Can a book really shape your career path? For Keeley Karatinos, it did. This episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast introduces Keeley, a criminal defense attorney and partner at Karatinos Law, who shares her unique journey inspired by a fictional book about a serial killer and a defense attorney. She takes us through her transition from a traditional law firm to establishing her own women-focused practice, where she emphasizes creating a nurturing environment for both clients and employees. Keeley’s story is a testament to how passion and vision can reshape an entire profession.
Navigating the complexities of DUI cases can be daunting, but Keeley sheds light on this critical aspect of criminal defense law. With DUIs making up a significant portion of her practice, she offers invaluable insights into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding these charges. From understanding the legal process to practical advice on traffic stops and the importance of knowing one's rights, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking clarity and guidance in the face of DUI charges.
But Keeley isn’t just about the law; she’s about life. She shares her thoughts on the human element behind judicial decisions, comparing court trials to battles that leave lasting impressions. Beyond the courtroom, Keeley reveals her love for roller skating and playing keyboard in a rock band, showing a fun and relatable side that sets her apart as an attorney. Her genuine interest in her clients' well-being, coupled with her commitment to providing holistic legal assistance, underscores why she’s not just a lawyer but a true advocate. Join us for an episode that blends legal insights with personal stories, offering both knowledge and inspiration.
Keeley’s legal philosophy is simple: She puts herself in her clients’ shoes. She often asks herself: ‘How far would I want my attorney to take my case?’ And her answer is always as far as possible. She is driven to get results and is unwavering when it comes to negotiating or litigating her clients’ cases in or out of court. She will be your legal advocate and will stand by you from the beginning until the end. She won’t judge you or think less of you. She understands that mistakes happen and that sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s why she is extremely aggressive in her approach.
Whether you are accused of committing crimes related to drugs, a sex crime, theft or domestic abuse or are seeking help for a probation violation, she will be the strong ally you need on your side. If you or a loved one has been severely injured in a personal injury accident involving a car crash or wrongful death, she will be a fierce advocate who will empower you, help you get your voice heard, and seek the compensation you need to recover and start anew. And, if you were arrested and are facing DUI or boating under the influence (BUI) charges, as a skilled trial attorney, she will leverage her extensive knowledge and experience in defending you.
Can a book really shape your career path? For Keeley Karatinos, it did. This episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast introduces Keeley, a criminal defense attorney and partner at Karatinos Law, who shares her unique journey inspired by a fictional book about a serial killer and a defense attorney. She takes us through her transition from a traditional law firm to establishing her own women-focused practice, where she emphasizes creating a nurturing environment for both clients and employees. Keeley’s story is a testament to how passion and vision can reshape an entire profession.
Navigating the complexities of DUI cases can be daunting, but Keeley sheds light on this critical aspect of criminal defense law. With DUIs making up a significant portion of her practice, she offers invaluable insights into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding these charges. From understanding the legal process to practical advice on traffic stops and the importance of knowing one's rights, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking clarity and guidance in the face of DUI charges.
But Keeley isn’t just about the law; she’s about life. She shares her thoughts on the human element behind judicial decisions, comparing court trials to battles that leave lasting impressions. Beyond the courtroom, Keeley reveals her love for roller skating and playing keyboard in a rock band, showing a fun and relatable side that sets her apart as an attorney. Her genuine interest in her clients' well-being, coupled with her commitment to providing holistic legal assistance, underscores why she’s not just a lawyer but a true advocate. Join us for an episode that blends legal insights with personal stories, offering both knowledge and inspiration.
Keeley’s legal philosophy is simple: She puts herself in her clients’ shoes. She often asks herself: ‘How far would I want my attorney to take my case?’ And her answer is always as far as possible. She is driven to get results and is unwavering when it comes to negotiating or litigating her clients’ cases in or out of court. She will be your legal advocate and will stand by you from the beginning until the end. She won’t judge you or think less of you. She understands that mistakes happen and that sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s why she is extremely aggressive in her approach.
