The State Attorney is the chief prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which includes both Pinellas and Pasco counties. He represents the state of Florida in that judicial court, and prosecutes or defends lawsuits, applications, or motions, whether civil or criminal, on behalf of the state. The State Attorney also handles some civil cases and it is the job of the State Attorney to review charges and complaints to determine whether they warrant prosecution and trial.

In addition to these duties, the State Attorney provides legal advice to law enforcement agencies within the circuit, working with the agencies to provide in-service training. The Office of the State Attorney handles over 132,000 criminal prosecution referrals annually, including felonies, misdemeanors and juveniles.