About Cynthia Imperato
Member of the Executive Council for the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar
Cynthia Imperato has devoted her professional life to public service, approaching each role with steady judgment and a strong sense of responsibility. Throughout her work as a cop, prosecutor, judge, educator, and board member, she focused on fairness, clear communication, and practical improvements to the justice system. Her career reflects years of experience spent strengthening legal institutions and supporting the people who work within them.
She began her career as a police officer in Tallahassee. The time she spent in patrol work gave her a firsthand understanding of how cases begin and how decisions made early in an investigation can influence what happens in the courtroom. This early exposure shaped her approach as she later advanced into prosecution and judicial service. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech, majoring in psychology and sociology, followed by an M.S. from the School of Criminology at Florida State University and a J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law. Her academic background supported her ability to analyze complex legal issues and understand the structure of criminal behavior and procedure.
After law school, Cindy Imperato joined the Office of Statewide Prosecution, where she served for thirteen years as a Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor. Her responsibilities included managing grand jury presentations and prosecuting cases involving multi-jurisdictional organized crime. She handled a wide range of matters, including racketeering, homicide, home invasions, narcotics trafficking, white-collar fraud, police corruption, and gang-related violence. Many of these cases required collaboration across county and state lines, which demanded careful organization and thorough preparation. During her tenure, she helped draft and revise Florida’s gang legislation and led the first successful state racketeering prosecution of a street gang. Her experience also included speaking at the Florida Intelligence Unit in 1994 and 1995 and teaching at the first Multi-Agency Gang Task Force Conference in 1996. In January 2003, Governor Bush appointed Cynthia Imperato to the Circuit Court bench. She served in this position for thirteen years before retiring in 2016. On the bench, she presided over criminal cases and actively participated in statewide judicial education.
Cindy trained members of Judicial Nominating Committees, chaired the Judicial Nominating Criminal Procedures Committee, and served on the Criminal Rules Committee. Colleagues often turned to her for help on procedural and evidentiary matters. In 2006, she spoke at the 82nd Boot Camp graduation and received a Community Service Award from all minority Bar Associations in the state. She also contributed to the Florida Judicial College video faculty, presenting on topics such as probation violations, jury instructions, and capital caseload management.
Education has remained an essential part of her career. For nearly two decades, she served as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Law, where she taught Criminal Pretrial Practice. Earlier in her career, she taught criminal justice at Tallahassee Community College. She has presented at state and national conferences on organized crime, street gangs, white-collar fraud, diversity in the judiciary, and evidence in complex prosecutions. Her 1993 publication, An Assessment of Florida Gangs and Recommendations for Law Enforcement, appeared in Women Police Magazine.
Cindy has also been active in professional and community organizations. She is a member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and previously participated in the Broward County Bar and Women Lawyers Associations. She served as President of the Stephen R. Booher Inn of Court and later as President of the St. Thomas More Society of Broward County. Her committee work includes the Florida Bar Criminal Law Section, the Executive Council for the Criminal Law Section, the Criminal Rules Committee, and the Professionalism Committee for the 17th Judicial Circuit. She has also served on boards including the American Red Cross, the Broward County Crime Commission advisory board, the PACE Center for Girls advisory board, Women in Distress, Covenant House, and the Fort Lauderdale Pre-Law Magnate Program advisory board.
Throughout her career, Cynthia Imperato has shown a steady commitment to preparation, fairness, and public service. Her work continues to influence the legal community and the many individuals she has guided and supported along the way.
.
