Our community is safer when we prioritize the safety of victims, build strong partnerships with law enforcement, criminal justice stakeholders, and community agencies, and work together to efficiently and responsibly utilize the resources of the criminal justice system.
Our Worthless Check Unit provides assistance to victims of worthless checks. Our Worthless Check Diversion Program seeks to collect restitution for the victim while providing education to prevent future worthless checks.
Affidavit of First Class Mailing
Notice of Receipt of Worthless Check Demand Letter
Worthless Check Third Party Affidavit
Worthless Check Affidavit
Worthless Check Affidavit (sample)
Requirements for Filing
Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion Program (APAD)
The Hillsborough County criminal justice community established the Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion Program (APAD) in July 2017. APAD allows individuals with minimal or no criminal history who commit an eligible misdemeanor offense to enter into an agreement where they accept responsibility, receive sanctions such as drug treatment or anger management, pay restitution and costs, and don’t re-offend. If they successfully complete the program, no charges are filed. If they fail, the case is referred to our office for prosecution. This cost-saving program is intended to improve public safety by reducing recidivism while addressing the offender’s underlying behavior and give individuals who’ve made minor mistakes another chance.
Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program
Hillsborough County launched the Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program, commonly referred to as the juvenile civil citation program. on August 1, 2017. This program is an evidenced-based alternative to the arrest and detention of juveniles for first-time minor offenses, allowing for early intervention into delinquency, and holding youth accountable with targeted and immediate sanctions. In 2019, the program was expanded to include additional eligible offenses, including addressing instances of family violence.
Sales Tax Restitution Program
Our Sales Tax Restitution program supports our community and our state by bringing business owners who have fallen behind in their required sales tax payments back into compliance with the law. This problem-solving approach allows business owners to stay in business—still providing jobs to their employees and selling their products to the community—while holding them accountable and collecting the tax revenue they owe to the State of Florida.
In partnership with the Florida Department of Revenue, selected businesses are offered an informal hearing on their debt and how to resolve it. If the business owners sign an agreement and commit to the Sales Tax Restitution program, they make an initial deposit and are then placed on a payment plan to pay the amount they owe over a set period of time. Business owners who successfully complete the program are not prosecuted and the matter remains confidential. Owners who fail to comply may be prosecuted under Florida Statutes §§212.14 and 212.15.
Launched in the 2003–04 fiscal year, our office is one of only eight in Florida to offer this alternative to prosecution as part of Florida’s Tax Collection Enforcement Diversion Program. To date, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office has collected more than $15 million in owed sales tax revenue, delivering the funds to the State of Florida.
A portion of the recovered revenue supports a Florida program that helps adults with significant disabilities get jobs and earn the income and satisfaction that come with working in a job they love. The James Patrick Memorial Work Incentive – Personal Attendant Services & Employment Assistance (JP-PAS) Program provides a monthly stipend for disabled adults so they can get professional assistance with personal care needs, allowing them to get and keep a job in the community.
For more information on the program, contact Cari Taylor, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office Sales Tax Restitution Coordinator, at taylor_c@sao13th.com or (813) 274-1769.
Worthless Check Unit
Our Worthless Check Unit provides assistance to victims of worthless checks. Our Worthless Check Diversion Program seeks to collect restitution for the victim while providing education to prevent future worthless checks.
Affidavit of First Class Mailing
Notice of Receipt of Worthless Check Demand Letter
Worthless Check Third Party Affidavit
Worthless Check Affidavit
Worthless Check Affidavit (sample)
Requirements for Filing
Misdemeanor Intervention Programs (MIP)
The Misdemeanor Intervention Program (MIP) is a diversionary program for first time offenders. A defendant can only enter MIP with the consent of the Office of the State Attorney. Defense counsel should contact the assigned Assistant State Attorney to determine eligibility for their client. The MIP application can be downloaded here:
Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism (RIDR)
Hillsborough County has consistently been ranked the worst or near the worst in Florida for DUI crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Given the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of reducing recidivism to promote long-term community safety, the State Attorney's Office established the Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism (RIDR) initiative. RIDR seeks to aggressively target and reduce impaired driving by imposing enhanced sanctions like alcohol monitoring devices and DUI education programs on first-time, non-aggravated DUI offenders. RIDR also promotes consistency in the prosecution of DUI cases by eliminating the incentive for offenders to refuse to provide a breath sample during investigation.
