OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER 12th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT of FLORIDA LARRY L. EGER, Public Defender Serving, DeSoto, Manatee, & Sarasota Counties
Divisions
Venice
Venice Divisions
County Criminal Court
Florida County Courts have jurisdiction over criminal traffic cases and misdemeanor criminal cases. A misdemeanor is any criminal offense punishable by imprisonment in a county correctional facility for less than one year. The County Criminal Division has one County Judge in South County (Venice).
Circuit Criminal Court
Florida Circuit Criminal Courts have jurisdiction in all criminal felonies. Felonies are criminal offenses that are punishable by imprisonment in a state penitentiary or death. The 12th Circuit Criminal Division DOES NOT HAVE ANY criminal circuit court judge in South County (Venice)
County Criminal South County Division
There is currently one criminal county judge / DIVISION and he only hears misdemeanor cases (including criminal traffic offenses and county ordinance offenses) that occur south of Stickney Point Road IF YOU ARE OUT OF CUSTODY. If you remain in custody or become incarcerated on these charges your case(s) is reassigned to a county criminal division in Sarasota.
