The mission of the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit is to create a safer community by upholding and enforcing the law and competently prosecuting crimes fairly, honorably and without regard to societal biases. The office is committed to transparency, accountability, supporting the well-being of victims and proactively collaborating with the communities we serve to deter and prevent crime.
We are guided by the American Bar Association’s standards for the function of a prosecutor, with a special emphasis on: 3-1.2 (a), (b), (e), (f)
(a)
” The prosecutor is an administrator of justice, a zealous advocate, and an officer of the court. The prosecutor’s office should exercise sound discretion and independent …
… judgment in the performance of the prosecution function.”
(b)
” The primary duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice within the bounds of the law, not merely to convict. The prosecutor serves the public interest and should act with integrity…
… and balanced judgment to increase public safety both by pursuing appropriate criminal charges of appropriate severity, and by exercising discretion to not pursue criminal charges in appropriate circumstances. The prosecutor should seek to protect the innocent and convict the guilty, consider the interests of victims and witnesses, and respect the constitutional and legal rights of all persons, including suspects and defendants.”
(e)
” The prosecutor should be knowledgeable about, consider, and where appropriate develop or assist in developing alternatives to prosecution or conviction that may be…
… applicable in individual cases or classes of cases. The prosecutor’s office should be available to assist community efforts addressing problems that lead to, or result from, criminal activity or perceived flaws in the criminal justice system.”
(f)
” The prosecutor is not merely a case-processor but also a problem-solver responsible for considering broad goals of the criminal justice system. The prosecutor should seek …
… to reform and improve the administration of criminal justice, and when inadequacies or injustices in the substantive or procedural law come to the prosecutor’s attention, the prosecutor should stimulate and support efforts for remedial action. The prosecutor should provide service to the community, including involvement in public service and Bar activities, public education, community service activities, and Bar leadership positions. A prosecutorial office should support such activities, and the office’s budget should include funding and paid release time for such activities.”
The State of Florida is represented in 20 judicial circuits by the elected State Attorneys. The Ninth Circuit State Attorney’s Office serves Orange and Osceola counties. The primary role of the State Attorney is to represent the State of Florida in the criminal court system. The State Attorney reviews criminal investigations conducted by law enforcement, decides if criminal charges are necessary and then presents the cases in criminal court.
Our team is made up of more than 155 prosecutors who work with our support staff and investigators to serve the nearly 1.4 million citizens living in the Greater Orlando area. In addition to overseeing the third-largest circuit in the state, the Ninth Circuit State Attorney’s Office also protects many of the 50 million tourists that visit Central Florida each year. On average we receive about 100,000 cases a year from law enforcement.
We are committed to returning each phone call, email and letter when possible. A successful prosecution is made up of many factors but a very important one is the cooperation of victims and witnesses. The State Attorney has several resources available to help victims and witnesses navigate the criminal court system. Quite often victims and witnesses have questions about how the system works and what to expect. Our victim advocates and witness coordinators can provide you with information, support and direction throughout the judicial process.
Please note that under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by 407-863-2400.
what we do
As employees of the State Attorney, we are all part of a number of agencies and institutions collectively known as the Criminal Justice System. Understanding this system, the way it works, and the role of this office within it, gives us a sense of appreciation for the vital role we play in the safety and protection of society.
The basic purpose of the Criminal Justice System and this office is to bring to justice those guilty of committing crimes and exonerating those mistakenly accused of committing crimes.
There are basically three types or classifications of crime that are dealt with by the Criminal Justice System: Felonies – Crimes that are punishable by imprisonment for more than one year in the State Department of Corrections. Examples include murder, sexual battery, burglary, and grand thefts; Misdemeanors – Crimes that are punishable by imprisonment for up to one year in the county jail. Examples include petit theft, simple battery, prostitution and trespasses; and Criminal Traffic Offenses – Specifically listed violations of the traffic laws punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in the county jail. Examples include driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving on a suspended driver’s license. Within the Ninth Judicial Circuit, there are 12 municipal police departments, two Sheriff’s offices, and various state and federal law enforcement agencies. While most of our cases come from the enforcement of local and state laws, they may also be referred to us by federal agencies such as the F.B.I. and Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.).