Drug Education and Treatment Reducing Recidivism (DETRR)
DETRR, which stands for Drug Education & Treatment Reducing Recidivism, gives low-risk drug offenders who are accused of no other serious crimes an off-ramp out of the downward spiral of drug use, arrests, and incarceration. DETRR is limited to drug possession cases for low-risk, non-violent offenders; it is not allowed for drug dealers, violent offenders, or anyone deemed high-risk. Treatment and rehabilitation are more effective and less expensive than jail or prison. Additionally, this approach benefits the community beyond the criminal justice system by improving health outcomes and employment opportunities, both of which reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Under DETRR, if offenders successfully follow the prescribed drug treatment or drug education program and stay arrest-free for six months, the drug possession charge will be dismissed. DETRR is only an option for low-risk offenders who are not accused of any serious crime beyond using drugs. Participants who reoffend face escalating consequences, including the possibility of traditional prosecution and incarceration.
Domestic Violence Intervention Program
The domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) is a diversionary program for offenders charged with misdemeanor-level domestic violence charges. A defendant can only enter DVIP with the consent of the Office of the State Attorney. A critical requirement of DVIP is successful completion of a certified Batterers Intervention Program.
Traffic Diversion
The traffic diversion program holds low-level offenders accountable while focusing on traffic safety. Referral to the program is at the discretion of the Office of the State Attorney and is reserved for specific criminal traffic charges related to licensing and registration.
Pretrial Intervention
This diversionary program may be available to certain first-time felony offenders. The program is supervised by the Department of Corrections and includes specific probationary sanctions.
Adult Post-Adjudication Drug Court
The Adult Post-Adjudication Drug Court is designed to treat and assist those individuals whose drug and alcohol problems have resulted in being charged with a 3rd-degree felony. Individuals who have prior non-violent felony convictions and do not score mandatory state prison are eligible for this court.
Mental Health Court (MHC)
For too long, our criminal justice system has failed those suffering from mental illness. Annually, an estimated 2 million people with mental illness are booked into jails in our country—many for non-violent offenses. Our office is firmly committed to reducing the number of incarcerated criminal defendants with serious mental illnesses. We worked with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit to establish a Mental Health Court (MHC) to oversee cases with individuals who have mental health challenges. MHC allows individuals charged with certain crimes to participate in a diversion program which incorporates a treatment plan into the sanctions. Defendants who are charged with third-degree felony offenses and found incompetent to proceed are transferred to MHC, where a judge oversees their competency restoration training by various community agencies. In addition, defendants who have serious mental health illness now have the opportunity to receive extensive treatment and learn how to manage their illness with judicial oversight. MHC allows individuals for whom incarceration may be their only option to receive psychiatric treatment and extensive case management. The goal for these individuals is to identify, manage, and treat their mental illness so that they do not return to the criminal justice system. For forms and information on Mental Health Court, click here.
Veterans Treatment Court
Our Veteran’s Treatment Court (VTC) is a problem-solving court that has become a national model for handling the unique issues facing veterans in our criminal justice system. VTC holds veterans accountable for their actions while simultaneously addressing underlying issues like PTSD, unemployment, homelessness, and drug and alcohol abuse. Working closely with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, our office has implemented a phase-based system of treatment that matches the best practice model mandated by the Florida Supreme Court for problem-solving courts. Because of its success, our VTC is expanding as more veterans are being identified as suitable candidates for this specialty court, and we are seeking additional funding from the Florida Legislature to continue to grow this program to meet the needs of the servicemen and women in our community.
