THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
JUDICIAL NEWS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY .....
JUDGE KEVIN EMAS IS RETIRING .....
There’s lots of judicial news going on in Miami-Dade County. Let’s start with the 3rd DCA. Judge Kevin Emas has announced his retirement from the bench effective March 31, 2026. Judge Emas has led a distinguished career, beginning with his employment as an Assistant Public Defender in Bennett Brummer’s office in 1982. He went on to private practice with the law firm of Fine Jacobson, and then with Thornton Rothman & Emas. He then began a 30-year career serving on the bench. He was first appointed to the County Court in 1996 by Governor Lawton Chiles. He was elevated to the Circuit Court in 2001 by Governor Jeb Bush. Finally, he was tapped by Governor Crist to sit on the 3rd DCA in 2010. He has served on the 3rd DCA for the past 16 years and served as Chief Judge of the Third District from 2019 to 2021.
Judge Emas has held numerous leadership roles in the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges. He also served as a faculty member of the Florida Judicial College, New Appellate Judges Program, Florida’s College of Advanced Judicial Studies, and the National Judicial College. He served as an adjunct faculty member at both FIU College of Law and UM Law. He served as a member of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Chair of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Court Steering Committee, and Chair of the Florida Criminal Procedure Rules Committee.
Thank you, Judge Emas, for your incredible dedication to the citizens of Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida.
The 3rd DCA JNC is now accepting applications for Judge Emas' replacement, with a deadline of February 26, 2026.
11TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE (JNC) .....
The JNC has announced that it is now taking applications for two Circuit Court seats and two County Court seats. These four seats are new and were created by the Florida legislature with the enactment of SB 2508. The deadline to submit your application is February 20, 2026. The JNC expects to conduct interviews on March 13. The Governor is expected to name the four new judges by no later than May 14, 2026.
CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL ELECTIONS .....
There are 34 Circuit Court seats up for election in 2026. The six-year term begins on January 6, 2027. Qualifying Week is April 20-24, 2026. The election is scheduled for August 18, 2026.
The following is a list of judges whose terms expire on January 5, 2027. Some of these judges will be retiring. An (F) next to their name means they have filed with the Department of Elections for the upcoming election. Six incumbents have not yet filed, while three newcomers have filed to run.
CIRCUIT COURT
Tanya Brinkley (F)
Beatrice Butchko (F)
Marcia Caballero - has not yet filed - Group 51
Carmen Cabarga (F)
Yvonne Colodny (F)
Ivonne Cuesta (F)
Jorge Cueto (F)
Abby Cynamon (F)
Michelle Delancy (F)
Dawn Denaro (F)
Reemberto Diaz (F)
Veronica Diaz (F)
Spencer Eig (F)
Carlos Gamez (F)
Stacy Glick (F)
Laura Gonzalez-Marques (F)
Carlos Guzman (F)
Christine Hernandez (F)
Richard Hersch - has not yet filed* - Group 69
Peter Lopez (F)
Denis Martinez-Scanziani (F)
Alberto Milian (F)
Cristina Miranda - will be filing soon** - Group 48
Spencer Multack (F)
Joseph Perkins (F)
Orlando Prescott - has not yet filed - Group 35
Jose Rodriguez - retired - Group 07 -
Mavel Ruiz (F)
Migna Sanchez-Llorens (F)
Laura Stuzin (F)
Daryl Trawick (F)
Andrea Wolfson (F)
Angelica Zayas - has not yet filed - Group 05 -
*Judge Hersch is retiring.
We communicated with Judge Miranda, who indicated that she "intends to file shortly and hopes to continue serving the people of Miami-Dade County as she has for almost 29 years."
The three non-incumbent attorneys who have filed to run include:
Group 05 - Attorney Alexander Annunziato
Group 07 - Attorney Cristobal Padron
Group 69 - Attorney Rita Baez
Tomorrow, we will cover the County Court races.
Captain4Justice@gmail.com
22 comments:
The front runner for the 3d DCA vacancy is Judge Mike Hanzman.
The Governor wants him. And only him.
He was the architect Judge who brilliantly presided over the Surfside collapse class action trials.
End of story.
We should be so lucky. The governor will pick a prosecutor or plaintiffs lawyer no older than 45 with a solid Federalist Society record and without any history of independent thought departing from prevailing Republican political orthodoxy.
End of your story perhaps. He wasn’t the “architect” and it was 2 attorneys specifically who did ALL of the work. But the others love to take credit. Ask any of the surviving residents if they love hanzman.
There is less than a zero chance of Hanzman joining the 3rd. He’s getting paid $30,000 for one day of Mediation. He’s the highest paid mediator around.
Judge Emas deserves a lot of credit for remaining on the bench and in public service for as long as he has. Thirty years at $150k a year average is $4.5m. Imagine what he would be earning in private practice at a "big law" firm. If he averaged $500,000 a year that alone works out to $15m and if you have seen the salaries of big law attorneys lately, it's closer to $2-4m a year currently for senior partners.
Who is replacing Bronwyn Miller?
Does anyone know why Zayas is getting opposition. Inquiring minds would like to know.
And then I wonder why so many make a career at the SAO? Don’t bitch how little you make.
Cue the music for Ariana Fajardo on the 3rd. She's been a good soldier for the MAGA idiots.
Many careful readers have correctly noted the post does not contain the required bloggers certification and should be struck for cause.
Kevin Emas was no friend of he defense Bar. He started out as PD and really forgot where his roots were. In Kounty Kourt and Circus Court he was a pain to work with. Sorry, I will not miss him,
Did 8:43 say DeSantis is going to pick a Plaintiff's attorney? That is possibly the most ignorant thing I have ever read on an internet full of ignorant things.
SAO is no friend of free speech
Yesterday at 8:43 AM, what are you smoking? A Plaintiff's lawyer? When hell freezes over. DeSantis only appoints civil defense true believers/bots.
That is very unfair to Judge Emas. He is incredibly bright and called them straight. It's not his job to always rule in favor of the defendant, don't be a child. You'll miss him when he's gone.
Judge Caballero has announced her retirement.
It is my understanding that one of the eCircuit seats announced by the JNC is to replace Caballero.
Yea, I agree. I never had a good time in front of Emas.
Yes that was a mistake I meant civil lawyer on behalf of corporations/money not individuals, so yes typically civil defense. I do criminal and the civil terms are not as ingrained in my brain. The broader point is correct. He doesn’t want an independent intelligent person like Hanzman.
It was his job to rule in favor of a defendant when the facts and law warrant though. Kinda the most important job of an appellate judge hearing criminal cases if you want a lasting, trustworthy, independent criminal justice system.
That list of judges would make Stephen Miller's head explode.
If you ask any of the Third DCA judges who they would want as a colleague, and probable Chief Judge, it would be Michael Hanzman.
He would write opinions that would be among the best. I’ve seen him in court and he would be an upgrade for all who appear.
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