Criminal Defense and Car Accident Lawyer for Westchester

Criminal defense in Westchester

Westchester is an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, not a city. It has no police department of its own. It is policed by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, and the closest district station to the center of the area is the Midwest Station. A street in the Westchester area can be patrolled by a different district, so the arrest report is what shows who made the arrest.

Westchester addresses use Miami as the mailing city, and the ZIP codes 33155 and 33165 both cross into neighboring communities. If a charging document or a news item says Miami, the person may be a Westchester resident. We defend people charged with DUI, driving-license offenses, drug charges, theft, fraud and domestic violence, and we speak Spanish.

Police in Westchester

Westchester is not a city. It is an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, policed by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

In the Westchester area, the closest station is:

For an emergency, call 911.

Nearby emergency services

In an emergency, call 911.

Closest to the center of Westchester, measured in a straight line, as listed by official sources on October 27, 2026.

Listed for convenience, not as a ranking or a recommendation. Confirm hours and phone numbers before you go.

Hurricane and flood readiness

In an emergency, call 911.

Parts of Westchester fall in storm surge planning Zones D and E, and a thin sliver of the boundary touches Zone 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.

FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Miami-Dade flood zone map

Nearby official evacuation routes: Tamiami Trail (SW 8th Street), Palmetto Expressway (SR 826), Don Shula Expressway (SR 874). 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

The first 24 hours after an arrest

First appearance is the first court date, and Florida's Rule 3.130(a) requires it within 24 hours of arrest, in person or by video, unless the person was already lawfully released. See Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.130(a). That hearing is the first appearance, where the judge reviews the charges and release conditions.

If the Sheriff's Office made the arrest, the Midwest Station lists 305-471-2800, and the Sheriff's general line is 305-SHERIFF (305-743-7433). To find where someone is held, use the jail search on our inmate search page.

What to do in the first 24 hours

1. Stay calm, give your name, and ask for a lawyer. Do not argue the facts on the roadside.
2. Do not agree to a search of your home, car or phone. You may refuse politely.
3. Write down what happened while it is fresh, including the officers and any witnesses.
4. Families: have the full name and date of birth ready, then call us. We answer day and night.
5. If the person is not a U.S. citizen, say so to the lawyer before any plea is discussed.

Where your case is heard

The court's County Criminal locations are listed on its Criminal Division page. They include the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, the Coral Gables Branch Court, the Harvey Ruvin Justice Center, the South Dade Justice Center and the Hialeah Branch Court. The branch courts are county court locations for misdemeanors, traffic cases and small claims. Misdemeanor cases are assigned when they are filed, not by neighborhood, so check your paperwork for the location. Criminal jury trials are held at the Gerstein Justice Building, not at the branches.

Felony cases are heard by the Circuit Criminal Division at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, 1351 N.W. 12th Street, Miami, FL 33125. Court hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The court lists limited street meters and off-street lots for parking, so arrive early and have a way to pay a meter. From I-95, the court’s main route is exit 3A onto FL-836 West and the N.W. 12th Avenue exit, with N.W. 17th Avenue as the alternate. One of the court's routes uses the Turnpike and FL-874 to FL-826, then FL-836 East to the N.W. 17th Avenue exit, and several of those roads have tolls.

Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building (court guide)

Car accidents in Westchester

A crash on a Westchester street may be worked by the Sheriff's Office, while one on a state expressway such as the Palmetto (SR 826) may involve another agency. At the scene, ask for the agency name and the report number.

The Baptist Health Urgent Care on Bird Road is open daily, and HCA Florida Kendall Hospital has an emergency room that is open 24 hours (both listed below). If you have pain, dizziness or a headache after a crash, go to the emergency room rather than waiting.

We handle car accident claims for people injured in the Westchester area, including head and brain injuries.

Local roads and landmarks

The county's official evacuation routes near Westchester are the Tamiami Trail (SW 8th Street), the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and the Don Shula Expressway (SR 874).

Bird Road, SW 24th Street and SW 40th Street are the everyday landmarks for emergencies: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Station 47 is at 9361 SW 24th Street, the Baptist Health urgent care is at 8840 Bird Rd., and HCA Florida Kendall Hospital is at 11750 SW 40th St. Our office is also on SW 40th Street.

Getting to us

Our office is at 11401 SW 40 St, Suite 250, Miami, FL 33165. Westchester is the neighborhood around it. We do not publish a drive time, because it depends on the hour.

You can also start without visiting: call or message us on WhatsApp, in English or Spanish, at any hour.

Questions people ask about Westchester

Who are the police in Westchester?

Westchester is unincorporated, so it is policed by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. The closest district station to the center of the area is the Midwest Station, 9101 NW 25th Street, Doral, but the district that patrols a given street can differ.

Is Westchester a city?

No. It is a Census-designated area inside unincorporated Miami-Dade County. Mail goes out under Miami.

Where is the nearest fire station and urgent care?

Measured in a straight line from the center of the area, the fire station is Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Station 47 at 9361 SW 24th Street and the urgent care is Baptist Health Urgent Care at 8840 Bird Rd., Ste. 100. For an emergency, call 911.

My relative was arrested in Westchester. What do I do first?

Find where the person is held, using the Sheriff's line 305-SHERIFF or the jail search on our site, and call us. A judge must see the person within 24 hours of arrest unless they were already released.

Is Westchester in a hurricane evacuation zone?

Parts of Westchester fall in storm surge planning Zones D and E. Zones are set by address, so use the state's Know Your Zone lookup with your exact address.

Is your office really in Westchester?

Yes. Our one office is at 11401 SW 40 St, Suite 250. We also represent clients arrested or injured in other parts of Miami-Dade.

Where to go next

Our work

• DUI defense
• Drug charges
• Domestic violence charges
• Personal injury and car accidents
• Traumatic brain injury

Local guides

• Arrest and court process
• Bond hearings
• Find someone in jail
• Courthouse guide

Nearby areas we serve

• Hialeah
• Doral