Judge Jason Dimitris is proud to share that 18 years ago this month, he joined the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office as part of the 1998 Fall class.
"I came to Miami for the crime," he says playfully. "The SAO is the best state attorney's office in the world. It has a great reputation and it was a great opportunity that I couldn't pass up."
Originally from Long Island, New York, Judge Dimitris attended Rollins College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics/Organizational Communications.
"After college, I taught youth at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Manatee, FL where I worked with kids who were court-ordered to attend the program. I helped develop a high school curriculum for the organization. I really enjoyed helping the kids!"
Wanting to make an even bigger impact on these kids, Judge Dimitris decided to go to law school "and get the necessary credentials to help them have the best future possible."
He went to Stetson University College of Law where he graduated Cum Laude and was Editor-In-Chief of the Stetson Law Review.
As graduation approached, Judge Dimitris interviewed for positions in both private practice and the public sector.
Because of his passion for working with kids, many thought that he would become a Public Defender "but I believed prosecutors are in the best position to help people and pursue justice," he said.
"Trial work is similar to teaching and the epitome of trial work is being an ASA. Rehabilitation is a huge part of the puzzle," he explains.
Speaking about his first round interview with the State Attorney's Office, Judge Dimitris admits "It was so much fun! I had been told that SAO interviews were the best practice for interviewing because of the difficult questions and hypotheticals posed."
"When I finally had my third round interview with State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, I was completely sold on being an ASA! She asked such challenging and thoughtful questions. She inspired and motivated me. I saw that the State Attorney was clearly interested in seeking justice and doing all that it requires."
"Judge Dimitris has always been known for his enthusiasm," noted State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. "He has always been deeply committed to every endeavor he has undertaken, whether it is helping children, seeking justice in the courtroom, or pushing his physical limits in an endurance race. It is this quality which has made him shine in the eyes of those who know him and respect him."
After a four week training, Judge Dimitris began his career as a prosecutor in County Court and then in the Juvenile Division.
"At the SAO, you have so many learning experiences and impactful things happen every day. You are faced with the difficulty of keeping up with the amount of work, so you learn to prioritize."
"The challenge of walking into court and facing wildcards is exciting. You have to deal with the unexpected and learn to think on your feet."
One case in particular came to mind when discussing unforeseen challenges. The Judge was trying a drug prosecution as 2nd chair. His trial partner introduced the cocaine into evidence. On cross examination, the defense attorney successfully impeached the police officer who testified that he didn't remember certain specifics about the chain of custody, so upon motion of the defense attorney, the cocaine was removed from evidence.
"That was quite a blow to our case. I had to think quickly so I stood up and requested the judge's permission to voir dire (question) our witness! I had to go step by step asking about each thing that was documented and what he did remember. It was like rebuilding the case from the beginning, piece by piece. The evidence was eventually readmitted and we ended up getting a verdict of guilty on the case."
"You get such great experience as an ASA especially when things go wrong and you have to react on the spot and do your best."
Judge Dimitris later went on to the Felony Division before joining the Economic Crimes Specialized Unit and the Environmental Crimes Specialized Unit.
"My interest was in computers because as their use was emerging, so were computer crimes." He was able to investigate and prepare computer and high-tech criminal cases including internet auction fraud, child pornography and stalking cases.
After five years at the SAO, Judge Dimitris received a job offer at the Office of Statewide Prosecution in the Florida Attorney General's Office. "There I became Special Counsel for Technology Crimes and Identity Theft for all of Florida."
His excellent work and expertise in this field caught the attention of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and he was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney. In his two years there, he not only handled cyber-crimes but also major crimes and did appellate work. He was promoted to the Narcotics Special Unit.
In 2007, Judge Dimitris was brought back full circle to serving our most vulnerable children as Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) under then Secretary Bob Butterworth. He also was the Interim Inspector General of DCF while they successfully sought to fill that position permanently.
During his four and a half years at DCF, he was the primary liaison with the Governor's Office and with other executive branch agencies. He was also part of the team that created the first ever Myron Rolle Camp for foster and adopted children. "It was like going back to my Outward Bound days."
Judge Dimitris joined the Department of Management Services in 2011 as their General Counsel where he went back to directly practicing law.
In 2012, he was appointed to the County Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida where he has served for the past three and a half years. Judge Dimitris was retained and will be serving a six year term. He is currently based at the North Miami Beach satellite court where he handles civil matters including insurance, small claims, and landlord/tenant disputes.
Even after all of these years in public service, Judge Dimitris is still looking to see where else he can make a difference and he does so with enthusiasm and passion. He is also an avid outdoorsman and sportsman who has completed three Ironman distance triathlons and nearly 20 marathons.
The Community Outreach Division (COD), a special unit of the State Attorney's Office, carries out the unique task of helping the citizens of Miami-Dade County become familiar with the community resources available to them and providing education on how to go about obtaining these services. 
