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Sunny Isles Beach, Florida

Sunny Isles Beach , Florida is located on a barrier island in northeast Miami-Dade County . Sunny Isles is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. This popular tourist destination’s humble beginnings go back to 1920 when Harvey Baker Graves bought a 2.26 square mile tract of land and named it Sunny Isles. The shrewd businessman paid only $60,000 for the land as the area was only accessible by boat. In 1925, the Haulover Bridge was built, connecting Sunny Isles with the mainland. The first buildings were a casino, a bathhouse and a hotel, signaling the start of Sunny Isles as a vacation destination. Today, the area has grown into the City of Sunny Isles Beach, a luxury vacation destination with 15,315 residents in the year 2000. The city is sometimes referred to as Little Moscow because of its many residents of Russian descent . The population of Sunny Isles, Florida contains a percentage of foreign-born residents significantly above the state average.

Sunny Isles Sunny Isles Beach , FL has come to be known as the new Millionaires Row of Miami Beach. Sunny Isles Beach ‘s cost of living is 186.47% higher than the U.S. average. The median price for a detached house in 2007 was $940,751 , compared to the U.S average of $334,342. The city is experiencing a major redevelopment renaissance on the east side of Collins Avenue , the main thoroughfare. Zoning laws ensure that residents will always enjoy a view and easy access to the ocean.

Sunny Isles, Florida has the distinction of being selected at the number one spot in TripAdvisor ‘s TravelCast Top Ten U.S. Destinations for 2008. Almost one million vacationers visit Sunny Isles Beach annually for its pristine fine sand beach and outdoor recreation. Abundant shopping awaits at the famous Bal Harbour shops to the south, while dining and entertainment options are close by. Sunny Isles Beach was also the 2008 site of MTV’s annual Spring Break celebration, with headquarters at the local Newport Beachside Resort . The nearby Miami International Airport , and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport serve the City of Sunny Isles Beach along with the Port of Miami and Port Everglades.

Sunny Isles Beach, Florida is part of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida , which serves Miami-Dade County. The 11th Judicial Circuit is the largest in the state and the fourth largest trial court in the nation, with 123 Circuit and County Court judges. Florida currently operates under a two-tier trial court system of circuit and county courts, established in 1972. In the circuit and county trial courts, disputes are resolved by jury trials or by non-jury trials. County Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction where misdemeanor and civil cases are heard. In the Circuit Courts, which are the highest state trial courts in Florida, felony, civil, family, juvenile and probate matters are heard.

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit has four main courthouses which house Circuit Court and County Court judges. The Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building , located at 1351 N.W. 12th Street, Miami, Florida 33125, is where circuit and county criminal cases are heard. The Dade County Courthouse, located at 73 West Flagler, Miami, Florida 33130, is where circuit and county civil and probate cases are heard. The Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center, located at 175 N.W. 1st Avenue, Miami, Florida 33128, is where family and domestic violence cases are heard. The Juvenile Justice Center, located at 3300 N.W. 27th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33142, is where juvenile delinquency and dependency cases are heard.