Whether you are accused of committing crimes related to drugs, a sex crime, theft or domestic abuse or are seeking help for a probation violation, she will be the strong ally you need on your side. If you or a loved one has been severely injured in a personal injury accident involving a car crash or wrongful death, she will be a fierce advocate who will empower you, help you get your voice heard, and seek the compensation you need to recover and start anew. And, if you were arrested and are facing DUI or boating under the influence (BUI) charges, as a skilled trial attorney, she will leverage her extensive knowledge and experience in defending you.
(352)534-6391 FLNotGuilty.com
Speaker 1:
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Mike Sedita.
Speaker 2:
Hello, welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, mike Sedita, and today we're joined by a kind of a really cool guest, a criminal defense attorney, keeley Caratinos. She is the partner with Caratinos Law. Sorry, I put an N in there unnecessarily.
Speaker 3:
Thank you for the time.
Speaker 2:
Keely, thank you for being on. How are you doing today?
Speaker 3:
I'm great.
Speaker 2:
Thank you. So, just so you know a little bit about what the Good Neighbor Podcast is and how we got started and why we do what we do. In 2020, when everybody had to be socially distant, you couldn't go in a courtroom, you had to do everything via Zoom if you were doing it at all. The Good Neighbor podcast started just as a way for business owners, philanthropic groups, charities, to get their message out to the community and let people know what they had going on, and over the last four plus years, at this point, we've grown into a national brand. We have Good Neighbor podcasts in Denver, philadelphia, atlanta, everywhere in between. I'm here in the Tampa market, but I work with people all over Central Florida. So, with that being said, tell us a little bit about Caratinos Law.
Speaker 3:
So I opened my law firm in 2021, after working for a law firm that had been in business for 40 years. I learned from the absolute best, and when I opened up my law firm, I wanted to be a women focused firm in terms of who I employed, even though I I take on clients of both genders, obviously both genders, obviously but what I wanted was to build a business that I was proud of, that helped my clients and that, even though my practice is criminal defense, that I have a connection with my clients, that I can help them in court. I can help them in their lives, help them be introspective, connect them with any kind of services that they may need, so that they don't end up in my chair again needing representation for another case.
Speaker 2:
So, first and foremost, where is your actual firm located? You're in Sarasota.
Speaker 3:
No, I'm from Sarasota, born and raised. My firm is in Pasco County.
Speaker 2:
Okay, whereabouts in Pasco.
Speaker 3:
It's in Dade City, Florida. That's the county seat of Pasco.
Speaker 2:
You're right there by the courthouse up there in Dade City, exactly. Yeah, good place to be if you're a criminal defense attorney. And then you said you employ. Is it mostly women or 100% women?
Speaker 3:
Is it mostly women or 100% women? So I have employed a male before he moved on to another thing, but I have currently four full-time female employees.
Speaker 2:
And is the four employees? Are they other attorneys or paralegals and kind of like data staff? I mean, do you? Have other attorneys.
Speaker 3:
I'm the only attorney, so I have a chief operating officer, uh a lead legal assistant. Uh, I've got, uh, a legal intern. Actually, I've got, I've got one unpaid intern, so someone that is considering going to law school and wanting to know what the practice is like, and then I have a, uh, a secondary legal assistant.
Speaker 2:
So your intern for I mean you're not far from St Leo or do you get people all the way up from like? I mean you don't deal with people from the University of Florida or anything like that do you no.
Speaker 3:
So I have one from University of Tampa and I believe from UCF.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so you, you recruit. I mean UCF is Orlando right, so you, I mean that's a, you got people from all over, but there are local people that are in Dade City or interns that are going to school.
Speaker 3:
It's so interesting the way that it happens I don't actually recruit. I get reached out to and I truly believe in opening the doors of opportunity to people. If they want to know what the practice of law is like, they want to know what being a trial attorney is like, if they want empowerment, then I'm going to turn that off. I just noticed that my-.
