David Goudreau
Partner
Meltzer & Bell, P.A.
David Goudreau is a Partner at Meltzer & Bell, P.A. He studied Criminology at Florida State University, earning cum laude honors. It was there that he first discovered his passion for the law, working right alongside a local attorney who would later be appointed to the Federal Judiciary.
After college, Mr. Goudreau moved back to South Florida to attend the Florida International University College of Law. There, he served as the President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, Vice-President of the Criminal Law Society, and Treasurer of the Student Body Government. He was named to the Dean’s List in four out of six semesters and received the “Book Award” for having the top class grade in Criminal Procedure.
As a member of the Board of Advocates, Mr. Goudreau competed in three state-wide mock trial competitions. It was from those trial team competitions that Mr. Goudreau’s love of trial practice came about. After a brief stint at the Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office, he realized he was on the wrong side, a notion that was confirmed after spending a year as a Certified Legal Intern at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office.
Once out of law school, Mr. Goudreau accepted a position at the West Palm Beach Office of the Public Defender. In his six-and-a-half years at the office, Mr. Goudreau defended over 1000 cases and served as trial counsel in more than 50 jury trials.
Of those jury trials, 22 of them were Driving Under the Influence cases. A majority of those jury trials ended with an acquittal.
Mr. Goudreau was soon promoted to the felony division. As a result of his success there, he was offered a coveted position in the “Serious Crimes Division.” For nearly eighteen months, he exclusively handled punishable by life cases ranging from Robbery and Sexual Battery, to First and Second Degree Murders. Of his assigned “Serious Crimes” cases, Mr. Goudreau represented 10 clients all the way through a jury trial and verdict.
Mr. Goudreau was fortunate to attend a number of significant conferences while employed at the Office of the Public Defender. He attended the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 2016 Annual Conference, where he learned from program instructors such as Barry Scheck (DNA attorney in the O.J. Simpson trial) and Jerome Buting (attorney for Steven Avery, the Defendant from “Making a Murderer.”) He attended the “Murder, Malice, and Mayhem” conference which primarily focused on the defense of violent criminal accusations. Mr. Goudreau was also accepted into the prestigious National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia. There, he took part in an intense two-week training program taught by some of the greatest legal minds in America.
In his final trial at the Public Defender’s Office, Mr. Goudreau was able to secure a Not Guilty verdict for his client charged with Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer.
Since moving on to private practice from the Public Defender’s Office in West Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Goudreau has continued to handle the most serious cases ranging from felony driving under the influence, to drug trafficking, all the way up to first degree murder cases. Mr. Goudreau also picked up right where he left off when he used to handle misdemeanor driving cases early in his career at the Public Defender’s Office, zealously representing clients charged with DUI and other minor traffic-related offenses. The relationships Mr. Goudreau has cultivated over the years with the local Judges and Prosecutors helped him seamlessly transition back into handling all types and levels of Criminal Defense cases.
With Meltzer & Bell, P.A. opening its Treasure Coast Office in Fort Pierce Florida during the 2021 calendar year, Mr. Goudreau now focuses his practice primarily in Palm Beach County, an area where he began his legal practice in 2012.
Mr. Goudreau has litigated numerous Motions to Suppress Evidence and Motions to Dismiss Cases in geographical areas ranging from Palm Beach County all the way up to Daytona Beach in Volusia County. These motions pertained to cases ranging from Driving Under the Influence to Carjacking with a Firearm, to Armed Drug Trafficking.
Mr. Goudreau has been hired to represent numerous Clients charged with Punishable by Life Felonies which require a specialized bond hearing, referred to as an Arthur Hearing. In 100% of those cases, Mr. Goudreau was able to secure his client pre-trial release. These cases include (3) attempted first degree murders, a Home Invasion Robbery with a Firearm, and multiple Sex Offense related cases. These Arthur hearings are essentially non-jury evidentiary hearings in which the facts of the case are litigated very early in the case; thus requiring immense attention to detail and effort under significant time constraints. Making sure his clients are out of custody during the defense of their case is of the upmost importance to Mr. Goudreau.
He is thrilled to bring his talents and experience to Meltzer & Bell, P.A.
