A client asked me recently if it really mattered that he had been arrested in St. Petersburg instead of across the bay in Tampa. He figured a criminal case was a criminal case. In reality, the answer is yes, and the difference is bigger than most people expect.
When people compare Pinellas County criminal court vs Hillsborough County, they are really comparing two separate court systems that happen to sit a short drive apart. The city of your arrest is less important than the county. The county controls almost everything that happens next, from the courthouse you report to and the judge you stand in front of to the prosecutor reviewing your file.
If you or a family member was just arrested in the Tampa Bay area, here is what you should understand about how these two counties handle criminal cases.
Why the County Matters More Than the City
St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, and Seminole are all within Pinellas County. Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, and Riverview are all located in Hillsborough County. When someone is arrested in any of those cities, the case is filed in that county, not the city. That single fact decides which courthouse you appear at, which State Attorney prosecutes you, and which set of judges hears your case.
Pinellas County criminal cases fall under the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Hillsborough County criminal cases fall under the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. These are two separate court systems with their own judges, their own clerk of court, their own State Attorney, and their own Public Defender. They follow the same Florida statutes, but the local rules, schedules, and practices are not identical.
If you were arrested by St. Petersburg Police, Pinellas County Sheriff, or any other Pinellas agency, your case is a Pinellas County case. If you were arrested by Tampa Police or the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, your case is a Hillsborough County case. That stays true even if you live in the other county or were just passing through.
Where Your Case Is Actually Heard
Most people are surprised to learn that a St. Petersburg arrest does not lead to a St. Petersburg courtroom. The main criminal courthouse for Pinellas County is the Criminal Justice Center in Clearwater. Felonies, most misdemeanors, and first appearance hearings for people arrested anywhere in Pinellas are handled there. If you were arrested in downtown St. Pete on a Friday night, you should expect to appear in Clearwater.
In Hillsborough County, criminal cases are heard at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa. The building, parking, security screening, and courtroom layout are different from those of the Clearwater courthouse.
Showing up at the wrong courthouse or showing up late because you did not know where to go can create real problems before your case has even started. If you have a court date and you are not sure where to report, call the clerk of court for that county to confirm, and talk to your attorney before the date, so there is no confusion.
How the Two Counties Handle Cases Differently
This is where most of the real differences show up. Two cases with the same charge can move very differently depending on which county handles them.
Take a basic example. Suppose two drivers are arrested for a first DUI on the same night, one in St. Petersburg and one in Tampa. Both have a breath sample around 0.10, no accident, no priors. On paper, the cases look almost identical. In practice, the prosecutors come from different offices with different internal policies. The judges have different preferences on plea offers, diversion eligibility, and sentencing. The local first court appearance procedures look similar but feel different in the room. Bond practices and willingness to reduce charges can also vary between Pinellas and Hillsborough.
Each county also runs its own diversion and pretrial intervention programs. A first-time misdemeanor offender in Pinellas may have access to a different program than someone in the same situation in Hillsborough. Eligibility requirements, fees, and length of supervision are set by that county’s State Attorney, not by Tallahassee.
Judges in each circuit also develop their own tendencies. Some are more open to motions to suppress. Some are stricter on sentencing for certain types of cases. None of this is written down in a statute. It comes from being in those courtrooms regularly and seeing how decisions get made. The same goes for plea negotiations, which can start from a different place in Pinellas than they do in Hillsborough on the same kind of charge.
Why Local Experience in Pinellas County Matters
Before I opened Nunnally Law Firm, I worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Pinellas County. I handled thousands of cases in the Clearwater courthouse, with the judges who still preside there. I knew which prosecutors took a hard line on certain issues and which were open to reasonable resolutions. I knew the rhythms of the docket, and how to prepare a case for the room it was going to be heard in.
That kind of local familiarity is one of the things you should look for when hiring a criminal defense lawyer in St. Petersburg. It is not a guarantee of any outcome, and any attorney who tells you otherwise is overpromising. What it does mean is that your lawyer is not learning the courthouse on your case. The same logic applies in Hillsborough. An attorney who appears regularly in Tampa knows the people and the procedures in a way that someone parachuting in for a single case does not.
You can learn more about my background on the Anthony W. Nunnally bio page, which goes through my time as a public defender and the kinds of cases I have handled.
What to Do Right After an Arrest in Either County
No matter which side of the bay you were arrested on, the early steps are the same. Stay calm. Give law enforcement your basic identifying information, and beyond that, exercise your right to remain silent. You are not going to talk your way out of an arrest, and anything you say can be used against you later.
Do not consent to searches of your car, your phone, or your home. Do not try to explain the situation in the back of the patrol car or in booking. Officers document everything you say, and even something you meant to be harmless can show up later in a police report.
Then, before your first court date, talk to a criminal defense attorney. The earlier you have someone reviewing your case, the more options you usually have. Bond hearings, no-contact orders, license issues, and early plea offers can come up quickly, and decisions made in the first week often shape the rest of the case.
Pinellas and Hillsborough are two of the busiest criminal court systems in Florida, and they each have their own rhythms. Understanding which county your case is in and what to expect there is the first step toward making good decisions about your defense. I represent clients across Pinellas and the greater Tampa Bay area, and I am happy to talk through your situation in plain English before you decide what to do next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Petersburg in Pinellas County or Hillsborough County?
St. Petersburg is in Pinellas County. So are Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, and the rest of the beach communities. Tampa, by contrast, is in Hillsborough County. The two counties are connected by bridges across Tampa Bay but operate as separate court systems.
Do Pinellas and Hillsborough courts handle criminal cases the same way?
They follow the same Florida criminal laws, but the day-to-day handling is different. Each county has its own State Attorney, Public Defender, judges, and clerk of court. Local practices, diversion programs, bond expectations, and plea negotiation tendencies vary between the two.
Where will my case be heard if I were arrested in St. Petersburg?
Most criminal cases out of St. Petersburg are handled at the Pinellas County Criminal Justice Center in Clearwater. Felonies, most misdemeanors, and first appearance hearings are typically held there, not in St. Petersburg itself.
Can a St. Petersburg attorney handle a case in Tampa or Hillsborough County?
Yes. Florida attorneys are licensed statewide, so a St. Petersburg lawyer can represent clients in Hillsborough County and beyond. What matters more is that the attorney actually practices in the courthouse where your case will be heard and is familiar with the local judges and prosecutors.
What happens at a first court appearance in Pinellas County?
A first appearance, sometimes called a bond hearing, usually takes place within 24 hours of arrest. A judge reviews probable cause, sets or reviews bond, and may issue conditions of release. I have written a more detailed walk-through of what to expect at your first criminal court appearance in Pinellas County that is worth reading before that hearing.
Talk to a Pinellas County Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or someone you love was recently arrested in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, or anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, the sooner you have an attorney reviewing the case, the better. At Nunnally Law Firm, I work directly with every client from the first phone call through the resolution of the case. Call (727) 746-4343 or reach out through the contact page to set up a confidential consultation. I will listen, explain what to expect in your county, and help you figure out a smart next step.