Speaker 2:
That's okay. It happens all the time. We go off the cuff here, unlike a law firm where everything is structured and by the book. We're very lackadaisical here. We're very lackadaisical. I have a bulldog snoring underneath me right now, so all bets are off. So, um so your story, though I mean the obviously the empowering women thing, that's a big part of your story. So tell us, when you were a little girl playing on the playground, were you like like that like legal person that wanted to make sure law and order was kept, or were you? Did you have dreams of being a, you know, a ballerina or a doctor or something else? And law was kind of like the backup.
Speaker 3:
No, it's, it's weird. I was a, I was a bookworm and I loved fiction and I read this book by Philip Margolin called Gone but Not Forgotten, which was a story about a serial killer. I was like in third grade it was way beyond my years I shouldn't have read that, but it was about a serial killer and a criminal defense attorney and anyway, from then on I knew I wanted to be a criminal defense attorney.
Speaker 2:
So a couple of questions. Do you prefer fiction over nonfiction when you're reading? Yes, attorney. And so a couple questions. Do you prefer fiction over non-fiction when you're reading? Yes, because your, your career is very like real life, like non-fiction serious. You want that like a little bit of an escape to go into fiction absolutely escape.
Speaker 3:
but also I find that I can only read during vacations because I read all day long for legal research, a bunch of legal writing, uh, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is read or watch any show that has to do with attorneys.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so that was going to be my next question, actually. So like there are so many shows If you can't turn on discovery, tlc, like all those shows have snapped and a hundred other variations of like these murder cases that get put together, and then there's like the fiction of like Law and Order. Do you watch none of that? Like you cannot even, like you can't watch Law and Order because you're like, oh my god, this is so ridiculous that it gets done this way. And then do you watch, like what is your let me rephrase it what is your guilty pleasure of watching when you are unplugging? Housewives of Atlanta.
Speaker 3:
Okay, so no. So I just rewatched Ricky Gervais' Afterlife because it talks about really important life stuff. So even though it's a fiction and he's hilarious, it goes into deep stuff and so I just really like the psychology of humans pain, suffering, but also redemption and love.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so let's get into a little bit before I get a little more in your story. Besides reading fiction in third grade, that stemmed this career under the umbrella of, you know, criminal defense. I mean umbrella of criminal defense, I mean, is that everything I mean? Is there a garden variety? Is most of your stuff DUIs, or you don't even do DUIs? It's all assault and batteries and attempted murder. What is the main crux of criminal defense? What does it fall under?
Speaker 3:
So I'd say 50% of my practice is DUI defense, because I love DUI defense. I think that DUIs are the easiest way to charge somebody who has an odor of alcohol without any signs of impairment, and it happens all the time, and so it doesn't matter your race, your gender, your economic status, your education level. We as a state are very hard on people driving. You have had one beer and a smell of it and so, and it can ruin a person's life. Having a DUI conviction there's, it stays on your record for 75 years. You have FR 44 insurance for three years, which is extremely expensive.
Speaker 3:
There's a whole host of things that a person has to do to complete the sentence and so, and there's a stigma to it as well. And so there's people that that have been socialized and brainwashed into thinking that that they're a bad person if they get arrested for a crime, and that doesn't mean that they're going to be sentenced for the crime, but there's so many ways to defend against it, including going to trial and getting a not guilty verdict. But my main goal is to relieve people from feeling like they're a bad person because of, maybe, a lapse in judgment or maybe an overreach by government in arresting and truly pursuing a case that should never have been brought in the first place.
Speaker 2:
So what you're saying is essentially look, just because you get arrested, and then there's arresting, there's charging, there's indicting and then there's convicting. There's a whole process to go through and you're trying to make sure that people you're representing understand this is a process and you guide them through that process without losing their mind and losing sleep every night because of this stuff hanging over their head.
Speaker 3:
And then there are times where people really need help, and it's not just in the courtroom. They need inpatient treatment, treatment, outpatient treatment, grief counseling, um, anger management, uh, batters intervention, basically things to help them deal and cope with whatever they're fighting in the back of their mind, whatever past memories are haunting them. Uh, because typically, when it comes to alcohol and drugs, uh, that's not to feel good or to party, it's to feel less bad when you get deep down it's an escape, yeah.
