United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida



The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The District was established on July 30, 1962, with parts of the Northern and Southern Districts transferring into the newly created Middle District

the United States attorney for the District is Roger B. Handberg.

Organization of the court
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida is one of three federal judicial districts in Florida. Court for the District is held at Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, and Tampa.

Fort Myers Division comprises the following counties: Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Glades, Hendry, and Lee.

Jacksonville Division comprises the following counties: Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Hamilton, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union.

Ocala Division comprises the following counties: Citrus, Lake, Marion, and Sumter.

Orlando Division comprises the following counties: Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia.

Tampa Division comprises the following counties: Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.

Courthouse history
Completed in 1908 by architect John Knox Taylor, the historic Federal courthouse in Tampa stands as the only civic building constructed in the eclectic renaissance style. Initially serving as a U.S. Post Office, the courthouse moved two blocks down to its current location in 1998. Congress named the court in honor of long-time Tampa representative and University of Florida Law alumnus Sam Gibbons; the congressman is largely recognized as the founder of the University of South Florida.

U.S. Attorneys

 * Edward F. Boardman 1961-69
 * John L. Briggs 1969-78
 * John J. Daley 1978-79
 * Gary L. Betz 1979-82
 * Robert W. Merkle, Jr. 1982-88
 * Robert W. Genzman 1988-93
 * Douglas N. Frazier 1993
 * Larry H. Colleton 1994
 * Donna A. Bucella 1994
 * Charles R. Wilson 1994-98
 * Donna A. Bucella 1999-2001
 * Paul Ignatius Perez 2002?-2007
 * James R. Klindt 2007
 * Robert E. O'Neill 2007-2008
 * A. Brian Albritton 2008-2010
 * Robert E. O'Neill 2010-2013
 * A. Lee Bentley III 2014-2017
 * William S. Muldrow 2017
 * Maria Chapa Lopez 2018-2021
 * Karin Hoppmann 2021
 * Roger B. Handberg 2021-present

Federal Defenders

 * Robert W. Knight (1977-1983) (office established)
 * H. Jay Stevens (1983-1999)
 * R. Fletcher Peacock (1999-2007)
 * Donna Lee Elm (2007-2021)
 * Alec F. Hall (2021-Present)