Fighting Every Day for a Fair and Just Community

"While our primary responsibility is to indigent clients facing the loss of their liberty, we are actively involved in helping make Miami-Dade a more fair and just community for everyone who lives, works and visits South Florida."

- Carlos J. Martinez
Miami-Dade Public Defender
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Community Engagement

The Public Defender’s Office offers three programs to educate our community about the consequences of an arrest, plea, conviction or adjudication, as well as involvement with the criminal and juvenile justice systems:

THE CONSEQUENCES AREN'T MINOR

Individuals learn about life-long consequences of the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

PLAY IT SMART

Teenagers are taught their rights and how to effectively interact with police.

Icon of a hand shake shaped like a heart.

REDEMPTION PROJECT

Former clients can get help to find a job, seal and expunge records and restore civil rights.

ABOUT OUR OFFICE

The Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office handles about 70,000 cases each year. The public defender is an elected official who provides legal representation to people in danger of losing their liberty and who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Learn about our office divisions and units, as well as their directors.