Speaker 2:
So let me ask you this first offense, people. Again, I don't know anything unless the, unless the charge is so egregious and someone runs somebody over and it's a vehicular homicide, a first offense, dui is that like garden, is that easy to work through, like you can kind of get that I don't want to say dismissed, but you can get somebody into like a diversion type program if it's their first offense. It's the habitual people that it's tougher to defend, right well.
Speaker 3:
So no case is the same. It depends on what county you're in and it depends on the facts of the DUI. There are counties that do not have a diversion program. There are counties that do, and, for example so you're in Tampa Bay there's Hillsborough County, Pasco County. They both have diversion programs. Pinellas does not.
Speaker 1:
Pinellas doesn't.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, it's within the sixth judicial circuit. So Pasco and Pinellas have the same state attorney, and so they have their diversion program, which is called drop, and but the requirements and what makes someone ineligible for for the diversion program is more strident and stringent than in Hillsborough, and so you just have to know the water in which you swim as a criminal defense attorney. Basically.
Speaker 2:
Okay, and then I watch these videos, whether it's Instagram or Facebook Reels and all this stuff, and there are people that get pulled over. Like, there's a whole site devoted to this. Someone gets pulled over and the police officer asks for their ID. I actually just saw one, I think, this morning, on my way to the gym. Uh, when I was at the gym I wasn't driving and watching reels, but so, yeah, I caught myself. So, but at least now I know a defense attorney, so that's good. So, um, so, like these reels are, basically they're saying hey, show me your license and registration. And these drivers are giving pushback.
Speaker 2:
If there was one bit of advice, like, like you're saying you said a minute ago, like government, oh, you know, overstepping, or whatever the terminology, the phrasing you used was. Is there a time when someone could just like should someone say no, I don't want to take a breathalyzer test? Is that an easier way? Is that an easier defense? They're going to get locked up, but is it easier to get off? Like, what's the if you were? Because you, if someone gets pulled over for DUI, you want them to be, you're their first call, right? Like, call me before you do anything? Um, is there like, do you tell clients look, if you get pulled over and you think you're a little bit questionable, don't take a breathalyzer test, or you know like you refuse that. I mean, what's the suggestion? Or I guess every case is different, but do you have like a suggestion?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, so, so I, I truly believe in the constitution. Um, and you know, one of the myths that uh, or misconceptions that people have about uh, people that that either don't answer questions or don't submit to uh searches and seizures, is that, uh, that they have something to hide, and that's just not true. What they're doing is they're exercising the constitutional rights that we have, which is basement level rights that the framers of the constitution which is an overlap with our founding fathers they decided when we removed the yoke of our government overlords in England, that we wanted to ensure that people had the right to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of congregation. These are all, first Amendment, our plenary rights in the First Amendment. Second Amendment rights right to bear arms. Fourth Amendment is the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant based on probable cause. Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, not incriminate yourself, the right to have an attorney. All those things are very important and so, by exercising those rights, that doesn't mean that a person is guilty. What that means is we have the right to not have the government get up all in our business, in other words, and fought for that, our founding fathers fought for it, our framers put it in the constitution so the government couldn't violate those things.
Speaker 3:
And so if a person says, you know this is what happens, hi, I'm, I'm deputy, so-and-so. The reason why I pulled you over is for a tag light that was out. So where are you coming from tonight? Well, you know you can have my license and registration and proof of insurance, because all those, all those things are required. I would never tell somebody not to provide those things. When it comes to where am I coming from, that is an attempt to lull a driver into a conversation which could produce incriminating results. What if I was coming from a bar? Right. What if I was coming from hospice? Right, what if I was coming from hospice? Either way, it's none of that law enforcement officers, it's none of their business. And so by saying, you know, hey, listen, I'm, I respect what you do, always be respectful, because there is a there's a legitimate love for our civil servants If what they're doing is serving.
