Bodiford & Associates, PA (813) 222-0032

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Mr. Bodiford has appeared nationally on Fox's Big Story Weekend" . . .

. . . and "Studio B with Shepard Smith."

He is also called on for commentary locally on News Channels 8 and 10 . . .

Mr. Bodiford with Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking", and a leading death penalty opponent (September 2005).

Joe Bodiford at the October 2005 Florida Bar Board of Governors meeting, with Bar President Alan Bookman (left) and Bar President-elect Henery Coxe (center). Mr. Bodiford spoke to the Board as the Chariman of the Traffic Rules Committee, and presented three new Traffic Court Rules, all of which were unaimously approved to be sent to the Florida Supreme Court.

Joe Bodiford is a Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer, one of only about 335 in Florida (where there are more than 73,000 lawyers) (see the Florida Bar Criminal Trial Law Certification page for more information on certification). He is AV* rated by Martindale-Hubbell lawyer rating service - the highest rating a lawyer can receive from his peers (see www.martindale.com).

A 1995 graduate of Stetson University College of Law, he is admitted to the Florida Bar, the Federal Middle District of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. At Stetson, he was a member of the Trial Team, and winner of the Opening Statement and Mock Trial competitions. He was a teaching assistant in Research & Writing and Civil Procedure.

Mr. Bodiford was an assistant state attorney in Hillsborough and Pinellas/Pasco counties, and has tried hundreds of jury trials from both sides of the courtroom - including murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and other major felonies. He has won defense trials in murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault on law enforcement, DUIs, and drug crimes.

Mr. Bodiford is a trial lawyer, not a "plea lawyer." He believes in preparing every case as if it were going to trial, in order to have any and all possible advantages in resolving the case in the best manner for the client. He tries several cases each year.

Mr. Bodiford is the author of "Business Crimes" and "Pre-trial Practice" for the Florida Bar, was the update editor of the Florida Traffic & DUI Manual for LEXIS, and was on the research team for Florida Evidence by Anderson. He is now authoring the Florida Criminal Rules and Practice manual for the Florida Bar, due out in 2006.

He is a member of the Florida Bar Traffic Rules (Chair 2005-2006) and Rules of Judicial Administration Committees (who advise the Florida Supreme Court). He is also a member of the Florida Bar Greivance Committee 13F - responsible for investigating attorney ethics violations.

Mr. Bodiford has attended many criminal defense seminars, most recently "Life Over Death XXIV", a death penalty defense seminar.