The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (in case citations, S.D. Fla. or S.D. Fl.) is the federal United States district court with territorial jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida.[1]
Appeals from cases brought in the Southern District of Florida are to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
History
On the same day that Florida was admitted as a state, March 3, 1845, Congress enacted legislation creating the United States District Court for the District of Florida, 5 Stat. 788.[2][3] On February 23, 1847, this District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts, by 9 Stat. 131.[2][3] The statute effecting this division set forth the boundaries of the Districts:
- [T]hat part of the State of Florida lying south of a line drawn due east and west from the northern point of Charlotte Harbor, including the islands, keys, reefs, shoals, harbors, bays and inlets, south of said line, shall be erected into a new judicial district, to be called the Southern District of Florida; a District Court shall be held in said Southern District, to consist of one judge, who shall reside at Key West, in said district...
On July 30, 1962 the Middle District was created from portions of these districts by 76 Stat. 247.[3]
Famous cases that have been heard in the district include Bush v. Gore, United States v. Noriega (the prosecution of the former Manuel Noriega), González v. Reno (the Elián González case), notorious Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, and United States v. José Padilla (the prosecution of José Padilla).
Jurisdiction
The court's jurisdiction comprises the nine counties of Broward, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie. The district includes the South Florida metropolitan area of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. It comprises 15,197 square miles (39,360 km2) and approximately 6.3 million people. Courthouses, corresponding to the five divisions of the district, are located in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Key West, Miami, and West Palm Beach. The court's offices are located in Miami.
United States Attorney and United States Marshal
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney for the district is Wifredo A. Ferrer.
On February 12, 2014 Amos Rojas, Jr. was confirmed to be the United States Marshal.[4]
Current judges
The Court has 18 authorized judgeships, filled by judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This federal district has the dubious distinction of having had more judges removed through impeachment than any other district, with a total of two, one-third of all federal district judges so removed.
The District Judges (active and senior) sitting are:
Vacancies and pending nominations
Former judges
Succession of seats
Seat 1 |
Seat established on February 23, 1847 by 9 Stat. 131 |
Marvin |
1847–1863 |
Boynton |
1864–1870 |
McKinney |
1870–1871 |
Locke |
1872–1912 |
Cheney |
1912–1913 |
Call |
1913–1927 |
Ritter |
1929–1936 |
Holland |
1936–1955 |
Lieb |
1955–1962 |
Seat reassigned to the Middle District of Florida on October 29, 1962 by 76 Stat. 247 |
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Seat 2 |
Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) |
Jones |
1924–1930 |
Seat abolished on June 7, 1930 (Temporary judgeship expired) |
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Seat 3 |
Seat established on January 17, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1081 |
Akerman |
1929–1939 |
Barker |
1940–1959 |
McRae, Jr. |
1961–1962 |
Seat reassigned to the Middle District of Florida on October 29, 1962 by 76 Stat. 247 |
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Seat 4 |
Seat established on June 27, 1930 by 46 Stat. 820 |
Strum |
1931–1950 |
Simpson |
1950–1962 |
Seat reassigned to the Middle District of Florida on October 29, 1962 by 76 Stat. 247 |
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Seat 5 |
Seat established on May 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 (temporary, concurrent with Northern District) |
Waller |
1940–1943 |
DeVane |
1943–1947 |
Seat reassigned solely to Northern District and made permanent on October 1, 1947 pursuant to 54 Stat. 219 |
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Seat 6 |
Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 (concurrent with Northern District) |
Whitehurst |
1950–1961 |
Seat assigned concurrently to the Middle District on July 30, 1962 pursuant to 76 Stat. 247 |
Young |
1961–1966 |
Seat reassigned solely to the Middle District on September 17, 1966 pursuant to 80 Stat. 75 |
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Seat 13 |
Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 |
King |
1970–1992 |
Lenard |
1995–present |
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Seat 14 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Davis |
1979–2000 |
Martinez |
2002–present |
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Seat 15 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Kehoe |
1979–1992 |
Middlebrooks |
1997–present |
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Seat 16 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Paine |
1979–1992 |
Hurley |
1994–2009 |
Williams |
2011–present |
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Seat 17 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Spellman |
1979–1991 |
Moore |
1992–present |
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Seat 18 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Hastings |
1979–1989 |
Moreno |
1990–present |
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Seat 19 |
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 |
Marcus |
1985–1997 |
Seitz |
1998–2012 |
Gayles |
2014–present |
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Seat 21 |
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 |
Zloch |
1985–present |
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Seat 22 |
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 |
Ungaro |
1992–present |
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Seat 23 |
Seat established on December 21, 2000 by 114 Stat. 2762 |
Marra |
2002–present |
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Seat 24 |
Seat established on November 2, 2002 by 116 Stat. 1758 (temporary) |
Cohn |
2003–present |
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See also
References
External links
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