Speaker 2:
It's their job.
Speaker 3:
Right, so always assume that they're serving and you know thank you for for serving. I know that the what your job is, but I'm not going to answer any questions. Right, and so that's an exercise of your constitutional rights. You can't be penalized for it. Right, then, on, get your ticket and don't submit to any testing.
Speaker 3:
When it comes to breath testing, though, breath testing, they can't ask for that until after you're arrested, so it has to be subsequent to, or what the statute says is incidental to, lawful arrest is the request for breath testing. We impliedly consent to breath testing, not to field sobriety exercises, but to breath testing as drivers on the roads in Florida, and so a refusal to provide breath samples could be for many reasons. One, because you need to use the restroom and they won't let you use the restroom before you go and provide a breast sample. So most of the time, and what I see, that's not the law, but I see that a lot. Two, the breath testing machines used in the state of Florida is Intoxalizer 8000. That was the instrument that was approved by the Code of Federal Regulations in 2001.
Speaker 3:
I mean, I've got legal interns that are younger than the intoxilizers that are being used right now for scientific results of what alcohol content is on somebody's breath. And so what, when I think about breath testing, would I ever provide a breath sample? No, because I don't trust the machine. If there is no piece of technology that I use, that is 2001,. Not a single, not a single bit of technology, right?
Speaker 2:
There was no iPhone. For God's sake, there was no iPhone.
Speaker 3:
I know iPhone came out in 2007,. Right, and so I don't use an iPhone one. In fact, my husband had an iPhone five until AT&T sent him a brand new iPhone lowest on the line, but it was because he wasn't updating and they couldn't service his iPhone 5.
Speaker 2:
Right, right, so think of a machine from 2001. So what you're basically saying, though? The big thing, the takeaway really is unless you're being like, you don't have to submit to a breathalyzer test, unless you are being arrested, unless you've been arrested, and this is the other thing.
Speaker 3:
So they're going to scare you. They'll read you implied consent and, by the way, I'm not telling anybody not to. I understand that, yeah, I understand that. So. But they'll read something called implied consent warnings.
Speaker 3:
You know, at this time we're asking for breath samples, your first refusal will result in a license suspension of 12 months. If this is your second or subsequent refusal, then it'll be for 18 months. What they don't tell you is that you can fight that DMV suspension. So it's administrative suspension of your license. You have 10 days from the date of arrest and they issue you a DUI citation and it's either the suspension you'll get suspended for six months if it's your first time providing a breast sample over 0.08. And then 12 months if you refuse, 18 months if it's your second refusal. So, 10 days from the date of your arrest, you have the right to fight this administrative suspension. And why not fight this administrative suspension? Because if you win, that whole suspension gets off of your license and if you lose, you still have the same suspension that you would have before.
Speaker 3:
But they don't tell you that you have the right to fight it. So people provide breath samples even when they don't know if the machine is calibrated correctly, don't know if the machine is providing scientifically reliable results. And even if they blew a 0.00, law enforcement cannot uncuff them and say oops, I made a mistake, you weren't DUI, so we're going to let you out of the jail. No, they have to, by law, hold you in custody for eight hours. Even if you had no illegal substances in your system and no alcohol in your system and the arrest could have been based on a misperceived medical condition, they still have to keep you in custody for eight hours.
Speaker 2:
Well, that's the thing for me. And again, I kind of teased it a minute ago about SVU and watching these cop shows. I've watched so many Chicago PDs and SVUs that watching the cops be tricky when they talk to people makes me not want to say anything. Here's my license. I wasn't doing anything, you know, like I just don't want to, like I nervous about saying anything because it could get twisted around. But again, that's, that's fiction, but not the kind of fiction that you enjoy. So let me ask you.
Speaker 3:
It's really something you said interests me, because there is an expectation socially that we are to never lie to cops, right. And then there is also an expectation that cops don't lie to us, even though we watch these shows and we see cops lie to suspects all the time your buddy in there and the other interrogation rooms.
