Cynthia Imperato has built a distinguished career defined by steady judgment, disciplined preparation, and a deep commitment to public service. Across decades of work as a police officer, prosecutor, judge, educator, and board member, she consistently embraced challenging assignments with quiet resolve. Her colleagues across Florida remember her for her dedication to strengthening institutions, mentoring rising attorneys, and improving the fairness and safety of the legal system. Imperato’s professional life reflects a continual pursuit of justice, accountability, and service to her community.
Academic Foundations and Early Training
Imperato’s career began in Tallahassee, where she served as a police officer. This early experience gave her an invaluable understanding of street-level law enforcement, an insight that later shaped her approach as a prosecutor and judge. Her academic achievements provided a strong foundation for the complex work ahead. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech, completing dual majors in psychology and sociology. She went on to receive an M.S. from Florida State University’s School of Criminology, followed by a J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law. Together, these degrees equipped her with the analytical tools, criminological knowledge, and legal training required to navigate high-stakes criminal investigations and courtroom litigation.
From Patrol to the Office of Statewide Prosecution
Following law school, Cindy Imperato joined the Office of Statewide Prosecution, beginning a thirteen-year tenure as a Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor. Her work spanned complex, multi-jurisdictional cases involving racketeering, homicide, home invasions, narcotics trafficking, police corruption, white-collar crimes, and gang-related activity. She routinely coordinated investigations that crossed county and state borders, requiring strategic planning and a meticulous approach to building cases. Her leadership contributed to drafting and revising Florida’s gang legislation, and she secured the first successful state racketeering prosecution of a street gang.
Her expertise also led to roles as a speaker for the Florida Intelligence Unit in 1994 and 1995 and as an instructor at the inaugural Multi-Agency Gang Task Force (MAGTF) Conference in 1996. These experiences further developed her skill in presenting complex evidence clearly and ensuring that prosecutions remained firmly grounded in fairness and factual accuracy.
Judicial Service and Leadership on the Circuit Court Bench
In January 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Imperato to the Circuit Court bench, where she served for thirteen years until her retirement in 2016. On the bench, she presided over criminal matters, emphasizing clarity, uniformity, and courtesy. Her judicial philosophy prioritized fairness and accountability, principles that guided her decisions and her interactions with litigants, attorneys, and court staff.
Imperato also played a significant role in judicial education across the state. She trained members of Judicial Nominating Committees, chaired the Judicial Nominating Criminal Procedures Committee, and participated in statewide rule-making through the Criminal Rules Committee. Her colleagues frequently sought her guidance on procedural and evidentiary issues due to her deep grounding in trial law. In 2006, she spoke at the 82nd Boot Camp graduation and received a Community Service Award from Florida’s minority Bar Associations.
As a long-standing faculty member of the Florida Judicial College, she contributed to new-judge training programs. She taught workshops on topics such as probation violations, jury instructions, and capital case management.
Scholarship, Teaching, and Mentorship
Cindy Imperato has always believed in the power of education to strengthen the legal system. She spent almost twenty years as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Law, teaching Criminal Pretrial Practice. Earlier in her career, she taught criminal justice courses at Tallahassee Community College. Her lectures and presentations reached national audiences, covering themes such as organized crime, street gangs, white-collar crime, diversity in the judiciary, and evidentiary issues in complex cases.
Her 1993 publication, An Assessment of Florida Gangs and Recommendations for Law Enforcement, appeared in Women Police Magazine and remains a cited source in criminology research.
As a mentor, she became well known for her practical, results-oriented teaching style. She guided young lawyers and judges through complex evidentiary challenges, expert witness issues, and the management of complex criminal schemes, always providing concrete, actionable advice.
Professional Service and Leadership Roles
Throughout her career, Imperato remained active in professional organizations. She has been a member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, the Broward County Bar Association, and the Women Lawyers Association. She served as President of the Stephen R. Booher Inn of Court (2008–2009) and later as president of the St. Thomas More Society of Broward County (2012–2014). Her additional committee roles include the Florida Bar Criminal Law Section, its Executive Council, the Criminal Rules Committee, and the Professionalism Committee for the 17th Judicial Circuit.
Her leadership contributed to improvements in criminal procedure resources, curriculum design, and jury instruction development across the state.
Community Involvement and Public Service
Outside the legal sphere, Cynthia Imperato has been deeply involved in nonprofit and advisory boards. She served with the American Red Cross, the Broward County Crime Commission advisory board, the PACE Center for Girls, and the Fort Lauderdale Pre-Law Magnet Program. She has also supported Women in Distress and Covenant House, focusing on prevention, youth protection, and expanding access for those facing hardship.
Her volunteer work earned numerous honors, including being named one of the Outstanding Women of Broward County (2012), the Miami Herald Outstanding Leader Award (2006), a President’s Volunteer Service Award (2017), Humanitarian of the Year (2025), and a Superior Public Service Award (2022) from the Broward County Crime Commission. She also received recognition for her contributions following the Parkland school shooting, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael, the Fort Lauderdale floods, and her work with Sound the Alarm.
Legacy
Now retired, Cynthia Imperato leaves behind a judiciary strengthened by her service, a generation of lawyers and judges shaped by her mentorship, and a community made safer through her leadership. Those who worked with her remember a judge committed to facts, reason, and fairness, an enduring legacy of integrity and public service.
