Attorney Victoria Elizabeth Hatfield's Legal Cases

Criminal defense

State v. Dean Shelley, Hillsborough County, 2011-CF-11428, Shelley v. State, 134 So.3d 1138, State v. Shelley, 176 So.3d 914

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OUTCOME: Because of Ms. Hatfield no person in the State of Florida can be convicted of both offenses stemming from the same course of conduct.

Ms. Hatfield filed a motion to dismiss in Mr. Shelley’s case based on double jeopardy grounds. The trial court denied all motions. Undeterred, Ms. Hatfield appealed to the Second District Court of Appe ... als and won. The State of Florida, also undeterred, appealed her victory to the Florida Supreme Court. After filing her appellate brief and participating in oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in Ms. Hatfield’s favor and upheld her lower court victory. As a result of her litigation, the offense of “soliciting a minor after using computer services” is a lesser included offense of “traveling to meet a minor after using computer services.” Because of Ms. Hatfield no person in the State of Florida can be convicted of both offenses stemming from the same course of conduct.

Criminal defense

State of Florida v. Max Garcia, Sarasota County, 2016-CF-10182, Garcia v. State, 286 So.3d 348 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019)

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OUTCOME: This case is cited by defense attorneys all across the State of Florida to free their clients, Ms. Hatfield did not save one man with this case. She saved thousands.

After defending himself while being attacked, Max Garcia was charged with Aggravated Battery and faced fifteen years in prison. The trial court denied Ms. Hatfield’s “stand your ground motion”, in whic ... h she argued Mr. Garcia was immune from prosecution because he was acting in self-defense. After the denial, the case was set for trial. Ms. Hatfield immediately filed a Writ of Prohibition to the Second District Court of Appeals, the case was paused, and the trial was stopped. Ultimately, the Second District Court of Appeals agreed with Ms. Hatfield and reversed the lower court’s denial of the “stand your ground motion”. Mr. Garcia remains a free man today. And this case is cited by defense attorneys all across the State of Florida to free their clients, Ms. Hatfield did not save one man with this case. She saved thousands.

Criminal defense

State of Florida v. Steven Eargood, Hillsborough County, 11-CF-18990

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OUTCOME: Obtained a complete acquittal (i.e., not guilty verdicts) on all charges in a little over an hour.

Steven Eargood was accused of sexually battering a child family member and faced decades in prison and a lifetime sexual offender registration. He denied wrongdoing from the start, but his public defen ... der did not believe him. He hired Ms. Hatfield. Ms. Hatfield brought the case to trial and obtained a complete acquittal (i.e., not guilty verdicts) on all charges in a little over an hour.

Criminal defense

Daniel Diner, Hillsborough County, 2016-CF-13503

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OUTCOME: Case dismissed

Daniel Diner was charged with ninety-nine counts of possessing child pornography and faced 1,485 years in the Florida State Prison. Ms. Hatfield filed a motion to suppress arguing an unlawful search an ... d seizure. The trial court agreed and granted her motion. Case dismissed.

Criminal defense

Eliezer Tejada, Lake County, Case Number 20-CF-1261

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OUTCOME: Prosecutors dismissed Mr. Tejada’s case

Eliezer Tejada was falsely accused of participating in a sophisticated organized fraud operation involving the theft of laptops from UPS delivery trucks. Ms. Hatfield filed a motion to suppress the unl ... awful out of court identification of Mr. Tejada. Rather than lose the motion, prosecutors dismissed Mr. Tejada’s case.

Victoria Elizabeth Hatfield's Legal Cases (5)

State v. Dean Shelley, Hillsborough County, 2011-CF-11428, Shelley v. State, 134 So.3d 1138, State v. Shelley, 176 So.3d 914

State of Florida v. Max Garcia, Sarasota County, 2016-CF-10182, Garcia v. State, 286 So.3d 348 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019)

State of Florida v. Steven Eargood, Hillsborough County, 11-CF-18990

Daniel Diner, Hillsborough County, 2016-CF-13503

Eliezer Tejada, Lake County, Case Number 20-CF-1261