The prosecution of those accused of committing crimes is conducted by the Office of the State Attorney and to a small degree the Office of Statewide Prosecutor. We are responsible for representing the State in all criminal proceedings that result from the charging of a person with a crime by law enforcement and/or this office. Each accused is entitled to legal counsel provided by private attorneys hired by a defendant or by the Public Defender, which may be appointed by the court to those who cannot afford to hire a private attorney.
The third component of the Criminal Justice System is the judiciary. Its main function is the adjudication of cases to fairly determine guilt or innocence and the proper sentencing of those found guilty. Criminal Courts can be divided into two types: Circuit Court and County Court. There are two divisions within Circuit Court: Criminal – handles all adult felony cases that are prosecuted; and Juvenile – handles all felony and misdemeanor cases that are committed by defendants under 18 years of age. County Court handles all adult misdemeanor and all traffic cases that are prosecuted.
Orange & Osceola Counties
Our Structure
Serving The Public
The State Attorney’s Office contains separate bureaus which handle specific crimes. The bureaus include: Intake, Felony, Juvenile and County Court.
Additionally, there are four specialty units that consist of Homicide, Sex Crimes, Economic Crimes and Domestic Violence. Attorneys within the office all must apply and are interviewed prior to being accepted as a member of each specialized unit.
The Sex Crimes Unit (SCU) handles all cases of sexual abuse committed against children and adults, as well as internet crimes against children, in the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Additionally, the Sex Crimes Unit is composed of a Unit Chief, Assistant State Attorneys (ASA), Victim Advocates and Investigators. All members of the Unit are housed in a separate section of the office, which is designed to make victims feel as comfortable as possible when they visit an Assistant State Attorney or Victim Advocate. The SCU Assistant State Attorneys (ASAs) are specially trained in working with child and adult victims of sexual abuse. Each ASA works together with a specially trained victim advocate on every case to ensure every victim has the support of a team while the office handles his or her case.
The Domestic Violence Unit is dedicated to the prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, and child abuse cases. The unit utilizes victim advocates whose responsibilities include assisting survivors through the legal process, providing resources, accompanying the survivors to court, protecting victim’s rights, and fostering trusting relationships with the survivors. Prosecutors and Victim Advocates receive ongoing training in domestic violence issues. The Ninth Circuit has created a specialized court division with a Judge that exclusively hears domestic violence matters, resulting in efficient managing of court cases and greater accountability for the perpetrators of domestic violence.
The Homicide Unit is a dedicated group of investigators, support staff and prosecutors who handle all crimes involving death in Orange and Osceola Counties. The unit is comprised of six highly experienced prosecutors who are responsible for cases that range from leaving the scene of an accident involving a death to first degree murder where the death penalty is being sought.
All crimes committed by juveniles are processed and prosecuted by our Juvenile Unit, excluding those cases that, based on the age of the child or the seriousness of the crime, are directly filed in adult court.
The Economic Crimes Unit (ECU) assists law enforcement and prosecutes thefts and frauds such as embezzlement cases involving substantial amounts of money. The unit works closely with the state Division of Insurance Fraud to combat insurance and workers compensation fraud. ECU lawyers handle cases of economic exploitation of the elderly/disabled, time share and other internet scams and prosecutes retailers who collect sales tax from their customers but refuse to remit the collected taxes to the state. They also enforce various licensing and consumer protection laws.
The Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and Osceola County Investigative Bureau (OCIB) are permanent, multi-agency law enforcement task forces comprised of specialized investigators from city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies operating in Central Florida. The State Attorney provides legal and prosecution resources to both the MBI and the OCIB. The MBI and the OCIB operate as a specialized group of prosecutors and investigators assigned to concentrate on narcotics trafficking, organized crime, racketeering and other vice related areas such as prostitution, gambling and adult entertainment. Most crimes are vice related and organized, well-financed and operate freely across the jurisdictional lines of the existing law enforcement agencies. Additionally, MBI is designated as a federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. MBI also operates the Airport Narcotics Unit in conjunction with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Orlando Police to interdict and intercept drug and money smuggling at Orlando International Airport.
