The Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s Office is dedicated to defending our clients with compassion and vigor.
The Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s Office is dedicated to defending our clients with compassion and vigor.
The Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s Office is dedicated to defending our clients with compassion and vigor.
Our Mission
The United States Supreme Court has held that our constitutional right to a fair trial includes the right to effective legal representation—whether we can afford an attorney or not. To serve that end, Federal Public Defender’s offices have been established nationwide. Founded in 1971, we are proud to be one of the oldest public defender’s offices in the country.
The Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s Office represents clients who have been charged with a federal crime and who cannot afford to hire a private defense attorney. Each attorney is appointed to represent his or her client by the Court. We are passionate in our mission to provide effective legal representation, and are dedicated to defending our clients with compassion and vigor.
Our main office is in Miami, with branch offices in Fort Lauderdale (30 miles north), West Palm Beach (75 miles north), Fort Pierce (125 miles north) and Key West (179 miles south). We defend a diverse range of criminal charges including drug crimes, tax law violations, firearms offenses, bank robbery, racketeering, bank fraud, environmental crimes, and computer-based offenses. We are also appointed to represent clients in extradition, post-conviction, and treaty transfer proceedings.
We understand that navigating the legal system is a stressful and difficult process for our clients and their families. Our website is designed to bring a sense of transparency and accessibility to this process.
Our Mission
The United States Supreme Court has held that our constitutional right to a fair trial includes the right to effective legal representation—whether we can afford an attorney or not. To serve that end, Federal Public Defender’s offices have been established nationwide. Founded in 1971, we are proud to be one of the oldest public defender’s offices in the country.
The Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s Office represents clients who have been charged with a federal crime and who cannot afford to hire a private defense attorney. Each attorney is appointed to represent his or her client by the Court. We are passionate in our mission to provide effective legal representation, and are dedicated to defending our clients with compassion and vigor.
Our main office is in Miami, with branch offices in Fort Lauderdale (30 miles north), West Palm Beach (75 miles north), Fort Pierce (125 miles north) and Key West (179 miles south). We defend a diverse range of criminal charges including drug crimes, tax law violations, firearms offenses, bank robbery, racketeering, bank fraud, environmental crimes, and computer-based offenses. We are also appointed to represent clients in extradition, post-conviction, and treaty transfer proceedings.
We understand that navigating the legal system is a stressful and difficult process for our clients and their families. Our website is designed to bring a sense of transparency and accessibility to this process.
Legal News & Updates
United States v. Alhindi, No. 24-10595 (11th Cir. Dec. 23, 2024)
In United States v. Alhindi, No. 24-10595 (11th Cir. Dec. 23, 2024) (C.J. Pryor, Jordan & Marcus), the Court dismissed Mr. Alhindi’s second appeal* of his confinement under 18 U.S.C. § 4241 as moot, because the underlying criminal indictment had been dismissed during the pendency of the appeal, after the district court’s finding that Mr. [...]
United States v. Gonzalez, No. 23-10578 (July 19, 2024)
In United States v. Gonzalez, No. 23-10578 (July 19, 2024) (Wilson, Luck, Lagoa), the Court affirmed Mr. Gonzalez’s conviction, in accordance with his guilty plea, for possessing stolen mail in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708. Mr. Gonzalez, based on a 911 complainant’s report and Miami-Dade police officers’ subsequent observations, was arrested for loitering and prowling—a misdemeanor [...]
United States v. Steiger, No. 22-10742 (July 16, 2024)
In United States v. Steiger, No. 22-10742 (July 16, 2024) (CJ Pryor, J. Pryor, Coogler of N.D. Ala.), the Court (on remand from the en banc Court) affirmed Mr. Steiger’s twenty-year-prison sentence, which the district court imposed upon revoking Mr. Steiger’s original sentence of probation for four wire-fraud-related convictions. The revocation stemmed from Mr. Steiger's intervening state-court [...]