If you have been arrested for domestic battery or accused of violating a domestic violence injunction, the stakes in Florida have become even higher. Effective July 1, 2026, Florida enacted sweeping changes to its domestic violence laws. The new legislation increases penalties for repeat offenders, expands electronic monitoring in Pinellas County, strengthens injunction enforcement, and gives judges additional factors to consider when issuing protective orders.
If you are searching for a domestic battery lawyer, domestic violence attorney, Tampa criminal defense lawyer, or Pinellas criminal defense attorney, understanding these new laws could make an enormous difference in your case.
Perhaps the most significant change in the new law is the creation of enhanced penalties for defendants who have previously been convicted of a domestic violence offense. Under the new statute, Florida now increases the degree of a new domestic violence offense if the accused has a prior domestic violence conviction. Even more importantly, the Legislature specifically defined “conviction” to include cases in which adjudication was withheld following a plea or trial.
That means many people who believed they avoided a conviction because they received a withhold of adjudication may now find that prior case being used to increase the severity of a future charge.
Examples include:
For anyone facing a new domestic violence allegation, this makes experienced legal representation more important than ever.
One of the most significant local changes affects residents of Pinellas County. Beginning July 1, 2026, Pinellas County will operate a two-year pilot program requiring courts to consider GPS electronic monitoring in certain domestic violence and violation of injunction cases.
If someone:
and the court places that individual on probation with a no-contact order, the judge now has authority to order GPS electronic monitoring.
Even more importantly, the judge must order electronic monitoring if the court finds clear and convincing evidence that the defendant poses a threat of violence or physical harm to the victim. This pilot program will be administered by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office through June 30, 2028. For anyone searching for a Clearwater domestic battery lawyer or Pinellas criminal defense attorney, this is a major change that could significantly affect probation conditions.
The legislation creates a similar pilot program for felony domestic violence offenses throughout Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, which includes both Pinellas County and Pasco County. Under this program, courts may require electronic monitoring as a condition of probation, and in some cases must do so if the statutory requirements are met. Unlike the Pinellas misdemeanor program, this pilot is administered through the Florida Department of Corrections.
Florida also expanded the information judges may consider when deciding whether someone is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence. Among the additional factors are allegations involving:
While these changes are intended to provide judges with more information, every allegation made in an injunction petition should still be carefully examined and challenged when appropriate. As any experienced domestic violence attorney knows, injunction hearings frequently involve disputed facts, conflicting testimony, and emotionally charged allegations. An injunction can affect employment, firearm rights, child custody, and future criminal prosecutions.
The Legislature also strengthened penalties for repeat violations of injunctions. Previously, multiple prior violations were generally required before a subsequent violation became a felony. Under the new law, a person with a prior conviction for either domestic violence or a violation of an injunction who later violates an injunction protecting the same victim commits a third-degree felony.
For individuals accused of violating an injunction, even seemingly minor contact can now have far more serious consequences. If you are looking for a Tampa violation of injunction lawyer or a Pinellas violation of injunction attorney, it is critical to understand that these cases have become increasingly aggressive.
Domestic violence cases often move quickly. Judges may issue no-contact orders within hours of an arrest. Protective injunction hearings are frequently scheduled within days. Important decisions affecting your liberty, employment, family, and reputation may occur before all of the evidence has been fully investigated.
Every case deserves an independent review of:
At the Law Office of Timothy Sullivan, we understand that every domestic violence allegation tells only one side of the story at the time of arrest. Our attorneys have spent more than two decades defending clients throughout Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Largo, Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, and the surrounding Tampa Bay area.
If you have been arrested for domestic battery, accused of violating a protective injunction, or served with a petition for an injunction for protection against domestic violence, do not wait to seek legal advice. Our attorneys have more than 20 years of experience representing clients charged with domestic battery, domestic violence, violation of injunction, and other criminal offenses throughout Tampa Bay.
Whether you need a Clearwater domestic battery lawyer, a Tampa criminal defense lawyer, a Pinellas criminal defense attorney, or representation in a Tampa violation of injunction or Pinellas violation of injunction case, our office is ready to help.
Call the Law Office of Timothy Sullivan today for a FREE consultation at 727-855-3847.
