Cecilia M. Altonaga at a glance
- Current role
- U.S. District Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- Jurisdiction
- Florida · Federal
- Judicial service
- May 7, 2003–present
Cecilia M. Altonaga
U.S. District Judge · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Available research
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AI abuse cases
1 caseAI-related ruling · August 28, 2025
Multiphone Latin America v. Millicom International Cellular
- Court response
- Referral to District Ad Hoc Committee and the Florida Bar for investigation
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Circuit Court of Florida, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, 1999-2003
- Judge, Miami-Dade County Florida Court, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, 1996-1999
- Assistant county attorney, Dade County, FL, 1988-1996
- Law clerk, Hon. Edward B. Davis, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1987-1988
- Attorney, Dade County Florida Attorney's Office, 1986-1987
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, S.D. Florida, 2003-present
Education
- Florida International University · B.A., 1983
- Yale University · J.D., 1986
- Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School
Personal record
Born 1962 · Baltimore, MD
Courtroom rules and guidance
Electronic Trial Exhibits
Unless otherwise ordered, Southern District of Florida parties must file electronic versions of documentary exhibits and digital photographs of non-documentary physical exhibits within ten days after a hearing or trial ends.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, within ten (10) days of the conclusion of a hearing or trial, a party must file and serve in the CM/ECF system (a) an electronic version of each documentary exhibit ... and (b) a digital photograph of each non-documentary physical exhibit...Local Rules of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida ↗
Audiovisual Exhibit Filing
The Southern District of Florida's local rules require contraband images, audio, and video recordings that are exempt from CM/ECF filing to be physically filed with the Clerk within ten days after the hearing or trial, unless otherwise ordered.
Contraband images, audio recordings, and video recordings, which must be physically filed with the Clerk of the Court within ten (10) days of the conclusion of the hearing or trial, unless otherwise ordered...Local Rules of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida ↗
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391821CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/91/cecilia-m-altonaga/Local Rules of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Judge research source · PDF · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/sites/flsd/files/25-09-22%202025%20Local%20Rules%20effective%20120125%20-%20FINAL.pdfFederal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts