FOUR OPEN SEATS ON THE CIRCUIT COURT BENCH .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

SO, YOU WANT TO BE A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE, TIMES FOUR .......

It has been a busy Spring season on the Miami-Dade Circuit Court bench. As fast as baseballs seem to be flying out of Yankee Stadium, judges have been flying off one bench, and onto another.

First it was Circuit Judge Monica Gordo who was elevated by Governor DeSantis to the Third District Court of Appeal on April 25, 2019.

Next it was Circuit Judge Rodolfo "Rudy" Ruiz who skipped all the way from Circuit Court to the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, getting confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 2, 2019

Following in Ruiz’ footsteps, Circuit Judge Rodney Smith was elevated from Circuit Court to the same Federal bench. The Senate confirmed his nomination on June 12, 2019.

Finally, Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia resigned her seat on the Circuit Court bench.

The JNC sent out multiple announcements and eventually interviewed 22 candidates (of the 24 that applied) for the four open Circuit Court seats. The JNC has narrowed the field to 15 (including four County Court Judges and two General Magistrates) and sent those names to Governor DeSantis for his consideration.

The nominees include:

Judge William Altfield
Judge Gina Beovides
Jason Bloch
Judge Laura Shearson Cruz
Miesha Shonta Darrough
Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos
Ayana Harris
Kevin Hellman
Scott Janowitz
Gale Lewis
GM Steven Lieberman
Judge Joseph Mansfield
GM Gina Mendez-Locke
Julie Harris Nelson
Judge Luis Perez-Medina

The Governor has 60 days to appoint the four new Circuit Court Judges.


CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com