Gray Thomas

D. Gray Thomas

Curriculum Vitae

View Gray Thomas's CV

Sample Oral Arguments

Lennart Koo v. State in the Supreme Court of Florida (10/06/2015)
Long v. State in the Florida First District Court of Appeal (1/14/2014)
Koo v. State in the Florida First District Court of Appeal (9/17/2013)
St. Johns River Power Park/Scibal Associates v. Griffis in the Florida First District Court of Appeal (8/31/2010)
Hendricks v. State in the Florida First District Court of Appeal (2/23/2010)
Menefee v. State in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal (3/19/2008)
Buchanan v. State in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal (3/14/2006)

D. Gray Thomas

Gray Thomas practices criminal defense in federal and state courts, as well as representing clients in bar discipline and bar admission cases. Since being admitted to practice in both Florida and Georgia in 1992, he also has extensively litigated civil rights cases. He has achieved a Martindale-Hubbell rating of "AV-Preeminent" and is recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: General Practice, and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. He also has been recognized as a Florida Legal Elite by Florida Trend magazine and a Florida Super Lawyer in Criminal Defense.

Gray opened a firm as a sole practitioner in 2011, and while he continues to maintain a separate practice, he also joined Creed & Gowdy in 2013 in an of counsel capacity. Prior to opening his own firm, he practiced with the renowned criminal defense, civil rights and appellate firm Sheppard, White, Thomas & Kachergus.

A North Carolina native, Gray grew up in Georgia before obtaining his undergraduate degree, cum laude, in history at Washington University in St. Louis. After a decade-long career as a newspaper journalist, he earned a law degree, with honors, at the University of Florida, where he was named to membership in the Order of the Coif.

Notable Cases

  • Long v. State, 151 So. 3d 498 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014) Reversed conviction for child sexual abuse because of inherently prejudicial effect on jury of behavior at trial by members of "Bikers Against Child Abuse."
  • Alessi v. State, 969 So. 2d 430 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007) Vacated a murder conviction because of ineffective assistance of counsel provided by defense lawyer before and during trial.
  • Buchanan v. State, 927 So. 2d 209 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006) Reversed bail bondsman's conviction and twenty-five year mandatory prison sentence for aggravated assault with a firearm while trying to recapture a fugitive because he was denied the proper number of challenges to remove prospective jurors.
  • Chappell v. Rich, 340 F. 3d 1279 (11th Cir. 2003) Challenged dismissal of civil rights lawsuit by children of murder victim where law enforcement cover-up evidence tampering prevented them from discovering the truth before the statute of limitations expired.  Mr. Thomas presented oral argument for victims' attorney who had filed briefs.