Gordon Weekes Bio, Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Salary, Public Defender, Political Party

Gordon Weekes Biography – Gordon Weekes Wiki

Gordon Weekes is an attorney and Public Defender in Broward County, Florida. He was sworn in as Broward County’s Public Defender on January 2, 2021. He is the first person of color elected as Public Defender in the State of Florida.

Weekes attended public school in South Florida and graduated from North Miami Senior High School. While in high school, he also attended a trade school where he learned to work with his hands. He studied to become an aircraft mechanic at George T. Baker Aviation. Upon graduation, Gordon attended Miami-Dade College and then went on to attend Florida Memorial University. In 1994, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Air Traffic Control. Weekes went on to earn his Juris Doctorate in 1997 from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center.

In 1997, he began his career as an Assistant Public Defender at the Broward County Public Defender’s Office where he proudly represented the poor, the mentally ill and children of our community.

For a brief period, Weekes entered private practice and was the managing partner in the Law Offices of Gelin & Weekes. After practicing in the areas of civil litigation and employment law, he then returned to public service at the Public Defender’s Office.

Weekes was the first Assistant Public Defender to specialize in representation of children charged as adults. Shortly thereafter, Weekes was appointed as the Chief Assistant Public Defender in charge of the Juvenile Division. Gordon embraced the task of reforming the lives of children and families who found themselves embroiled in the juvenile justice system. Weekes has been instrumental in implementing civil citation for first-time nonviolent offenses, diversionary programs and addressing the schoolhouse-to-jailhouse pipeline to reduce the number of young people entering the system.

As Chief Assistant, he tackled pervasive abusive practices in adult jails and juvenile facilities. His efforts brought these issues to light and culminated in the enactment of legislation to protect pregnant incarcerated women while in labor. As a result of his efforts in juvenile facilities, Florida ultimately cut ties with one of the nation’s largest for-profit prison contractors.

He also spearheaded a campaign to shed light on the deplorable conditions within foster homes and mental health facilities. He advocated for policy reform that would prohibit the excessive sedation of mentally ill children and successfully shuttered abusive residential commitment facilities. His expertise is recognized statewide in the areas of conditions of confinement, prison privatization and the reduction of the school-house-to-jail-house pipeline.

In addition to his work with children, Weekes is a tireless advocate against police misconduct and the use of force. He has championed community efforts to address predatory policing. He continues to work on reducing minority over-representation and disparate treatment in the justice system. Weekes was also at the center of the push to stop reality television shows like COPS and the Police Women of Broward County from exploiting the community for ratings. He also acts as a watchdog for wrongdoing and has uncovered a number of issues that directly impact the public’s confidence in the judicial system.

Weekes has appeared as a panelist and moderator in numerous community forums and has lectured throughout the State of Florida on topics ranging from ethics and scientific evidence to community / police relations. He currently serves as a community stakeholder on several boards including the Delta Education and Life Development Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Broward, Circuit Seventeen Advisory Board, Florida Public Defender Association Juvenile Subcommittee, Disproportionate Minority Contact & Zero Tolerance Committee and Broward Schools – Prison Pipeline Committee.

Gordon Weekes Parkland Trial

Public defender Gordon Weekes represented Nikolas Cruz, who was sentenced the shooter to life in prison without parole for the 2018 massacre that killed 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

On Tuesday, November 1, 2022, Weekes and chief assistant public defenders Melisa McNeill and David Wheeler asked Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer to prevent the victims’ family members from directing comments to the defense attorneys personally during impact statements.

Scherer is being criticized for alleged “hostile and demeaning treatment of defense counsel” in a Nov. 3 letter by Ernest L. Chang, the president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The letter criticized Scherer for telling public defender Gordon Weekes and Chief Assistant Public Defender David Wheeler to go sit down.

Gordon Weekes Age

Weekes was born and raised in South Florida. His full name is Gordon Hyvestra Weekes Jr.

Gordon Weekes Family

Attorney Gordon Weekes is the youngest of three siblings.

Gordon Weekes Salary

As Broward County’s Public Defender, Gordon Weekes earns an annual salary of $100,000.

Gordon Weekes Contact Details

Email: gweekes@browarddefender.org. Under Florida Public Records Law, e-mails directed to the Law Office of the Public Defender may become public records.

Gordon Weekes Instagram

Gordon Weekes’ Instagram is @gordon_weekes.