Endorsed by Broward County Police Benevolent Association -Broward County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics- Broward County 10-13 Club Retired N.Y. Police Officers - Broward County AFL-CIO- Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge and
Catalina has been a long time Broward County Resident. Catalina is proud to be a product of the Broward County School System. She attended Pioneer Middle School and graduated with honors from Western High School in Davie. She proceeded to attend Broward Community College, Honors Institute, and received a scholarship to attend Florida International University. She received her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 1996.
Catalina is also a daughter, sister, wife and mother. She values commitment and selflessness. Catalina was born in Colombia and came to the United States when she was 2 years old. Her parents taught her and younger brothers the importance of giving back to the community, which is why she has been a dedicated public servant. She is proud of her brothers and her husband who served in U.S. military and one of her brothers, who recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. She is married to BSO Detective Freddy Avalos and is the proud mother of two wonderful daughters, ages 9 and 13.
*Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center Fort Lauderdale, Florida Class Rank: Top 25%
Honors: Deans List, Moot Court Board Member, Public Service Fellowship, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Vice President 1995, President 1996, Nova Southeastern University Scholarship Recipient 1994 and 1995, Moot Court and Mock Trial Competitions, Semi-Finalist in the Ken Raab Memorial Mock Trial Competition.
May 1993 Bachelor of Arts
*Florida International University, Miami, Florida
Major: Political Science; Minor: International Relations
Honors: Dean’s List, National Dean’s List Nomination, Scholar’s Award, Finalist in the National Association of Latino Elected Officials in Washington, DC
May 1992 Associate in Arts with Honors
*Broward Community College
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Judge Avalos's Awards & Recognitions
2004 Proclamation conferred by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners
2004 Women of Distinction Award conferred by the March of Dimes
2004 Paul May Young Lawyers Professionalism Award conferred by the
Broward County Bar Association
2005 Hispanic Women of Distinction Award conferred by Viva Broward
2005 Diamantes of Broward conferred by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
2006 Broward Community College Distinguished Alumna Award
2007 Broward County Bar President’s Award
2007 Nova Southeastern University’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award
Professional Associations
Florida Bar Association: Member, 1996- present
-Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure Committee, 2007 to present
-Membership Outreach Committee, 2004 to present
Broward County Bar Association: Member, 2003- present; Board member, 2005
Broward County Hispanic Bar Association: Board Member 2000- present;
President 2003-2004
Broward County Women Lawyers Association: Board Member, 2003-present
Cuban American Bar Association: Member, 2005-present
Florida Supreme Court Interpreter Certification Committee, 2006 –present
Catalina began her legal career, as a law clerk and an associate, at the law firm of Psyka, Kessler, Massey, Holton, et al., in Fort Lauderdale.
She then went to work as an Assistant State Attorney in Broward County under your elected State Attorney Michael Satz. Because of her dedication and hard work, she was entrusted with trying second degree murders, 10-20-Life cases, and sexual battery cases. She gained the respect of her colleagues, opposing counsel, and the judiciary as a fair-minded, intelligent, and professional lawyer with vast trial experience.
She was also responsible for training and supervising over 200 attorneys as the Deputy Chief of the County Court Division and a Senior Supervisor of the Juvenile Delinquency Unit. She was instrumental in developing the Misdemeanor Diversion Program for first time offenders.
Judge Avalos has also served as an adjunct professor at Broward Community College and has taught courses in Legal Issues in Arson Investigation, Constitutional Law and Criminal Procedure, and Case Preparation and Courtroom Presentation at Broward Community College.
Since serving as your County Court Judge, Judge Avalos has presided over civil and criminal matters in both the Circuit and County court. Consistently demonstrating the professional demeanor and other qualities we value in a judge, Catalina has earned a reputation as a dedicated jurist who treats all who appear before her with fairness and respect.
She has presided in over 15,000 cases as your County Court Judge. She handles matters involving Foreclosures, Landlord Tenant Cases and Consumer Debt Cases. She also presides over criminal cases involving misdemeanors and traffic criminal violations. Because of her experience, she is regularly appointed by the Chief Judge to preside over felony cases.
She has written opinions published in the Florida Law Weekly and has been invited to give lectures to other judges at the Conference of County Court Judges.
It is my honor and privilege to serve as your County Court Judge. I am proud of my record and am hereby asking for your support and vote on August 26. Please vote for Judge Catalina M. Avalos, County Court Group 27.
As your County Court Judge, I am in the court room daily handling the cases that have been assigned to me. I pride myself in treating everyone with dignity and respect and want everyone that comes into my courtroom to have a venue where their voice can be heard. I have the experience and training necessary to continue serving as your County Court Judge.
Daily, I uphold the integrity of the position and of the judicial system. Over the years, I have demonstrated unquestionable integrity and high ethical standards. I am a fair and reasonable and am trained to make decisions based solely on the law and the facts without regard to external influences.
I understand what it means to have discretion and exercise it cautiously. I have earned the respect of opposing counsel and of my colleagues on the bench. I attribute this both to my abilities as a judge and to my life experiences. Due to my almost daily appearances in court, I understand the importance of proper judicial temperament.
I have proven my ability to exercise discretion and judgment, in courtrooms filled with spectators, including the media. My opinions and decisions as a Judge have been published and tested. I also understand that the manner in which I conduct and express myself in the courtroom directly reflects on our judicial system.
Knowing that my decisions as a judge affect the plaintiffs, defendants and the victims for the rest of their lives, I have always sought to exercise my duties with due diligence and common sense. I am a fair but firm judge.
One's personal life and professional life are reflective upon one another and this is a very important concept when one is a public servant. As a person who has been in public service for many years, I understand that I am accountable to the people whom I serve.
I ask for your vote on August 26, so that I can continue serving you and exercising my judicial duties with humility and the outmost regard for the laws and principles of our great nation.
Please vote to retain Judge CATALINA AVALOS on August 26!