Speaker 2:
He's going to tell on you.
Speaker 3:
And so they are permitted by law to lie to suspects to get incriminating statements he's going to tell on you Not at all. But why we allow it, I don't know. I don't think it's right, but it's something that people don't think about.
Speaker 2:
Well, it keeps you in business because if people get you know, if I blow a zero point, zero, zero and I have to sit in jail for eight hours or the machine's not calibrated right, that gives you ammunition to be able to get those people off. Right? I'm assuming there must be detailed records for every. I mean maybe not assuming there must be detailed records for every. I mean maybe not. Maybe I'm like too optimistic, but I would think every one of those machines from 2001 has some sort of service record and as a criminal defense attorney, you can pull that up and somehow see if it's been calibrated properly. Or am I just being overly optimistic on that?
Speaker 3:
I think you're being overly optimistic. So so there are, there are records. But I mean we're talking about government actors here, and so I'm I'm pretty cynical of the government, and I think that most people should be. I don't. When it comes to the criminal law, it's the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person they're accusing of a crime actually committed a crime. It's not trust the government beyond a reasonable doubt, and so when I look at the Florida's administrative rules relating to the maintenance of these breath test machines, it's kind of a joke and they write their own rules. So the alcohol testing problem with within the florida department of law enforcement, they write their own rules that regulate the breath testing machine. So you know, they can make it as lenient or stringent as they want, and so fdle has chosen to to make it lenient and so do you know?
Speaker 2:
I mean, do you know when you're going to court, like I understand that you know the rules have a spectrum, like you know the way they operate has a spectrum there. But when you're going to court and you see the judge that you have on the docket, like are there times that you're just like, oh crap, there is no way, this judge is going to be just hard ball. Or are there other judges that are like you know what you know? Hey, keely, is this a first, like I mean they're a little bit more amenable when in the process, I mean, do you know that going in where, like if you're going into a bunch of cases and you, you know who you're dealing with, do you have everybody kind of I mean, judges are there forever, right, they're there for life. So you kind of run.
Speaker 3:
Those are federal judges that are for life in the state of Florida. Because I do state court criminal defense as opposed to federal court criminal defense, because there's two different court systems, the I do take into account who the judge is, because they're humans, you know, when we think about the law. Uh, for me, one of the symbols is lady justice, who is blindfolded. In a perfect world, justice would be blind and justice would include justice, but in like a, in a weird, um you know, existential way. Uh, can we truly have justice? I don't think so, but but we try to do it the best that we can. And so judges, you know, when you practice enough, what their quirks are, what they focus on, what's important to them. They're all human, they're all doing the best that they can.
Speaker 3:
I respect that I go in front of, and I hope that they respect the constitution and guard it jealously, because that's really what I want. It's okay for people who are not innocent in a crime to get away with the crime, because our justice system was built on the notion that it's better to allow a hundred guilty people go free than to have one innocent person be in prison, and it's the constitution that protects that ideal of we need to not have, uh, basically, um, government malfeasance that allows for the uh getting evidence and being able to observe stuff and finding incriminating things by virtue of violating a person's constitutional rights. And so if we have judges that stand the line of you shall not pass when it comes to constitutional rights, then that's how we ensure that the system is working correctly, because if we can't trust the system, we're going to go into uh, uh.
Speaker 2:
So so let me ask you in the, in the three going on four years since you opened your practice, has there been, like there's probably a few. But is there one case where you helped a defendant and like, like you just go like that's, that's like my, that's like my, uh, you know, masterpiece. Like that? Like you walked out of court and you just felt like I just changed somebody's life, gave them a second chance or whatever. Is there any one? I mean, I don't know if you can, I mean if they're public, I don't know if they're, if you could talk about it or not, but is there one off the top of your head that you remember like that?
