Heloiza Correa
Heloiza Correa is a judge-elect of the Florida 11th Circuit Court. She assumes office on January 7, 2025.
Correa won election for judge of the Florida 11th Circuit Court outright in the primary on August 20, 2024, after the general election was canceled.
Correa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Heloiza Correa earned a high school diploma from Miami Palmetto Senior High School, a bachelor's degree from Florida International University in 2007, and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2009. Her career experience includes working as an attorney. Correa has been affiliated with the Miami-Dade Florida Association for Women Lawyers, League of Prosecutors, Miami-Dade County Bar Association, Cuban American Bar Association, and Coral Gables Bar Association.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2024)
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Florida 11th Circuit Court
Heloiza Correa won election outright against Cristobal Padron in the primary for Florida 11th Circuit Court on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Heloiza Correa (Nonpartisan)  | 51.9 | 129,568 |
 | Cristobal Padron (Nonpartisan) | 48.1 | 120,217 | |
| Total votes: 249,785 | |||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Heloiza Correa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Correa's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I began my legal career as a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, dedicated to serving the people of Florida. During my 3.5 years in this role, I gained extensive experience handling a wide range of cases, from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including both adult and juvenile cases. Notably, I successfully tried 4 murder cases, including two first-degree murder cases. I also developed strong organizational skills, enabling me to manage a large caseload of over 250 cases independently and be prepared for 60-80 jury trials every two weeks. Transitioning to civil litigation, I have spent the past 11.5 years honing my skills in various areas of law. My practice has primarily focused on probate litigation, commercial litigation, and construction litigation. Additionally, I have handled family and guardianship cases, further broadening my legal expertise. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a commitment to achieving justice and providing exceptional legal representation, leveraging my diverse experience in both criminal prosecution and civil litigation. I've tried 33 jury trials and over 60 bench trials (in front of a judge). My diverse legal experience enables me to understand the needs of the public from a judge and to assist lawyers and litigants in resolving their disputes effectively and promptly. Having served as a government employee, associate, and partner at my own law firm, I am well-acquainted with the unique demands of each role.
- Preparedness: I vow to be thoroughly prepared for hearings and well-versed in the issues at hand by reviewing all motions, responses, and relevant case law. I want lawyers and litigants to feel that their efforts and time are valued by the court and that their contributions assist in resolving cases in a timely manner, thereby providing litigants greater access to the court.
- Respect: I will treat everyone who appears before me with respect, regardless of whether my ruling is in their favor or not. A judge is a public servant, dedicated to ensuring the judicial system functions effectively.
- Access to the court: The most important issue facing Miami-Dade County at the moment relating to the judicial branch is access to the courts. A judge needs to have experience in the types of cases they handle and sufficient trial experience to facilitate the timely progression of cases. Given the high volume of cases in Miami-Dade County courts, it is challenging to micro-manage each case to ensure swift resolution. However, we can implement mechanisms to increase the availability of hearing times, allowing litigants to appear before the court sooner. This will improve access to justice and help address the backlog of cases more effectively.
A judge should follow the law as written and apply the facts of each case to the law.
The person I look up to the most is my mother. Throughout her life, she has faced numerous challenges, yet she never wavered in being the best mother and friend she could be. Whether it was balancing multiple jobs while ensuring we excelled in school or persuading my father to move our family to the United States for a better future, my mother has consistently demonstrated bravery and a relentless commitment to our family's well-being. Her strength and determination are truly inspiring.
In my view, a judge should possess several key characteristics. Firstly, respect is paramount, as it ensures that the judge values all perspectives and treats everyone in the courtroom with dignity. Secondly, experience is crucial; a judge must have a deep understanding of the law and extensive practical knowledge to make well-informed decisions. Finally, community involvement is essential, as it helps the judge stay connected with the people they serve and understand the broader social context of their rulings.
The core responsibility of a judge is to serve the public by resolving legal disputes impartially, regardless of their nature. This means ensuring that every case is handled with fairness and integrity, providing justice to all parties involved.
My legal philosophy is to follow the law as written and to apply the facts presented by admissible evidence. This ensures that my decisions are grounded in the law as written and based on credible, substantiated information.
South Florida Police Benevolent Association, Hispanic Police Officers Association, AFL-CIO, League of Prosecutors, and South Florida Council of Firefighters.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 22, 2024
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
