Kenneth Padowitz

Last updated
Kenneth Padowitz
Born (1960-11-25) November 25, 1960 (age 64)
Mineola, New York
Education University of Florida
Nova Southeastern University
Occupation(s)Lawyer, Professor
Organization(s)Kenneth Padowitz, P.A.

Kenneth David Padowitz (born 25 November 1960) is an American attorney, legal analyst, and former law professor based in Florida. He is known for his work as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney in high-profile cases. Padowitz served as an assistant state attorney in Broward County, where he was lead prosecutor in several prominent trials, including the murder case of Lionel Tate, which attracted widespread media coverage. He is also recognized as the first attorney to introduce computer-animated forensic reconstruction as evidence in a Florida criminal court.

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After leaving the state attorney's office, Padowitz founded a private practice specializing in criminal defense. He has also appeared frequently in the media as a legal commentator.

Early life

Kenneth Padowitz was born in Mineola, New York and moved to Florida with his family at the age of 14. He graduated from Piper High School [1] and attended the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelor's degree in education. [2] Padowitz later attended Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1986. [3]

Career

Padowitz began his legal career in 1986 at the Broward County State Attorney's Office, serving as an assistant state attorney for 16 years. [4] He was promoted to the homicide division, where he served as a lead prosecutor. During his tenure, he prosecuted more than 300 jury trials, including over 35 first-degree murder cases and approximately 50 grand jury presentations. [5]

Among the high-profile cases he handled was that of Lionel Tate, a 12-year-old charged as an adult with first-degree murder. [6] [7] [8] Padowitz was also the prosecutor in the case against Kenneth Pierce, a man convicted in a fatal hit-and-run. [9] In the Pierce case, Padowitz was the first attorney to introduce computer-animated forensic reconstruction as a form of evidence in a Florida courtroom, a use that was later upheld on appeal. [10] [11]

In 2002, Padowitz left the State Attorney's Office and transitioned to private practice. He founded the Law Offices of Kenneth Padowitz, P.A., where he began working as a criminal defense attorney. His practice handled a range of felony and misdemeanor cases.

In 2017, Padowitz represented Richard Patterson, a Margate man charged with second-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend. [12] [13] The case received national media attention due to the unusual nature of the defense, and Patterson was ultimately acquitted at trial. [14] [15] [16] In a 2024 stand-your-ground case involving defendant Miguel Albisu, Padowitz became the first attorney in the United States to successfully introduce virtual reality evidence during a criminal hearing. A Florida judge used a VR headset in court to view a 3D recreation of the events from the defendant's perspective. [17] The case was widely reported and cited as a milestone in the courtroom use of immersive technology. [18] [19] [20]

He is also a long-time adjunct law professor at Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad College of Law, where he has taught courses on trial advocacy and scientific evidence for 17 years. [5] [21] [2] He has frequently appeared as a legal analyst on various national television networks, including CNN, Fox News, and local news stations, offering insights on high-profile criminal cases. [4] [22]

Personal life

Padowitz has been involved in several community and professional organizations, including a term as the Chairman of a Grievance Committee for the Florida Bar. [23] He has a son, Joshua Padowitz, who is also an attorney at his law firm. [24]

Recognition

References

  1. "PIPER GRAD COMES BACK HOME AS PROSECUTOR". Sun Sentinel. 1987-08-27. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mr. Kenneth David Padowitz Profile | Fort Lauderdale, FL Lawyer | Martindale.com". www.martindale.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  3. "Find a Florida Bar Lawyer". The Florida Bar. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  4. 1 2 3 "Kenneth Padowitz | America's Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys" . Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  5. 1 2 "Kenneth Padowitz - Florida (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale) - The National Trial Lawyers Top 100". thenationaltriallawyers.org. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  6. "Boy Convicted of Murder in Wrestling Death (Published 2001)". 2001-01-26. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  7. "CNN.com - Convicted child murderer back in jail - Sep 8, 2004". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  8. Cooper, Cynthia A. (2007). Violence in the media and its influence on criminal defense. McFarland. pp. 125–153. ISBN   9780786429516.
  9. Reisner, Rebecca (2019-11-01). "Kenneth Pierce: Hit, Run, Repeat". Forensic Files Now. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  10. S, Robert (2022-07-24). "Nicole Rae Walker Hit-and-Run Death by Kenneth Pierce - FFF". Forensic Files Files. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  11. "GIRL'S KILLER GETS 40 YEARS". Sun Sentinel. 1997-07-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  12. "Lawyer says murder trial's spotlight on oral sex helped him mask defense's endgame". Sun Sentinel . 2017-05-28. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  13. Salo, Jackie (2017-05-26). "Lawyer admits size never mattered in big-penis murder trial". New York Post . Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  14. "Margate Man Found Not Guilty in Oral Sex Murder Trial". NBC 6 South Florida. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  15. Salo, Jackie (2017-05-23). "Murder suspect who used big-penis defense found not guilty". New York Post . Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  16. "Man who wanted to show his penis to jury to help him beat a murder rap found not guilty". miamiherald. Archived from the original on 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  17. Novak, Matt (2025-01-02). "Florida Judge Allows VR Simulation of Alleged Crime to Be Submitted as Evidence". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  18. Vazquez, Christina; Reporter (2024-12-17). "Broward judge dons virtual reality headset in what's thought to be a courtroom first". wplg. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  19. "Florida judge wears VR headset to step inside simulation of crime scene". Newsweek. 2025-01-03. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  20. Arasa, Dale (2025-01-01). "Courtroom hearing uses virtual reality for the first time". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  21. "Criminal Defense Attorneys - Kenneth Padowitz, P.A."
  22. "PoliticsNation, Tuesday, February 18th, 2014". NBC News. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  23. "Kenneth Padowitz - Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL - Avvo". www.avvo.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  24. "Kenneth Padowitz, P.A. - HG.org". www.hg.org. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  25. "Top Rated Fort Lauderdale, FL Criminal Defense Attorney | Kenneth Padowitz | Super Lawyers". SuperLawyers.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  26. "Kenneth David Padowitz, Lawyer at Florida Lawyers". Florida Lawyers. Retrieved 2025-08-22.