Joshua Lopes Monteiro

Joshua L. Monteiro is a Florida criminal defense attorney and shareholder at Sammis Law Firm, where he is the firm’s go-to attorney for DUI and DUI manslaughter, injunction defense, risk protection orders, firearm rights restoration, juvenile defense, solicitation offenses, and serious sex crimes.

He regularly represents clients throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota and surrounding Central Florida counties.

Joshua brings a rare combination of courtroom experience, practical judgment, and strategic insight developed through years of defending complex, high-stakes criminal cases. He joined Sammis Law Firm in early 2020 and became a shareholder and co-owner in late 2023.

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, criminal traffic offenses, and first-appearance hearings. In circuit court, he defended clients charged with serious felony offenses such as drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and sexual battery, gaining extensive experience in pretrial motion practice, evidentiary hearings, and trial preparation.

This background gives Joshua a deep understanding of how judges evaluate injunctions, bond determinations, suppression issues, and risk-based allegations. He is particularly sought out in cases involving risk protection orders, firearm possession and purchase denials, concealed weapon license issues, and injunction proceedings where constitutional rights and long-term consequences are at stake.

Joshua also brings valuable civil litigation experience to his criminal defense practice. He previously worked for a prominent Miami insurance defense firm, where he handled personal injury defense, first-party property insurance litigation, and appellate matters. This civil background enhances his ability to analyze evidentiary issues, credibility disputes, and complex records, particularly in sex crimes and DUI manslaughter cases where expert testimony and technical evidence play a central role.

In addition to his courtroom work, Joshua is deeply engaged in the legal and business communities. He serves 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 proud member of the Tampa Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Joshua’s leadership extends well beyond the practice of law. He served more than 29 years in the United States Army, on both active and reserve duty. Enlisting during high school, he attended Infantry Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and later served as an Air Defense Crew Member at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Camp Casey, Korea. After earning a Green to Gold scholarship, Joshua was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 2002.

In 2003, Joshua deployed to Iraq as a platoon leader responsible for securing Baghdad International Airport. He later deployed twice more in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2022 as a Major. His military service informs his disciplined, strategic approach to litigation and his ability to guide clients through high-pressure situations with clarity and confidence.