The Office of the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit is responsible for prosecuting all criminal violations of state law that occur throughout the Circuit, which encompasses all of Hillsborough County, including the incorporated cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City. Led by State Attorney Susan S. Lopez, our office consists of 292 dedicated public servants, including 132 Assistant State Attorneys and 160 victim advocates, investigators, administrators, paralegals, receptionists, and other support staff. In addition to the primary responsibility of prosecuting criminal offenses, our office is actively involved in a variety of community organizations dedicated to preventing crime, reducing recidivism, and supporting victims. Our office also proactively engages in the community in order to improve communication, facilitate transparency, and promote trust with the citizens of Hillsborough County.
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?
Felonies are more serious crimes with higher potential punishments. Both can also result in imprisonment. If the law provides for imprisonment for longer than a year, it is a felony. If the potential maximum punishment is up to one year in jail, then the crime is a misdemeanor. Felonies and misdemeanors are also given a degree which further explains how serious the crime is. The most serious degree of crime is a capital crime and the least serious is a second degree misdemeanor.
Criminal v. Civil
The State Attorney is an elected officer who represents the people in both capital and non-capital prosecutions for violations of state laws and related matters in state courts.
- A crime is an act or omission for which the State legislature has designated a penalty that may include prison, jail, probation, and/or a fine.
- A civil action is the enforcement of a personal cause of action like a contract dispute, negligence action, divorce, and child custody, to name a few.
Some matters that may be the basis of a civil action could also be prosecuted as crime. For example: battery –> civil action for injury and criminal for the act
Criminal Justice Data Transparency
In 2018, the Florida Legislature enacted Florida Statute §943.6871 and §900.05 which established the framework for a statewide database of criminal justice data. The goal of this database was to “facilitate the availability of comparable and uniform criminal justice data.” The creation of this database required the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to develop standardization practices for the reporting of data as well as the technical means for data to be reported and compiled. Data collection began in 2020. Data reported by our office, as well as State Attorney’s Offices throughout the state, Clerks of Court, County Detention Facilities, Department of Corrections, the Justice Administration Commission, Public Defender Offices, and Regional Conflict Counsel, can be located and reviewed through FDLE. FDLE also compiles Uniform Crime Reports from Florida law enforcement agencies.
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
The Office of Research and Data Integrity within the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice uses data to identify trends in juvenile crime and to inform decision-making when responding to juvenile crime. Reports and data compiled by that office includes system referrals, utilization data, and recidivism information.