Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving Miami-Dade County

The Southern District of Florida and Where Federal Cases Are Filed

Federal criminal cases arising in South Florida are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The district has divisions in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. Federal matters originating in Miami-Dade County are typically heard at the courthouse in Miami — and an attorney who regularly appears in the Southern District is no stranger to that building or to how federal criminal cases are prosecuted there.

Rick Hutchinson has served on the federal Criminal Justice Act panel for more than 25 years. CJA panel attorneys are screened and appointed by the federal courts to handle federal criminal defense cases — panel membership reflects sustained experience in the federal system. He handles federal criminal matters throughout the Southern District of Florida, including cases originating in Miami-Dade County, from our West Palm Beach office.

Federal Criminal Defense in Miami-Dade

Federal charges carry different rules, different sentencing structures, and prosecutors with substantial resources. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines, mandatory minimums, and federal procedural standards require a defense attorney who works in federal court regularly, not one who occasionally handles a federal case alongside a primarily state-court practice.

• Federal drug offenses, including trafficking and distribution charges
• White collar criminal matters: fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, healthcare fraud, and federal tax matters
• Federal firearms charges
• RICO and organized crime allegations
• Federal sentencing, including Guidelines analysis and departure arguments
• State criminal defense and DUI matters in Broward and Miami-Dade courts
• Civil litigation and business disputes
• Marchman Act petitions for families