Jeffrey P. Cario

JEFFREY P. CARIO, born in Patchogue, New York, in 1962, admitted to bar, 1987, Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.S., 1984); Nova Law School (J.D., 1987). Member: While at Nova, Mr. Cario was the President of the American Association of Trial Lawyers for two years, Chief Prosecutor for the Honor Court and a member of the University's State and Regional Mock Trial Teams. After graduating from law school, Mr. Cario returned to Hernando County where he was raised and began his law practice as an Assistant State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. While at the State Attorney's Office, Mr. Cario specialized primarily in the Felony division. His trial experience ranges from simple infractions to prosecution of capital murder trials, sexual batteries, child abuse and drug related crimes. After leaving the State Attorney's Office in 1989, Mr. Cario began a private law practice in Spring Hill and Brooksville, primarily devoting his practice to matrimonial and family law litigation; criminal defense; and civil litigation. Mr. Cario is a member of both the Florida Bar and the Georgia Bar. He is admitted to practice in State Courts of Florida and Georgia, the United States District Courts for the Middle District of Florida, the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Cario is a Florida State certified family court mediator and is also Board Certified in Marital and Family Law. In addition to the practice of law, Mr. Cario was on the Board of Directors and attorney for the Dawn Center/Rape Crises-Spouse Abuse Shelter, former President of the American Heart Association Board of Directors, former Board of Directors of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a former member of MADD, former Director of the Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, former Chairman of the Board of Directors for Professional Therapy Center, Inc., and former Chairman of the Hernando County Republican Party Executive Committee, and former Charter Member of the Citrus-Hernando Inns of Court. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Jeffrey P. Cario included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Super Lawyers, 2006, 2008 - 2011, 2020 Who’s Who American Law Trailblazers Award, MADD of Florida, 1989 Top Lawyer in the Tampa Bay Area Board Certified Marital and Family Law Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2004 - 2005 Other Sources of Feedback About Jeffrey P. Cario Included on the 2026Florida Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Florida Super Lawyers list 2024 Florida Super Lawyers list 2023 Florida Super Lawyers list 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list 2021 Florida Super Lawyers list 2020 Florida Super Lawyers list 2011 Florida Super Lawyers list 2010 Florida Super Lawyers list 2009 Florida Super Lawyers list 2008 Florida Super Lawyers list 2006 Florida Super Lawyers list

• Owner

• State Attorney's Office, Fifth Circuit, Assistant State Attorney, 1987 - 1989
• Hogan & Cario, Partner, 1989 - 1990
• Hogan, Levine, Unice & Cario, Partner, 1990 - 1991
• Jeffrey P. Cario, Attorney at Law, Sole Practitioner, 1991 - 1994
• Tew, Zinober, Barnes, Zimmett, and Unice, Partner, 1995 - 2000
• General legal counsel, Fraternal Order of Police, Inc., Nature Coast Lodge Number 164 in Hernando and Citrus Counties, 2009 – present
• Languages
• English

• President, 1999 – 2001, Vice President, 1996 – 1999, American Heart Association, Hernando County
• Director, Board of Directors, Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, 1991-2001 and 2005 – 2009
• Past Director, Human Rights Coalition of Hernando County
• Past Director, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Hernando County
• Past Director, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Y.E.S. Program
• Past Board of Governors, Dawn Center Spouse Abuse Shelter
• Past Instructor, Teen Leadership
• Representative Clients
• Fraternal Order of Police

• Florida, 1987
• Georgia, 2006
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1992
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1988
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
• Specialties and Certifications
• Marital and Family Law, Florida Bar, 1996
• Family Mediator, Supreme Court of Florida, 1995

• Florida Bar (Member, Family Law Section & Criminal Law Section)
• Hernando County Bar Association (Member)
• The Florida Bar (Member)
• State Bar of Georgia (Member)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Chi Phi