Speaker 3:
There's so many cases like that, uh, and it's because of of creating the client attorney relationship when, especially when you go to trial with somebody, uh, the only person standing between you and your client, uh, uh, is you, and then, and then, after the jury goes back to deliberation, the only only group or anything that is standing between your client and a prison sentence, jail sentence, is six to 12 people that are fulfilling their civic duty, and so it's the jurors that that, regardless. It's like I remember watching Band of Brothers when I was going to University of Florida Go Gators and that camaraderie like going to war.
Speaker 3:
Oh yeah, the Battle of the Bulge, that whole scene, yeah that's what it's like going to trial and coming back with a not guilty verdict. And it's even like that, even when you come back with a guilty verdict sometimes, because you lay it all out on the line and you, when you connect with the jurors and you tell your client's story, um, and it's my clients aren't just paychecks, they aren't just uh cases, uh, they aren't just cases, they aren't just stacks of paper on my desk. They're people with real lives, real goals, real feelings and just like, just like every one of us. And so you can't go through a crucible trial and not feel like you changed somebody's life.
Speaker 2:
So we've talked for almost 30 minutes on the legal side of what you do and it's super interesting to me because there's so many intricacies in the law, like there's case log of case log that you could just read for months. I mean, probably in law school you read for months and years and there's so many different roads you could go down. The one follow-up question I had to everything. I mean you said a lot, but when you were in school you said you were like a bookworm. What was your favorite subject in school? Was it history? Was it civics? I mean, what was your favorite subject that you dove into?
Speaker 3:
Math, math.
Speaker 2:
That's interesting.
Speaker 3:
Because there's a right answer.
Speaker 2:
Always the right answer. Math is math right.
Speaker 3:
There's no room for interpretation so that was a boring answer.
Speaker 2:
I just love that I'm the same way I mean, my background is I've worked in financial services for 20 years before I started doing marketing and advertising and all that stuff. So I I like the the um, the consistency of math. It just works the way it's going to work. Uh, the other question I had for you is I mean, we've talked about all this heady like high frequency stuff. What do you do when you're you said you like to go on vacation and read, but what do you do when you said you're you and your husband? You mentioned your husband. You guys, what do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:
So so what I personally do for fun is roller skate. It's my favorite thing Quadsads, not blades, um, but I still, I still love my brothers and sisters on blades don't get me wrong, but I just love quads like you're talking, like disco era roller skates, all right.
Speaker 2:
All right, do you like the leg warmers and the headband and everything?
Speaker 3:
no, I just go, um, I try and find people that have uh, you know that they either want to get in shape or have kids and and need a babysitter. Because I don't like going by myself, because it's literally just a skating rink full of little children and I feel weird being by myself as a 40-year-old woman, just this is best Kids kids.
Speaker 2:
I'm in my disco era. No, no, my husband is an adult night.
Speaker 3:
That's what I want to petition for an adult night. So, um, but my husband and I were part of a band. He's the the drummer, I'm a keyboardist and it's called the dade city dogs. And, um, what?
Speaker 2:
kind of music does the dade city dogs play?
Speaker 3:
rock and roll to alternative rock.
Speaker 2:
It's, it's great, it's and where do you guys? I mean, where do you gig out at? Where do you guys gig out at? Where do you guys go to?
Speaker 3:
Saturday night we just played at the Dog Pound Sports Bar and Arcade in Zephyrhills, Florida, june 15th they're playing at the Vibe. I'm going to be in another country on a family thing.
Speaker 2:
Wait a minute. The band band's gonna play at the vibe on june 15th with no keyboardist and no drummer I'm really not that important.
Speaker 3:
I play like one or two songs and it's just. I only do it because they want me to, but really I just want to dance. I don't want to play all right, so wait.
Speaker 2:
That leads me into we're kind of going along here, but what is the jam like when that jam starts in your set? When are you? You don't do keyboards on the roller skates, do you?
Speaker 3:
No, no, no.
Speaker 2:
You don't mix so what jam comes on and you are just like is it Ship Me All Night Long by ACDC? What are you getting crazy over?
