Campaign Phone
727-515-5891
Education
JD - University of Chicago; BA - Boston College
Professional Experience
FL attorney since 1998; former Federal Law C lerk; Assistant State Attorney in 13th and 6th Circuits; Staff in the Psychology Department at USF St. Petersburg; Sixth Circuit Court Judge
Public Service
my entire career, as well as volunteer work and membership in numerous legal organizations
For five and a half years, I have been fulfilling my role as a Circuit Judge by following the law, and using good judgment to make factual findings and apply them to the law, as I have been sworn to do. It has been important for me to have discernment in determining credibility, as well as empathy and compassion for those who come before me. I treat everyone in my courtroom with respect, and employ active listening to reach well-reasoned decisions. In explaining all of my decisions, I write lengthy, detailed orders that are available to the public. Many of the attorneys who have appeared before me have written humbling testimonials (as published on my website) about the positive experiences they have had appearing before me.
As a Circuit Judge, I treat all attorneys with significant respect. As a long-time prosecutor, I managed caseloads that felt overwhelming. As a Circuit Judge, I efficiently and effectively manage a very large caseload, using limited resources. In criminal court, I give public defenders and assistant state attorneys deference in their requests for additional time or grace; should I be assigned to a criminal division, I will continue to treat them with patience and understanding. However, even the most stressed and overloaded attorneys perform with professionalism and transparency. While we all make mistakes, when patterns of unprofessional behavior appear, a judge must hold attorneys to a higher standard so the system remains fair to all.
Since 2021, when I took the bench, threats to the judiciary have increased exponentially, to the point where judicial conferences are presenting on safety and legislative changes. As a family law judge, where conflict and stress are the norm and emotions run high, I often leave one (or both) sides of a case displeased. I have been threatened in court, and an angry father came to my home to confront me about a ruling [he was charged and sentenced to prison]. Deference to judges and the judicial system by attorneys, parties, and the public has decreased. As a result, it is more important than ever that our judges rule based on the law, and are not swayed by political or public pressure; I take pride in successfully fulfilling this commitment.
Yes, I have tried more than 300 bench trials (those before a judge) and more than 50 jury trials (from misdemeanors to murder). This trial experience has been critically important to my success on the bench, as judges must be able to rule real-time on a myriad of complex legal and factual issues that arise during trial. Of course, I have further developed these trial skills in my five and a half years as a Circuit Judge, during which time I have handled hundreds of bench trials, and a murder trial. On an average week, I have one or more multiple day bench trials, and can have up to 40 to 50 hearings of all kinds.
Marbury v. Madison (1803), is the foundational case that established the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government to the legislative and executive branches. Following the 1800 election, outgoing Federalist President John Adams made last-minute appointments to pack the courts. Incoming President Thomas Jefferson ordered Secretary of State James Madison to withhold the undelivered commissions. Marbury sued, asking the Supreme Court to issue a writ forcing delivery. The Chief Justice (the brilliant John Marshall) ruled that Marbury was entitled to his commission but the Court lacked jurisdiction to enforce it.
I took the bench in 2021, just as we were emerging from COVID. I allow Zoom hearings when appropriate to increase efficiency and accessibility to the court system when appropriate. Even during in-person trials, I allow certain witnesses to testify via Zoom for their convenience or to reduce costs for the parties; this includes mental health professionals, teachers, and experts. Also, I enter my orders in an electronic filing system, which serves the orders on the attorneys and parties immediately. My assistant and I strive to make our courtroom easily accessible at the lowest cost possible to our citizens.
Campaign Phone
727-835-6595
Education
J.D. from the Interamerican University School of Law, Puerto Rico
Professional Experience
Been in the legal field for 20 years. Licensed in 3 jurisdictions, Florida, Maryland and Puerto Rico. Handled cases involving Family Law, Contracts, Business Disputes, Construction law, Guardianships, Criminal, Immigration, Probate and International Hague Matters. Established case law through Appeal Case N.B. v. R.V., 353 So.3d 1269 (2023)
Public Service
BOT member for HCA Northside Hospital; BOT member of Non-profit United for the Community
The core of this philosophy is Judicial Integrity... to be a neutral arbiter. The power of a judge is strictly limited to adjudicate the case by interpreting the law, along with weighing the admitted evidence. The goal is stability: the law should be a known quantity so that every citizen, regardless of status or background, knows exactly what to expect when they walk into the room.
To execute this, a judge must possess more than just legal knowledge; they need intellectual honesty, temperament and decisiveness. The greatest challenge is the noise of personal and implicit bias, plus legislative ambiguity.
The greatest tool a judge possesses is to be flexible when the need arises, such as granting continuances or scheduling specific times for hearings, rather than forcing a public defender to remain in the courtroom hours on end. In addition, the Judge shall ensure all counsels are prepared, and ensure the defendant has had an opportunity to meet and discuss the case with their counsel.
The biggest obstacle to justice is two fold, one the parties'/defendant's expectations and secondly the access to counsel. In the AI era, many people believe they can self-represent themselves, not knowing they are held to the same standard as an attorney. In many cases, this does more harm than good.
Furthermore, justice is very personal. The result of a judicial decision may not align with the individual's perception of what is just.
Bench Trials I have had many, over 20.
No jury trials to date
There have been many, but in the past 10 years ... Carpenter v. United States (2018). In this case, the Court ruled that the government generally needs a warrant to track your cell phone location data. It rejected the idea that just because you "give" your data to a phone company, the government has a right to see it. It protected and upheld the constitutional right to privacy. The constitution is our supreme law.
I have found the use of administrative orders and judicial preferences to have greatly improved court efficiency. Both of these create expectations with the parties and provide a road map for self-represented litigants or attorneys
In the current times, with the ever-developing AI, the Court will need to establish and enforce Ai use guidelines to ensure competent legal representation.
