David C. Hardy

Top rated DUI-DWI attorney in Tampa, Florida

The Hardy Law Firm, P.A.

Practice areas: DUI-DWI

Licensed in Florida since: 2003

Education: Suffolk University Law School

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2026

The Hardy Law Firm, P.A.

1710 N 19th St
Suite 215
Tampa, FL 33605 Phone: 813-734-7190 Email: David C. Hardy Visit website

David C. Hardy – Board-Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer

David C. Hardy is a Tampa-based attorney specializing in DUI defense, Florida criminal defense, and federal criminal defense. He is one of fewer than 20 criminal defense lawyers in Florida to hold dual Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law from both The Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy — a distinction earned by less than one percent of attorneys.

Attorney Hardy earned his law degree from Suffolk University Law School, graduating in the top four percent of his class and receiving multiple honors, including the Best Oral Advocate Award and The Paul McLaughlin Memorial Prosecutor Fellowship. Before becoming a defense attorney, he served more than five years as an Assistant State Attorney in Hillsborough County, where he prosecuted thousands of cases ranging from DUI to first-degree felonies.

In 2010, he founded The Hardy Law Firm, P.A., where he has focused on DUI and criminal defense for over 15 years. His work has earned the highest peer ratings from Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent) and AVVO (10.0 Superb). In 2019, his article Simon a Slave v. the State of Florida was featured on the cover of the Florida Bar Journal.

Attorney Hardy has also taught law at the college level for a decade, covering constitutional law and criminal procedure, and he is fluent in Spanish, allowing him to serve clients directly in their native language. In federal courts, his experience spans international extradition, drug trafficking, health care fraud, immigration offenses, bank fraud, racketeering, and firearms charges. He has represented clients in federal trial and appellate courts in Florida, Texas, and Georgia, and in 2025, he filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court.

First Admitted: 2002, Rhode Island

Professional Webpage: https://www.thehardylawfirm.com/attorney-profile/

Bar / Professional Activity

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys , 2014
Member of the Florida Bar since 2003 Member of the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar since 2012 (approximate) , 2003

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

Appellate Win - In a recent appeal from the federal district court in Tampa to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, attorney Hardy argued that the district court judge imposed a sentence upon his client which was unlawful. The Defendant had been convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the time of the offense, this offense carried a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. However, because the Defendant had three prior Florida drug convictions, the district court applied the federal Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which increased the defendant's sentence to more than 22 years. Attorney Hardy argued to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals that the three Florida convictions could not be used to trigger the enhanced ACCA penalty. The appellate court agreed, and overturned the sentence. The result was that the defendant's sentence was reduced from 22 years to 10 years. , 2025
First Degree Felony with 10 Year Minimum Mandatory Prison Sentence Dismissed Attorney Hardy's client was charged by police with committing an aggravated battery while in possession of a firearm. The minimum mandatory sentence in this case was 10 years Florida State prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison. Attorney Hardy hired a retired police officer to investigate the incident, and attorney Hardy personally visited the scene of the alleged incident. Within two months, Attorney Hardy was able to use Florida's Stand your Ground Law to convince the prosecution to drop the case against attorney Hardy's client. , 2021
Federal Case Dismissed - Attorney Hardy's client was charged with an offense that carried a 15 year minimum mandatory federal prison sentence. Attorney Hardy investigated the facts of the case. He hired a retired police officer to assist him in that investigation. Attorney Hardy then researched, drafted, and argued a motion to suppress evidence before the federal district court. After an evidentiary hearing, the district court judge granted the motion to suppress, and the case was dismissed. , 2022
DUI Case Dismissed. Attorney Hardy's client was accused of DUI. Upon review of the police report in this case, it appeared that the defendant would have to plead guilty to DUI. However, attorney Hardy carefully scrutinized the various body camera videos and the police patrol car video, and discovered evidence which led to the dismissal of the DUI charges. , 2024

Videos

Attorney Hardy explains his background, experience, and qualifications as a DUI and criminal law attorney. , Attorney David C. Hardy, 2020
El abogado David HardyEl Licenciado David C. Hardy es perito en derecho procesal penal. El ejerce en los ámbitos de defensa penal federal, defensa penal de la Florida y defensa de DUI (Conducir bajo efectos de alcohol/sustancias). En este video, los clientes del abogado David evalúan el trabajo que David brinda. , Esto es lo que dicen los clientes de David Hardy de él, 2020
Un arresto por DUI (Conducir bajo los efectos de una sustancia) es traumático. La mayoría de aquellos arrestados por DUI nunca han tenido roces con el sistema jurídico penal, y mucho menos han sido esposados y llevados a la cárcel. Si usted o un ser querido ha sido arrestado por DUI, yo tengo el conocimiento, las destrezas y experiencia para orientarlo a través de este proceso y obtener los mejores resultados posibles. Este video le va a explicar 7 cosas que usted necesita saber sobre su caso de DUI ahora mismo. , 7 cosas que usted necesita saber sobre su caso de DUI, 2019
El Abogado David Hardy tiene la experiencia, educación, y destreza para manejar tu caso penal. Se pone las pilas en cada caso. Defienda los derechos de sus clientes con esmero. , El Abogado David Hardy, 2020
Attorney Hardy's Clients Review his Services , Attorney Hardy's Clients Review his Services, 2020