Speaker 3:
You'd be surprised. There is a bunch of keyboard in the doors, crazy over. You'd be surprised there is a bunch of keyboard in the doors, um so uh, because they only had three, um, uh, three people that played music, so the keyboardist, uh, the guitarist and the drummer. They didn't have a bassist, so the keyboard, uh riders on the storm yeah, well, so uh, roadhouse blues oh that's a good one, yeah yeah, that's, that's one of the songs.
Speaker 3:
Right now I'm learning magic carpet ride. Uh. We've done it one time, so I don't know. It's just fun. It's fun, but I but what happens, uh, is when I get on the keyboard and I'm I bop around and dance all the time. It's my favorite. When I get on the keyboard, I I get so stressed out that I don't move at all and I'm like staring at the drummer to make sure that I'm on time. It's not fun.
Speaker 2:
You can't just play, you have to be in sync, yeah.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, I want them to find another keyboardist so I can dance.
Speaker 2:
So you could just hang out and be a groupie Would you actually use that terminology? Groupie, Right? So we know that you're leaving with the drummer every single night. That's kind of established. So what is? As you know, as we wrap this up, I don't want to keep you too much longer and you're not charging me by the 10 minute increment, like most lawyers do. But what would be the one thing? If people are listening to this like I took away what I think is the thing that resonated the most with me, which is you treat your clients like family. But what would you say is the one thing people need to know when they are calling you to you? Know for you to provide services that they need to know. That differentiates you from the other. I don't know 500 attorneys in Pasco County or more uh, what differentiates me is that I'm not.
Speaker 3:
I'm not interested, I'm not motivated by money. I'm not interested in taking a call just so that you can tell me what your charge is, you know your criminal charge, and so that I can tell you how much I'm going to charge you. It's not a one size fits all. I need to know who my client is. I need to know what their goals are. I need to know if they have a prior record. I need to know the facts of the case and I need to know who my client is. I need to know what their goals are. I need to know if they have a prior record. I need to know the facts of the case and I need to know if I like them, if I can find compassion or empathy for their situation, and if I can't, then it's a two-way street in representation. I can choose not to even quote somebody.
Speaker 3:
Cause if I don't like them, I don't.
Speaker 2:
my goal is to feel good every time I put my head on the on the pillow at night, and so that's a huge differentiator, because there are so many and I hate to use the term this way, but there just are so many sleazy attorneys that will take any case that comes across their desk. I mean, you see them I'm not going to point out any specific names, but there are just people that will take any case. It doesn't matter, come through the door, you know, put your bag of silver down and we'll represent you. The fact that you said I have to feel compassion to represent you and give you the best defense possible, that's an attorney with a heart and a conscience is. You know, usually those don't go together in a lot of sentences.
Speaker 2:
It's a bad stigma, it really is for attorneys, but that is kind of. I mean, there's more attorney jokes than there is attorneys. You know, that's just part of what, what goes along with it. If someone is getting into you know trouble right now and they're happening to listen to this podcast, what is the best way for them to get a hold of your firm?
Speaker 3:
They can call my office at 352-534-6391. My cell phone number, which they can call or text, is 941-243-1661. I have no problem with people calling or texting, but if it's not an emergency I wait until work hours.
Speaker 2:
Right. So so, folks, if you're listening to this, you're looking for an attorney that is going to take your case to heart and really help you get the defense that you need, find out what's going on with your case and really dive into the best defense for for your case and help you, you know, get beyond what's going on in court and get back to the things you need to do in life to make yourself better. Definitely, contact Keely. Maybe she'll break out the keyboard in the middle of some deposition and try to lighten the mood a little bit. Maybe not, maybe not. We were just throwing it out there to see, but you can contact her at three, five, two, five, three, four, six, three, nine1. We'll include all of her websites and socials and her cell phone number and all that stuff when we post this. Keely, thank you so much for being a good neighbor. Thank you so much for being on the Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3:
Thanks, mike, I really appreciate it. It was nice talking to you.
Speaker 2:
Nice talking to you too.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast PASCO. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppascocom. That's gnppascocom, or call 813-922-3610.