Joseph C. Bodiford, A Florida Criminal Defense Specialist

Experience: Florida appeals attorney and Tampa criminal attorney

Joseph C. Bodiford, P.A. (d/b/a Bodiford Law, P.A.), September 2002 – present

Escobar, Ramirez & Associates, P.A., May 2001 – August 2002

Aman, Lins & Bodiford, P.A. and Joseph C. Bodiford, P.A., February 1999 – April 2001

• Board Certified, Criminal Trial Law (by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Education and Specialization)
• AV* rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Defense of clients accused of any and all types of crimes in Federal and Florida courts, including first degree murder and other violent crimes, drug possession, drug trafficking, misdemeanors, DUI (criminal and administrative hearings), firearms charges (both possession and fraudulent application issues), sex offenses (exposure, sexual battery), child abuse, battery, theft, fraud, and extortion
• Tried over 120 jury trials, and hundreds of non-jury trials
• Extensive client contact in preparation of cases, with focus on zealous and aggressive representation, with a focus on development of a fact-driven theory of defense and litigation plan
• Appearance in Federal, appellate, circuit, and county courts throughout Florida
• Representation of clients in post-conviction motions under Rules 3.850 and 3.800 and 28 U.S.C. §§ 2254 and 2255, from investigation and preparation of the motion to evidentiary hearing
• Representation of clients in State and Federal criminal appeals, including oral arguments
• Extensive work in interviewing witnesses, reviewing documentation, and deposing State witnesses
• Coordination of criminal investigators and forensic experts to assist in the clients’ defense
• Coordination of motions, bond and other court hearing dates with judicial assistants
• Extensive jail visits with incarcerated clients
• Direct contact and coordination with probation departments in assisting client transition to supervision
• Member of defense team in United States v. Jarrell, the largest Medicare fraud case in the history of the Federal Middle District of Florida
• Criminal Justice Act panel attorney (Federal Middle District of Florida)
• Supervision and coordination of firm administration (employee/human resource issues, vendor relations, insurance, leases, billing, and collections; coordination of marketing and development of new clients)

Assistant State Attorney

Office of the State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit ( Hillsborough County, Florida), May 1997 – February 1999

Office of the State Attorney, 6th Judicial Circuit

( Pasco County, Florida), December 1995 – May 1997

• Successfully prosecuted crimes at trial such as murder, armed robbery, burglary, theft, fraud, worthless check, firearms and other weapons, and litigated and successfully prosecuted all other crimes charged in Florida state court
• Extensive misdemeanor and felony trial experience, trying to jury over seventy cases as well as hundreds of bench trial cases
• Attended Florida Prosecuting Attorney’s Association seminars on Advanced Trial Evidence and Advanced DUI, and the Department of Justice Trial Seminar at the University of South Carolina (May 1998) (first attorney in Tampa ever selected)
• Intake of misdemeanor and felony cases, including pre-filing interviewing of law enforcement and lay witnesses

Clerkships, teaching fellowships

Certified legal intern, Office of the State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit, September 1995 – December 1995

• Prosecution of misdemeanor cases and providing support for assistant state attorneys

Law clerk, Staff Attorney’s Office, 13th Judicial Circuit, January 1995 – August 1995

• Intake of, research and preparation of responses to post-conviction relief motions
• General research and writing duties for circuit court judges

Teaching assistant, Stetson University College of Law, February 1994 – May 1995

• Federal Civil Procedure II ; Research & Writing II

Juris Doctorate

Stetson University College of Law, December 1995.

• Member, 1995 Stetson Trial Team
• Winner, Mock Trial Competitions
• Winner, Opening Statement Competition
• Third Place, Closing Argument Competition
• Vice-Justice, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity

M.M., Music

Trumpet Performance, Florida State University, May 1993

B.A., Music

Florida State University, August 1991

• Supreme Court of Florida, 1996
• United States Supreme Court, 2002
• Federal District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 1996
• Federal District Court for the Northern District of Florida, 1996
• Eleventh Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, 1996

• Update Editor, Florida Traffic and DUI Practice Manual, Matthew Bender/LEXIS Publishing (2002 - 2003)
• Author, Chapter 22: “Business Crimes”; Business Litigation in Florida, Florida Bar CLE Manual ( 2001)
• Florida Evidence: 1995 Courtroom Manual (credited therein as research assistant to Prof. William Eleazer)

• “Presentation of Defense Evidence” and “Concluding the Trial”, The Criminal Defense Trial from Start to Finish, October 19, 2006 (NBI)
• “Criminal Appeals”, Appellate Practice for the General Practitioner in Florida, November 15, 2006 (Lorman)
• “Evidence in a Criminal Trial”, Real Evidence for the Trial Practitioner in Florida, scheduled for August 9, 2007 (Lorman)

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Vice-president, 2006 - 2007; President 2008 - 2009)
• Federal Bar Association
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee 13F
• Florida Bar Criminal Law Certification Committee (2006 - )
• Florida Bar Traffic Rules Committee (2002 – 2006; Vice-chair, 2004; Chair, 2005 - 2006)
• Representative, Florida Bar Rules of Judicial Administration Committee (2005 – 2006)

• Court TV (“Trial Heat”, “ Open Court” - live in studio in New York, “Catherine Crier” – live on location)
• “Nancy Grace” (CNN)
• “Studio B with Shepard Smith” (FOX) (via satellite and live in Studio in New York)
• “Big Story” and “Big Story Weekend” (FOX)
• News Channel 10 (Tampa/St. Petersburg)
• News Channel 8 ( Tampa)
• Kathy Fountain’s show, News Channel 13 (FOX - Tampa)
• CNN International

• Born June 6, 1969 in Tallahassee, Florida
• Married 15 years with two daughters
• Hobbies: Jazz trumpet and piano player, boating