The Honorable Cynthia S. Oster
Year elected to the Bench: 2020
Commissioned in January 2021
Assignments:
- County Civil, Division L, February 2018 – January 2020
- Traffic Division F, February 2018 – January 2020
- Unified Family Court, Juvenile Dependency Division, Division C, January 2020 – January 2022 (Acting Circuit)
- County Criminal, Division A, January 2022 – December 2022
- Unified Family Court, Family Law, Division A, January 2023 - Present
Education
- Law School: Juris Doctor, Stetson University College of Law 1995
- Undergraduate: Bachelors of Science, University of Florida 1992
Professional Background
Prior to her appointment, Judge Oster was a Senior Assistant County Attorney in the Employment and Regulatory Services Division of the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, where she was employed for over eighteen years. As a Senior Assistant County Attorney, Judge Oster provided full-time legal services to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, departments under the County Administrator, and various boards and councils. These services ranged from rendering legal advice pertaining to employment decisions, contract review, drafting and enforcement of various county ordinances and representing the County in administrative, state, and federal court litigation.
From 1997 to 2000, Judge Oster served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, where she was responsible for discovery, motion practice, and trying both non-jury and jury trials related to criminal prosecution.
From 1996 to 1997, Judge Oster served as an Assistant Public Defender for the Tenth Judicial Circuit, where she provided criminal defense representation to those who are indigent. Such representation included discovery, motion practice, and trying both non-jury and jury trials.
Certification
- Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law, 2012
Professional and Community Involvement (Past and Present)
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers - Vice-President of Programs, Vice-President of Membership, Treasurer, Member of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Board of Directors, co-chair of Judicial Relations Committee, co-chair of Diversity Committee, Mentor
- Hillsborough County Bar Association – member, co-chair of the Diversity Committee, co-chair of the Judicial Pig Roast Committee
- Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission – Past Chair and Member
- Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission – Past Chair and Member
- Ferguson-White Inn of Court – Bencher, Master, Barrister
- Cheatwood Inn of Court - Barrister
- The Florida Bar Grievance Committee “E” - Member
- Tampa Connection – Member of the Board of Directors (Tampa Connection is a working board that screens and selects non-profit organizations for its class members to work on year-long projects that fulfill a specific agency need, providing class members with an opportunity to directly impact their local community)
- Bay Area Legal Services Pearl Society – Member (Pearl Society is an informed giving circle of women united in their support of legal aid and the desire to make a difference)
- Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Professional Awards Subcommittee – Chair and Member
- George Edgecomb Bar Association – Member
- Former Martial Arts Instructor and Fourth Degree Black Belt – trained both adults and children in Tae Kwon Do for over ten years
Awards, Achievements and Publications
- Florida Trend’s Legal Elite for Government Lawyers (2014 – 2017)
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Professionalism Award
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers Leaders in the Law Award
- Published in the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s The Lawyer Magazine the following articles: Lilly Ledbetter: A Crusader for Equal Pay for All and Disability Diversity in the Legal Profession, in addition to several others
- Presenter to the Florida Association of County Attorneys on substantive matters
- Presenter and guest speaker to the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers on the pathway to the judiciary
- Presenter and guest speaker to the Hillsborough County Bar Association on the pathway to the judiciary
Court Admissions
- Florida State Courts
- United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
- United States Supreme Court