Judge Darrin Gayles is a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. President Barack Obama nominated Judge Gayles to the District Court in February 2014. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Gayles’ nomination by a 98-0 vote.

Judge Gayles previously served for more than ten years as a judge of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit. Judge Gayles was appointed to the County Court of that circuit by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in 2004. In 2011, former Florida Governor Charlie Crist elevated Judge Gayles to the Circuit Court, where he served until his federal appointment. Judge Gayles was retained on both courts without opposition in 2006 and 2012, respectively.

A graduate of Howard University and The George Washington University Law School, Judge Gayles began his legal career in 1993 as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Judge Gayles subsequently worked for the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and later as Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, serving in that office’s Appellate, Major Crimes, and Narcotics Sections until his appointment to the County Court in 2004.

Judge Gayles is a former co-chairman of the 11th Judicial Circuit’s (Florida) Professionalism Committee. He is also an active volunteer in several of South Florida’s civic and charitable organizations, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 100 Black Men of South Florida, and the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project.