Stetson Law Students: Arrest and Criminal Defense

Are you a Stetson Law student who was arrested, cited or questioned by police? Attorney Ron Frey helps law students at Stetson’s Gulfport campus and Tampa Law Center when something turns into a criminal matter. For a law student, a criminal matter can also raise questions about school and, later, about bar admission, so it deserves careful attention early. Attorney Ron Frey has been practicing law for over two decades. He is licensed in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Supreme Court.

An arrest is not a conviction, and a law student is entitled to the same defense as anyone else. If you face any stop, search, seizure, inquiry, investigation, arrest or target letter, contact a lawyer. Call or text (813) 775-2276 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, video or in person. Law students, or a friend or family member, can talk with Attorney Ron Frey by phone or video.

Facts About Stetson University College of Law

• Stetson University College of Law has a main campus in Gulfport and a Tampa Law Center.
• Stetson Law has its own Public Safety officers.
• Local police may get involved, depending on where something happened.
• The school’s conduct process is separate from any criminal case and can move on its own timeline.

University policies, procedures and campus safety arrangements change over time. Check Stetson Law’s current official policies, and have your situation reviewed by a lawyer rather than relying on this page, the internet or AI.

Who May Be Involved

• Stetson Law Public Safety, on campus.
• Gulfport Police, near the main campus.
• Tampa Police, near the Tampa Law Center. See Tampa Police arrests.
• The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. See Pinellas County Sheriff arrests.
• Other agencies, including federal agencies, depending on what is alleged.

Which agency acts, and which court hears the case, depends on the facts. That should be reviewed with a lawyer, not guessed at.

Common Issues for Stetson Law Students

• Disorderly conduct, including at off-campus parties
• Drug charges
• DUI
• Assault or battery
• Theft or shoplifting
• Resisting an officer
• Weapons
• Computer and internet issues
• How a pending charge may need to be handled with the school or, later, in a bar application

For a law student, how a matter is resolved can matter long after the case ends. See first-time offenders.

Courts, and the Separate Student Conduct Process

A matter from the Gulfport campus is generally a Florida state case in Pinellas County, and one from the Tampa Law Center is generally a case in Hillsborough County. Some go to federal court. See the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco, federal offenses and Middle District of Florida cases.

A law school’s conduct and honor processes are separate from the criminal case. What a student says in one can matter in the other, and later on a bar application, so it’s worth talking with a lawyer before any school meeting.

What to Expect, Including for Out-of-State Students and Parents

A person may be released with a notice to appear or booked into jail. Someone held in custody generally sees a judge at first appearance, where release conditions are set. See bond in Pinellas County, or bond in Hillsborough County for the Tampa Law Center.

Law students from other states, and their families, may need to plan court dates around exams, clinics and summer jobs. A criminal matter can also come up later on a bar application, so it helps to keep careful records of how the case was resolved. Parents or a friend or family member can call Attorney Ron Frey, and a lawyer may be able to handle many steps without the student missing an exam.

Every Situation Needs Its Own Review

Each situation has to be evaluated case by case under current laws and regulations, with a response tailored to it, not what the internet or AI tells you. Attorney Ron Frey looks at how any stop or search was done, what reports and video exist, and what each witness can really say. Every case is different. The state still has to prove each element with admissible evidence, and judges rule on disputed issues.

Attorney Ron Frey’s office is at 625 E. Twiggs St. in downtown Tampa. If you or a friend or family member at Stetson Law was stopped, cited or arrested, call or text (813) 775-2276 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, video or in person.

Related: College student defense in Pinellas County · University of Tampa students · St. Petersburg College students · Tampa Police arrests · St. Petersburg criminal defense · Traffic stops in St. Petersburg and Clearwater