In 2007, the Florida Legislature created a system of regional court-appointed counsel to represent indigent defendants in three types of cases: criminal cases in which the public defender has a conflict, dependency and civil cases, and certain statutorily authorized civil commitment proceedings. The regional counsels also handle appeals and post conviction motions.

The Legislature's intent is to provide adequate representation in a fiscally sound manner, while safeguarding constitutional principles.

There are five Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, which coincide with the geographic boundaries of the five District Courts of Appeal. Each office is headed by a Regional Counsel who is appointed to a four-year term by the Governor from a list of two to five qualified candidates provided by the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission and the current Regional Counsel.

When the public defender determines there is a conflict of interest, a judge shall appoint the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel to represent any indigent defendant who is under arrest for or charged with a felony, a misdemeanor authorized for prosecution by the state attorney, a violation of the State Uniform Traffic Control Act punishable by imprisonment, criminal contempt, or a violation of a special law or county or municipal ordinance ancillary to a state charge.

Criminal conflict and civil regional counsel also has responsibility for persons entitled to court-appointed counsel under the federal or state Constitution or as authorized by general law in civil proceedings, such as proceedings to terminate parental rights.

Pay Increases. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-239, Laws of Florida, which appropriates $24.8 million to provide pay increases of up to 10% to recruit and retain assistant state attorneys, assistant public defenders, and conflict counsel attorneys.

Violent Offenses Committed Against Criminal Defense Attorneys. The 2023 Legislature enacted SB 384 to provide for enhanced punishment for certain violent offenses committed against a public defender or a criminal conflict and civil regional counsel acting in his or her capacity as defense counsel or against a court-appointed counsel or a defense attorney in a criminal proceeding acting in his or her capacity as defense counsel.  The law adds sentence point multipliers to the Criminal Punishment Code for a list of violent offenses including attempted first degree murder (2.5 multiplier), attempted second degree murder (2.0 multiplier), and aggravated battery (1.5 multiplier).

Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsels. The 2022 Legislature enacted Ch. 2022-195, Laws of Florida, which brings the Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel into parity with the offices of the public defender and other governmental entities in the following areas: witness coordination, electronic filing of court documents, security access to courthouses, procedure for setting a classification and pay plan, access to confidential court and state records, limits of witness cost reimbursement, investigator death benefits, confidential motor vehicle registration, and criminal justice history access.

Additionally, the law lowers the number of nominees, in addition to the existing Regional Counsel, that are required to be presented to the Governor for a position as Regional Counsel to between zero and three (previously between two and five).

Finally, the law waives an eight hour guardianship education requirement for attorneys, and clarifies that the court must appoint the office if the public defender has a conflict of interest in a case involving involuntary treatment of a sexually violent predator or involuntary mental health treatment of a prisoner.

Due Process Services, Report 19-18, December 2019

A Review of Multidisciplinary Legal Representation for Parents in Dependency Proceedings: Fiscal Year 2022-23, Report 23-11, November 2023

Review of Multidisciplinary Legal Representation of Parents in Dependency Proceedings, Report 22-07, December 2022

Other Reports
The Auditor General reports on Regional Counsels operations are available on its website

Websites of Interest
First Region
Second Region
Third Region
Fourth Region
Fifth Region

Ch. 27 Part III, Florida Statutes

First Region: Candice Brower, Regional Counsel, 850-922-0179
Second Region: Ita M. Neymotin, Regional Counsel, 239-208-6925
Third Region: Eugene Zenobi, Regional Counsel, 305-679-6550
Fourth Region: Antony Ryan, Regional Counsel 561-837-5156
Fifth Region: Jeffrey Deen, Regional Counsel 407-389-5140