About Cynthia Imperato

Cynthia Imperato has built a long career grounded in public responsibility and careful judgment. Her work as a cop, prosecutor, judge, educator, and board member reflects a steady dedication to helping strengthen the systems that support community safety. Throughout her service, she approached complex tasks with preparation and a clear understanding of the responsibilities placed on those working within the justice system.

 

Early Law Enforcement Experience and Academic Preparation

 

She began her professional career as a police officer in Tallahassee. The challenges and daily demands of patrol work gave her firsthand insight into the realities of policing, shaping her understanding of crime, procedures, and community needs. 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. She then completed her J.D. at the Florida State University College of Law. These degrees provided the foundation she needed to pursue work that required both analytical skill and strong legal knowledge.

 

Growth in the Office of Statewide Prosecution

 

After completing law school, Cindy Imperato joined the Office of Statewide Prosecution, where she served for thirteen years as a Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor. Her work included managing grand jury presentations and overseeing prosecutions involving multi-jurisdictional organized crime. She handled cases involving racketeering, homicide, narcotics trafficking, home invasions, white-collar fraud, police corruption, and gang-related violence.

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Her work often required cooperating with agencies across county and state lines, which demanded careful coordination and detailed case planning. During this time, she helped draft and revise Florida’s gang legislation and led the first successful state racketeering prosecution of a street gang. She also spoke at the Florida Intelligence Unit in 1994 and 1995 and taught at the first Multi-Agency Gang Task Force Conference in 1996. These opportunities allowed her to refine her approach to presenting complex legal and factual issues while maintaining fairness and clarity.

 

Appointment to the Circuit Court Bench

 

In January 2003, Governor Bush appointed Cynthia Imperato to the Circuit Court bench. Over the next thirteen years, until her retirement in 2016, she handled criminal matters and took on significant responsibilities in statewide judicial education. Cindy trained members of Judicial Nominating Committees, chaired the Judicial Nominating Criminal Procedures Committee, and participated in statewide rule-making as part of the Criminal Rules Committee. Her colleagues often turned to her for advice on procedural and evidentiary issues because of her strong background in trial work.

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In 2006, she was invited to speak at the 82nd Boot Camp graduation and received a Community Service Award from all minority Bar Associations in the state. As a member of the Florida Judicial College video faculty, she provided training for new judges and presented on probation violations, jury instructions, and capital caseload management. Her judicial philosophy centered on fairness, transparency, and consistent application of the law.

 

Commitment to Teaching and Legal Scholarship

 

Education has always been an essential part of Imperato’s work. She served nearly twenty years as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Law, teaching Criminal Pretrial Practice. Early in her career, she also taught criminal justice at Tallahassee Community College. In addition, she presented at state and national conferences on topics including organized crime, street gangs, white-collar fraud, diversity in the judiciary, and evidentiary issues in complex prosecutions.

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Her 1993 publication, An Assessment of Florida Gangs and Recommendations for Law Enforcement, appeared in Women Police Magazine and continues to be noted in criminology discussions.

 

Leadership Across Professional Organizations

 

Cindy has held leadership roles across several legal and judicial groups. She is a member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and a former member of the Broward County Bar and Women Lawyers Associations. She served as President of the Stephen R. Booher Inn of Court from 2008 to 2009 and later as President of the St. Thomas More Society of Broward County from 2012 to 2014. 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.

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These positions allowed her to contribute to curriculum development, jury instruction supplements, and professional guidance for attorneys and judges across Florida.

 

Community Involvement and Broader Service

 

Beyond the courtroom and classroom, Cynthia Imperato has been active on nonprofit and advisory 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. Her work often focused on prevention efforts, youth support, and the provision of resources to individuals facing challenges.

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Her service has been recognized through honors such as Outstanding Women of Broward County, the Miami Herald Outstanding Leader Award, the President’s Volunteer Service Award, Humanitarian of the Year, and a Superior Public Service Award.