Joshua L. Monteiro
Joshua L. Monteiro is a Florida criminal defense attorney and shareholder at Sammis Law Firm whose practice is heavily focused on DUI defense and serious traffic-related criminal cases, including felony DUI and DUI manslaughter. He represents clients throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, and surrounding Central Florida counties.
Joshua is frequently retained in DUI cases where the outcome turns on technical evidence, procedural compliance, and the credibility of law enforcement officers. His DUI defense work includes challenging traffic stops, roadside investigations, field sobriety exercises, breath and blood testing, and law enforcement compliance with Florida’s DUI statutes and administrative rules. He regularly litigates suppression issues and evidentiary motions that can determine whether a DUI case proceeds to trial.
In DUI manslaughter and serious vehicular homicide cases, Joshua defends clients facing life-altering allegations and severe sentencing exposure. These cases often involve accident reconstruction, toxicology evidence, expert testimony, and complex causation issues. Joshua’s ability to analyze technical records and cross-examine expert witnesses plays a central role in defending clients accused of the most serious DUI-related offenses.
Joshua began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in both the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County and the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pasco County. In county court, he handled a high volume of misdemeanor cases, including DUIs and criminal traffic offenses, gaining firsthand experience with DUI investigations, first-appearance hearings, and pretrial motion practice. In circuit court, he defended clients charged with serious felony offenses, further developing the courtroom skills necessary to handle felony DUI and DUI manslaughter cases.
Before joining Sammis Law Firm in early 2020, Joshua also gained valuable civil litigation experience at a prominent Miami insurance defense firm. He handled personal injury defense, first-party property insurance litigation, and appellate matters. This civil background enhances his DUI defense practice, particularly in cases involving accident-related injuries, causation disputes, and expert-driven evidence common in DUI manslaughter prosecutions.
In addition to DUI defense, Joshua represents clients in related criminal matters, including injunction defense, risk protection orders, firearm-related offenses, juvenile cases, solicitation offenses, and serious felony allegations. He became a shareholder and co-owner of Sammis Law Firm in late 2023.
Joshua is actively involved in the legal community, serving as a Board Member of the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a Founding Member and Board Director of the Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce, and General Counsel for the George Edgecomb Bar Association. He is also a member of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), an organization that focused on training and support for many of the top DUI defense attorneys across the county.
Joshua also brings a disciplined, strategic approach to litigation shaped by more than 29 years of service in the United States Army, including multiple overseas deployments. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2022 with the rank of Major. His military leadership experience informs his ability to guide clients through high-pressure DUI investigations and criminal proceedings with clarity, preparation, and confidence.
