Areas We Serve
Criminal Defense and Car Accident Lawyer for Florida City
Florida City is the last mainland stop before the Keys, and it has its own police force and a long farming history. Here is how an arrest or crash there plays out, and how to reach the courts up north.
Florida City sits south and west of Homestead along a shared border, and the pair together are often called the greater Homestead-Florida City area, with Redland, Leisure City, Naranja and Princeton as unincorporated neighbors. See also Homestead and Perrine.
Our office is at 11401 SW 40 St, Suite 250, University Park / Westchester. We represent clients arrested or injured in Florida City.
Criminal defense in Florida City
Florida City has a municipal police department at 404 W Palm Drive. Most arrests inside the city start with those officers, though a stop on US 1, the Turnpike or another road can be made by a different agency. Check the report for the agency name.
Travelers heading to and from the Keys pass through here, and we see the charges that come with road traffic: DUI, drug possession, weapons counts and license offenses, alongside domestic violence, theft and felony cases. We work in English and Spanish and explain each hearing before it happens.
Jurors in Miami-Dade state court report to one of two courthouses: civil jurors to the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, 20 NW 1st Avenue, and criminal jurors to the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, 1351 NW 12th Street. Jury trials are held at those two buildings. The branch courthouses hold hearings and bench (non-jury) trials.
Closest branch courthouse
The closest branch courthouse to Florida City is the South Dade Justice Center. Details are below. Courts move calendars, so confirm before you go.
South Dade Justice Center
10710 S.W. 211 Street, Miami, Florida 33189
Court Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Parking: Free parking for Courthouse at the rear of Government Complex. Look for red-trimmed entrance.
Getting to the main courthouses
Five main courthouses handle most Miami-Dade cases. Each card has the court’s address, a Google Maps link that starts from this place, and what the court itself publishes about transit and parking. Tolls apply on several routes.
Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building (state criminal)
1351 N.W. 12th Street, Miami, Florida 33125
A driver leaving Florida City reaches the Gerstein Justice Building by the court's southern approach, US-1 to I-95 North and exit 3A, and the court also lists a Turnpike alternative through FL-874.
Transit: Miami-Dade Transportation & Public Works
Parking: Limited street meters and off-street lot parking
Civil courthouse (circuit and county civil, probate): Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center
20 N.W. 1st Avenue, Miami, Florida 33128
Court Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Civil cases (circuit and county civil) and probate are at the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, 20 N.W. 1st Avenue, downtown, per the Clerk of Courts' location page. The court's own directions: from the north, I-95 South to the exit marked N.W. 8th Street; from the south, US 1 North to I-95 North and the N.W. 8th Street exit. Parking is limited, and the court suggests Metro Bus or Metrorail to Government Center.
Clerk’s office in this building: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Clerk lists Circuit Civil Court, County Court and Probate Court (Suite 6.223) here.
Transit: Metro Bus or Metrorail to Government Center station (court's parking note)
Parking: Limited street and off-street parking. Best bet is taking Metro Bus or the Metrorail and exiting at Government Center station.
Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse (federal)
400 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33128
The Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse is at 400 N Miami Ave in downtown Miami, and the federal court says fee-charging public lots are within walking distance.
Transit: Metrorail riders: Exit Metrorail Station, Government Center. Take the Inner Loop Metromover to the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Station (first stop).
Parking: There are public parking lots (fees charged) within walking distance for all locations.
C. Clyde Atkins U.S. Courthouse (federal)
301 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33128
The C. Clyde Atkins U.S. Courthouse is at 301 N Miami Ave, across the street from the Ferguson building.
Transit: Metrorail riders: Exit Metrorail Station, Government Center. Take the Inner Loop Metromover to the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Station (first stop).
Parking: There are public parking lots (fees charged) within walking distance for all locations.
James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building (federal)
99 N.E. Fourth Street, Miami, FL 33132
The James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building is at 99 N.E. Fourth Street; read your notice to see which federal building applies.
Transit: Metrorail riders: Exit Metrorail Station, Government Center. Take the Inner Loop Metromover to the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Station (first stop).
Parking: There are public parking lots (fees charged) within walking distance for all locations.
Miami-Dade courthouse guide: locations, hours and holidays
Police in Florida City
Municipal police: Florida City Police Department
404 W Palm Drive, Florida City, FL 33034
For an emergency, call 911.
Nearby emergency services
In an emergency, call 911.
These are the closest to the center of Florida City, measured in a straight line, as listed by official sources on October 27, 2026.
Fire station: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Station 16 (Homestead)
255 NW 4th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030
Emergency room: Homestead Hospital ER (Baptist Health)
975 Baptist Way, Homestead, FL 33033
Open 24 hours.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Station 16 (Homestead/Florida City)
255 NW 4th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030
Urgent care: MD Now Urgent Care - Homestead
792 S. Homestead Blvd, Homestead, FL 33030
Listed for convenience, not as a ranking or a recommendation. Confirm hours and phone numbers before you go.
Your County Commissioner
District 9: Kionne L. McGhee
South Dade Government Center, 10710 SW 211 Street, Suite 204, Cutler Bay, FL 33189
This is correct as of November 1, 2026.
