.
Traffic Court II (Section TC-II) – The Honorable Judge Dorothy Vaccaro, County Court judge
South County Traffic I will be renamed Traffic Court II (Section TC-II). Cases currently assigned to South County Traffic I will remain in the newly renamed Section TC-II. Effective January 6, 2025, Section TC-II will handle all non-DUI criminal traffic cases along with their related infractions, as well as all civil traffic matters that must be heard by a county court judge.
South County Traffic II will be inactivated as a traffic division.
South County Traffic I cases at the Pinellas County Justice Center (CJC) are assigned to South County Traffic II – Judge Dorothy Vaccaro for citations issued by any of the following agencies:
- Gulfport Police Department
- Indian Shores Police Department
- Pinellas Park Police Department
- St. Petersburg Police Department
When did the South County Traffic Court move to the CJC courthouse in Clearwater? The South County Traffic Facility closed on January 1, 2019. Any criminal traffic cases pending in South County Traffic Court were moved to the Criminal Justice Center (CJC) Courthouse on 49th Street in Clearwater, FL, as explained in Administrative Order No. 2018-058 PI-CIR.
How are Criminal DUI Traffic Cases Assigned in Pinellas County?
For defendants with no prior county court history, new DUI criminal traffic cases in Pinellas County, FL, plus related non-DUI criminal and civil traffic infractions will be assigned on an equal random blind basis to one of the county criminal sections—E, F, G, H, L, or V.
The Clerk’s Office will set the case for arraignment no later than 20 days from the receipt of the citation. If the defendant has current pending cases in a county criminal section, the new DUI criminal traffic case and all related cases will be assigned to the section with the most recent assignment reflected in the Odyssey case management system. The Clerk will notify the Pinellas County Court Administrative Judge when cases cannot be scheduled within 20 days of the receipt of the citation in a criminal section.
If the related criminal case is a felony, the DUI criminal traffic case and its related non-DUI criminal and civil traffic infractions will be assigned to the circuit court felony section ONLY when the felony information has been filed, and it is stamped “encompassed” or “companion” or includes the traffic case as a count on the felony information.
Traffic Infractions with a Mandatory Court Appearance
Certain traffic infractions require a mandatory court appearance. Based on the law enforcement agency assignment, the Clerk’s Office will set all civil traffic citations with a mandatory court appearance on a civil traffic arraignment calendar in Section TC-I or TC-II. The Clerk’s Office will issue a hearing notice to the defendant.
If the defendant fails to appear (FTA) for these mandatory appearance citations, the Court will issue a D-6 to the defendant’s license. After the suspension fee is satisfied, the case is to be scheduled for court by the designated judicial assistant.
Criminal Appellate Judges in Pinellas County, FL
On September 26, 2023, Chief Judge Shawn Crane signed administrative order number 2023-034 PA/PI-CIR that assigned the appellate judges in north county and south county. The judges assigned to handle criminal appeals in Pinellas – North County include:
- Judge Joseph A. Bulone (Primary)
- Judge Sherwood Coleman
- Judge Pat Siracusa
The judges assigned to handle criminal appeals in Pinellas – South County include:
- Judge Keith Meyer (Primary)
- Judge Christopher M. LaBruzzo
- Judge Patrice Moore
*Rotating Panel of 3 from group as determined by the Primary Appellate Judge.
Additional Resources
List of Judges in Pinellas County – Visit the website of the Sixth Judicial Circuit to find a list of the judges, the judicial assignments, the calendar of the judges, the duty assignments, addresses, phone numbers, divisions, and sections, and the names of the judicial assistants. The website also provides information about the chief judge and links to the practice requirements published by individual judges. The practice requirements outline the preferences, policies, and procedures for each judge and each courtroom. Find links to JAWS and the search features for the Clerk of County Court in Pinellas.
This article was last updated on Friday, November 30, 2024.
