Webinar: The Role of Pretrial Services & Probation in Federal Courts

**Program hosted in (ET) Time Zone**

Pretrial Service and Probation officers play a critical—but often underappreciated—role in the federal judiciary. They are responsible for pretrial services, presentence investigations, and post-conviction supervision. This webinar will explore the many ways these officers support the work of the federal courts, including their interactions with judges, law clerks, and litigants, while offering broader insight into their responsibilities, impact on the administration of justice, and the positive difference they make.

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Presented by the FBA’s Judiciary Division and Federal Judicial Law Clerk Committee

Presenters

Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Riselda Ruiz, Chief U.S. Probation & Pretrial Officer of the Southern District of Florida

For nearly 30 years, Chief U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer Riselda R. Ruiz has been employed in the field of pretrial and probation work. In 1996, she began her career in the community corrections field as a probation officer with the Florida Department of Corrections. In 2001, she was selected as a U.S. Probation Officer, in the Southern of District of Florida. Since that time, she worked primarily in the presentence unit, where she also held the position of guidelines specialist, supervisor, and Assistant Deputy Chief. In November 2022, she was selected as Chief U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer for the Southern District of Florida. During her years of service, she served on the Probation 11th Circuit Law Committee; was a district representative for the Sentencing Commission’s Probation Officers Advisory Group (POAG); was part of the first graduating class of the Southern District of Florida’s Leadership Development; and was part of the National Presentence Working Group from 2018 to 2022.

Chief Ruiz, who immigrated at young age from Cuba, obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and her Master of Science degree in criminal justice from Florida International University (FIU). While at FIU, she joined and is still an active member of Phi Mu Fraternity, a woman’s organization.

Chief Ruiz values service to the Court and community; acting with integrity; treating everyone with respect and dignity; and fairness in process to all.

 Shalita Morgan, U.S. Probation Officer – Eastern District of Louisiana

Shalita B. Morgan has proudly served the federal judiciary since 2001, building a distinguished career dedicated to public service, community safety, and the administration of justice.

Officer Morgan began her career with the Federal Public Defender’s Office as a Clerical Assistant and was later promoted to Case Manager. In 2008, she joined the Eastern District of Louisiana’s U.S. Pretrial Services Office as a U.S. Pretrial Services Officer, where she conducted pretrial investigations and supervised federal defendants while assisting the Court in making informed release decisions prior to conviction.

Following the 2013 consolidation of the U.S. Pretrial Services and U.S. Probation offices, Officer Morgan continued serving in both pretrial and post-conviction supervision. In this capacity, she supervised individuals under federal supervision, facilitated Reentry Court, and coordinated the transition of offenders into Residential Reentry Centers (halfway houses), helping to promote successful reintegration into the community.

Currently, Officer Morgan serves in the Presentence Investigation Unit, where she conducts comprehensive investigations and prepares presentence reports that provide objective analysis and sentencing recommendations for the Court’s consideration. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to upholding the mission of the federal judiciary through professionalism, integrity, and a steadfast dedication to public safety and offender rehabilitation.

Gianluca Cocito-Monoc, Law Clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Moderator)

Gianluca Cocito-Monoc is a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and an incoming associate at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP. He previously clerked for Judge Susie Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He also teaches Federal Courts at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Gianluca is a summa cum laude graduate of Tulane University Law School and serves on the Tulane Law Review Alumni Association Board.