Panama City Criminal Defense Attorney | Bay County

Criminal Defense in Panama City and Bay County

Built on Prosecutorial Insight

An arrest is not a conviction. But without the right defense, it can become one.

At Shepard Law, criminal defense is all we do. Rusty Shepard spent years as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit before dedicating his career to defending the people he once prosecuted. He knows how the State builds its cases — because he built them. That experience is your advantage from the first conversation.

Who We Defend

Shepard Law prepares every case as if it is going to trial. That means a thorough review of every police report, witness statement, piece of evidence, and procedural decision made during your arrest and investigation. The State must prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Finding gaps in that proof is where a defense begins.

Common defense angles include:

Unlawful traffic stop or search — Fourth Amendment violations can result in evidence being suppressed
Chain of custody problems — evidence handling errors can undermine the State’s case
Credibility of witnesses — including police officers and alleged victims with motives to fabricate
Procedural errors — breathalyser calibration, field sobriety test administration, Miranda rights
Causation and intent — the State must prove you did what they say you did, with the intent they say you had

Our Services

Expertise in a wide range of criminal defense areas.

DUI Defense

First offense through felony DUI, DUI with injury, and DUI manslaughter. Formal DHSMV review hearings, Intoxilyzer 8000 challenges, and field sobriety test administration challenges. The 10-day license deadline starts at arrest.

Drug Crimes

Possession under Florida Statute § 893.13 through trafficking with mandatory minimums, and federal drug prosecutions in the Northern District of Florida. Fourth Amendment suppression, constructive possession challenges, and Bay County Drug Court eligibility.

Domestic Violence

Injunction hearings under § 741.30, firearm disqualification consequences, and defense against the 14th Circuit’s no-drop prosecution policy. Criminal and injunction proceedings coordinated together from the first call.

Sex Crimes

Sexual battery under § 794.011 through registration-triggering offenses. The objective in every case is avoiding conviction, because registration consequences follow a client for life and cannot be waived by a judge.

Expungements and Record Sealing

FDLE eligibility review and petitions filed in Bay County courts. For many clients this is the step that finally closes a chapter.

Violent Crimes

Assault, battery, robbery, manslaughter, and murder. Where a firearm is alleged, the 10-20-Life mandatory minimums under § 775.087 remove judicial discretion, and challenging the enhancement is the first strategic question.

White Collar Crimes

Fraud in its various forms, embezzlement, money laundering, counterfeiting, and identity theft, at both state and federal level. Forensic accountants engaged where the case requires it. Professional license consequences addressed alongside the criminal exposure.

Theft and Property Crimes

Petit theft through grand theft, burglary, robbery, and auto theft. The State must prove intent, and intent is where these cases are most often won.

Juvenile Defense

Direct-file risk assessment, civil citation eligibility, and 14th Circuit diversion programs. The goal is keeping a young person’s record clean and their future intact.

Federal Crimes

Prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola division. Federal sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimums operate differently from state court, and a federal investigation is usually well advanced before an arrest is made.

Violation of Probation

VOP hearings under § 948.06 carry a lower standard of proof and no jury, and the judge may impose any sentence originally available for the underlying offense.

Serving Bay County and the 14th Judicial Circuit

Rusty Shepard has tried cases in:

Bay (Panama City)
Calhoun (Blountstown)
Gulf (Port St. Joe)
Holmes (Bonifay)
Jackson (Marianna)
Washington (Chipley)

Local knowledge matters — the judges, the prosecutors, the procedures, and the expectations of each courthouse are different. That knowledge is built over 25 years and 10,000+ cases, and it is what we bring to your defense.

Facing criminal charges in Panama City or Bay County? Call Shepard Law at (850) 290-2505. Free consultation. Available 24/7.