Wrongful convictions are contrary to the very fiber of our criminal justice system–punishing the innocent and undermining the integrity of our system, while threatening public safety by allowing the actual perpetrators to go free. For this reason, the State Attorney’s Office has created a Conviction Review Unit with the goal of eliminating wrongful convictions in our community.
The purpose of a Conviction Review Unit (CRU) is to identify, remedy, and prevent wrongful convictions. Our CRU conducts an initial screening process to identify plausible claims of innocence on behalf of convicted defendants. For claims that merit review, the CRU then conducts a more detailed investigation of the claim. The CRU consists of dedicated attorneys, investigators, and support staff. If following the review and investigation, the CRU identifies a wrongful conviction, the State Attorney’s Office will remedy the conviction, possibly by dismissing the underlying charges and convictions and will take appropriate measures to prevent similar wrongful convictions.
If you believe you have been wrongfully convicted of a crime in Hillsborough County, please complete the petition below.
You, or someone on your behalf, can submit a petition by choosing one of the following methods:
Downloading a printable PDF form and emailing it to cru@sao13th.com; or
Mailing a hard copy of the PDF form to
State Attorney’s Office
ATTN: Conviction Review Unit
419 N. Pierce St.
Tampa, Florida 33602
Please note that under Florida law, email addresses are public records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is needed for the CRU to begin investigating a case?
The CRU's determination whether to review and investigate a conviction depends on the facts and circumstances of the case, including the evidence presented at trial, and new information or evidence that was not presented at trial.
Does the CRU review cases where there is forensic evidence available for DNA testing?
No. The CRU considers other factual issues that may be present, whether or not DNA evidence exists.
Will the CRU review sentences?
No, the CRU does not review lawful sentences. You may have other legal remedies to address sentencing issues and we encourage you to consult with an attorney.
What happens after I submit a petition?
The CRU will confirm that it received a petition. The CRU screens the petition and will let you know whether the petition has been selected for review or whether additional information is needed. We will make every effort to process the petition and communicate to you about the status of your petition in a timely fashion. Please keep in mind the length of this process will depend on many factors, including the age and complexity of the case, the information available, and the number of petitions to be processed.
If your case passes the screening process and is selected for review, the CRU will keep you informed of the status of the review where possible and appropriate. The CRU will attempt to keep you informed during the review process and will inform you when a final decision has been made. The CRU reserves the right to determine what information should be provided to you during the course of the review.
Will I be exonerated if the CRU agrees to review my case?
No. The decision to review a petition means that the CRU is prepared to explore your claim of innocence, but it does not mean that the CRU agrees with the validity of the claim or has exonerated you. Only after completing a thorough investigation will the CRU be able to make any such determination.
Must I solve the case in order to get relief?
No. The CRU exists to correct convictions of innocent people. A person can get relief even if the true offender is never identified or prosecuted for the crime.
If I disagree with CRU conclusions, what rights do I have for further review?
The existence of the CRU does not create or confer any right on those who bring claims of actual innocence. For this reason, there is no right to appeal its determinations. Because CRU investigations are not part of a court proceeding, the CRU's decisions or recommendations do not prevent a petitioner from raising the same claims of innocence in another forum, such as through a petition brought under the Florida Statutes for postconviction relief.
What is the role of the Independent Review Panel?
The Independent Review Panel ("IRP") consists of three outside legal experts who serve as consultants to the CRU during and at the conclusion of the investigation. The purpose of the IRP is to make findings and/or recommendations to the State Attorney regarding cases reviewed by the CRU.
Is the CRU affiliated with the Innocence Project?
No, the CRU is part of the State Attorney's Office. However, the CRU will work with the Innocence Project or similar organizations when they are representing a Petitioner.
Does the CRU represent me as my attorney?
No, the CRU is part of State Attorney's Office. For this reason, the CRU attorneys are not able to provide you with legal advice. If you desire representation or legal advice, you should consider hiring private counsel, contact the public defender's office, or seek the assistance of an innocence project. If you are in need of legal advice regarding a prior conviction, we encourage you to consult with an attorney who specializes in post-conviction litigation.