Hurricane and flood readiness
In an emergency, call 911.
Parts of Florida City fall in storm surge planning Zones B, C. Check your exact address. County storm surge zone map · Know Your Zone
Flood zones vary property by property. Look up your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and the county's flood zone map.
Nearby official evacuation routes: US 1 (South Dixie Highway), Krome Avenue (SW 177th Avenue), Florida's Turnpike, NE 1st Ave. Follow official orders and road closures. The county route data was last updated in 2018 and the state map is undated. State evacuation route and zone map (PDF)
Evacuation centers and shelters
The county decides which centers open, and which accept pets, only when an evacuation is ordered, and not every center opens for every storm. Check official announcements, or call 311, before you go. Open evacuation centers map · County hurricane information
Also: the FEMA App, or text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362. Storm forecasts come from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (storm information, not shelters). County emergency information: 311 in Miami-Dade, 305-468-5900 from outside the county, or 711 for Florida Relay. National Hurricane Center
History
Florida City began as a land promotion called Detroit. No buildings stood in the area when the first thirty families arrived in 1910, and they had to stay in Homestead until their houses were built. The name was changed to Florida City when the town incorporated in 1914.
The city rests on a limestone ridge, and the old Florida East Coast Railway track marks its approximate edge south of Davis Parkway. Tomatoes, squash and other truck crops were grown here through the winter months and packed at the Florida City State Farmers' Market near Krome Avenue and Palm Drive, which drove the local economy through the 1900s.
Today Florida City is the southernmost city in the United States that is not on an island, the last mainland stop before the Keys, and the gateway to Everglades National Park. Like Homestead, it suffered catastrophic damage when Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida in August 1992.
The first 24 hours after an arrest
An arrested person has the right to see a judge within 24 hours, in person or by video, unless a lawful release came sooner. See Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.130(a). At that hearing the judge states the charge and looks at conditions of release.
The city's police page lists a tip hotline, 305-247-8220, and our inmate search page shows the county jail roster. Make sure you have the legal name and date of birth before calling.
What to do at once
- Stay respectful, say little, and ask for a lawyer right away.
- Do not sign off on a search or write out a statement without advice.
- Note the time, the road, the officers and any cameras you noticed.
- Relatives: learn where the person is held, then phone us at any hour.
- If the person is not a citizen, tell counsel first, because a plea that looks small may still matter for status.
Where your case is heard
The closest branch courthouse on the court's list is the South Dade Justice Center, 10710 S.W. 211 Street, Miami, Florida 33189. Court hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and parking is free at the rear of the Government Complex, per the court.
Coming from the south, the court's instruction is brief: US 1 North to S.W. 211th Street. The court lists the South Dade Justice Center as one of its County Criminal locations, for misdemeanor and criminal traffic cases, but a case can be set at any county court location, so go by your paperwork. Felony cases are heard by the Circuit Criminal Division, whose judges sit at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, 1351 N.W. 12th Street, Miami.
South Dade Justice Center (court guide)
Car accidents in Florida City
A crash near the end of the Turnpike or along US 1 may be handled by Florida City police, the Sheriff's Office or another agency. Get the report number and agency name before you drive away.
The nearest hospital emergency department on our list is in neighboring Homestead, and the walk-in clinic is MD Now's Homestead location; both are detailed below. Document the scene and your injuries, and let us speak with the insurer so you avoid giving a recorded statement.
We represent people hurt in Florida City collisions, including crashes involving tourist traffic and commercial trucks, and head and brain injuries.
Local roads and landmarks
The southern end of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike meets US 1 in Florida City, which is also the mainland entrance to the Florida Keys and the gateway to the main section of Everglades National Park.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue lists Homestead/Florida City - Station 16 at 255 NW 4th Avenue in Homestead. Florida City Police is at 404 W Palm Drive.
Getting to us
We keep one office, in University Park / Westchester, at 11401 SW 40 St, Suite 250. We have no Florida City office, and the trip north is long, so we do not post a drive time.
Start by phone or WhatsApp, in English or Spanish, whenever you need to. We often meet clients and families at the courthouse.
Questions people ask about Florida City
- Does Florida City have its own police?
- Yes, at 404 W Palm Drive. The city's page lists a tip hotline, 305-247-8220. On some roads another agency may respond.
- Where is the nearest courthouse to Florida City?
- The South Dade Justice Center, 10710 S.W. 211 Street. Felonies are heard downtown at the Gerstein Justice Building. Your paperwork shows where your hearing is.
- Which hospital ER is nearest?
- The Baptist Health hospital in neighboring Homestead, 786-243-8000, runs its ER around the clock. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
- Which fire station covers Florida City?
- Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's county list shows Homestead/Florida City - Station 16 at 255 NW 4th Avenue, Homestead.
- Is Florida City part of Homestead?
- No. They are two cities that share a border, and Homestead lies north and east of Florida City.
- Do you have an office in Florida City?
- No. We have one office, in University Park / Westchester, and we represent clients arrested or injured in Florida City.
Where to go next
Our work
Local guides
- Bond hearings
- Florida DUI arrest: the 10-day license deadline
- Miami-Dade arrest trends
- Daily arrests in Florida