Representative Clients

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme CourtMario Maximo Medina-Quijije, Petitioner v. United States of AmericaUnited States Supreme Court Case #24-7511, 2025

Special Licenses / Certifications

Florida Bar Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law , 2010
National Board of Trial Advocacy - Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law , 2014

Pro bono / Community Service

United States Peace Corps, 2000 - 2002, Honduras, Central America, Municipal Government Development Sector, 2000
Attorney Mentor - Middle District of Florida - Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney The federal district court in the Middle District of Florida has selected attorney David C. Hardy to serve as an attorney mentor in that court's Tampa Division. In that capacity, attorney Hardy makes himself available to provide guidance to newer criminal justice act panel attorneys who are practicing federal criminal law in the Middle District of Florida. , 2025

Honors

AV Rating, Martindale-Hubble, 2014
Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2025

Educational Background

B.A., Providence College, 1985-1989
J.D., Suffolk University Law School, 1996-2000
M.Ed., Boston College, 1990-1992

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

Journal Cover, Feature Article, Simon a Slave v. the State of Florida. Attorney Hardy's article has been cited in other scholarly writings, to include the Northwestern University Law Review, Vol. 118, No. 4 (2025). , Author, Simon a Slave v. The State of Florida, The Florida Bar Journal, 2019
Training police in the Honduran Criminal Procedure Code: Prior to February 2002, Honduran judges adjudicated criminal cases through a series of written interrogatories and answers with prosecutors and defense attorneys. In February 2002, Honduras adopted a new criminal procedure code. Under the new code, criminal trials are oral. In May 2001, Mr. Hardy attended a three-day seminar with Honduran attorneys and judges. The seminar, presented by the Honduran Bar Association and the United States Department of Justice, involved an analysis of the new code and a series of mock trials. Shortly after the seminar, Mr. Hardy began a project to train Honduran police officers in the new criminal procedure code. The training consisted of an analysis of the weaknesses of the previous code, an introduction to the new code and a mock trial. During his service, Mr. Hardy trained approximately 120 police officers. Additionally, Mr. Hardy adapted the seminar for secondary school students and trained approximately 440 students. , Speaker, Honduran Legal Reform Training, Republic of Honduras, Republic Of Honduras And U.S. Peace Corps, 2002
From 2008 until 2018, I was a member for the adjunct faculty at Hillsborough Community College. The courses I taught included American Government, U.S. Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure. As an adjunct faculty member, I wrote numerous articles for the college's publication, "Criminal Justice Today." , Professor of Law, Adjunct Faculty, Hillsborough Community College, Hillsborough Community College, 2018
Attorney Hardy made a presentation at the University of Hartford's Foreign Visiting Students' Program concerning the Patriot Act. , Speaker, The Patriot Act, The University of Hartford - Foreign Visiting Students' Program, The University Of Hartford, 2005
Attorney Hardy trained sworn law enforcement officers regarding effective strategies to testify at trial. , Speaker, Criminal Justice Institute Conference on Law Enforcement Case Preparation, Hillsborough Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy, Hillsborough Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy, 2015
Attorney Hardy spoke at the University of Tampa's Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice regarding the legacy of the Supreme Court's 1966 decision in Miranda v. Arizona. , Speaker, Miranda Rights and Custodial Interrogation, The University of Tampa, The University Of Tampa, 2020

Firm News (Newsletters)

If you have been arrested for DUI in the Tampa Bay area, this article will guide you on the steps you should take to protect your rights. , What to do After a DUI Arrest in Tampa, Florida
The case of Miranda v. Arizona changed criminal law in the United States in a profound way. This article explains how the case came about, and how the case is still relevant today. , What are Miranda Rights and Who Was Ernesto Mirando
A second DUI within five years of a previous DUI conviction can result in mandatory jail time. If you have been accused of a second DUI within 5 years of a previous DUI conviction, this article explains what you need to know right now. , Second DUI in Tampa, Florida - What You Need to Know
If you have refused a Florida DUI breath test, you need to understand your options with respect to both the Florida DHSMV administrative case, and the criminal case in court. This article will help., What Happens if You Refuse a Breathalyzer in Florida
If you have been charged with a Florida DUI, getting the case dismissed or reduced may be an option. This article provides more information on how a DUI case may get reduced to reckless driving. , How to Get a DUI Reduced to Reckless Driving in Tampa
Sometimes, there's no way around a Florida DUI conviction. Regardless, there are strategies to lessen the consequences of a DUI conviction. This article explains those strategies. , How to Minimize the Consequences of a Florida DUI Conviction