Carey Haughwout honored with Steven M. Goldstein Criminal Justice Award
Carey Haughwout, longtime Palm Beach County Public Defender and former FACDL president, was honored with the Steven M. Goldstein Criminal Justice Award for her decades of service, advocacy, and leadership in Florida’s criminal justice system.
Carey Haughwout, who served as Palm Beach County’s Public Defender for 24 years, has received the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (FACDL) highest honor — the Steven M. Goldstein Criminal Justice Award — recognizing her decades of leadership, courtroom excellence, and impact on criminal justice reform in Florida.
The award was presented at FACDL’s Annual Meeting in June by former FACDL President Brian Tannebaum, who praised Haughwout as “a mentor and inspiration to a generation of defense attorneys.”
Haughwout’s impact on Florida’s legal landscape spans over four decades. Until her retirement in January 2025, Haughwout balanced the role of managing a 200-person office with an active trial practice that included serious felony and death penalty cases.
As the first woman president of FACDL, Haughwout paved the way for countless women in criminal defense.
"She is renowned not only for her courtroom work — handling complex and high-profile cases like the Paul Michael Merhige Thanksgiving tragedy and the Corey Johnson homicide — but also for her tireless efforts to advance criminal justice policy and reform," according to the FACDL.
Haughwout’s leadership extends beyond the courtroom. She has championed initiatives to reduce recidivism through the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission’s Reentry Task Force and has served on Florida Bar committees shaping the practice of criminal law statewide. Her contributions have been recognized by numerous organizations, including the ACLU and the Palm Beach County Bar Association.
Tannebaum said the honor is not only well-deserved "but long overdue.”
