The Monroe County State Attorney's Office (16th Judicial Circuit) prosecutes criminal cases working with law enforcement, victims and witnesses. State Attorney Dennis Ward was elected to a four-year term in 2016 and served a previous four-year term from 2008 to 2012. The 16th Judicial Circuit is one of 20 trial court circuits in Florida. Monroe County spans from the southernmost point of mainland Florida through the Florida Keys. Due to the unique linear geography of the Florida Keys, the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office maintains three offices, each near a courthouse and each with prosecutors and support staff.