VOTE411 Voter Guide

My path to the bench has been shaped by a broad range of legal experience, and a lifelong commitment to learning. Throughout my legal career, I have surrounded myself with people and experiences that have fostered the discernment and leadership necessary to serve as Circuit Court Judge. I have had the pleasure of studying English law in England, and French law in France, broadening my view of our legal system. My professional experience spans contract law, procurement, real estate, tax, technology, child welfare, and public health.

A central theme in my work is simple: every matter involves real people who are directly affected by the decisions we make. When your work has real world consequences, every detail matters.

Judicial independence protects the integrity of the judicial system. It ensures judges have the freedom to make decisions based on the facts of each case without fear of political or public reprisal for an unpopular ruling and free from outside influence. Since judges are not lawmakers, they are still beholden to the laws of the land and may still face appeals, reviews, and judicial oversight to ensure the laws were applied fairly and without prejudice.

I believe the independence of the judiciary is a major keystone in preserving our constitutional system of checks and balances while protecting the rights of every person who comes before the court.

Scheduling delays and case backlogs challenge the notions of speed and efficiency and how the court system can navigate delays without depriving litigants of their due process rights. Though efficiency is important, it cannot be used to diminish the rights or protections of the people we serve. Addressing case backlogs requires a delicate balance of creating paths that are more efficient while balancing the rights and interests of all parties.

These experiences have refined and reinforced the importance of day-to-day preparation, consistent organization, case management, and attention to detail to reduce unnecessary delays.

Our circuit has a vibrant mix of urban and rural communities that rely on members of the judiciary to provide a fair trial. Each region has its unique challenges, but those challenges also present new opportunities to carve new pathways to protect our constitutional rights. In some areas, this can mean barriers to transportation, language hurdles, and longer waiting times. In others, it can mean crowded dockets, limited scheduling capabilities, and busy public defenders.

Equal access to justice ensures we continue to preserve these rights and allow every citizen, regardless of education, income, or location, an opportunity to receive a fair and impartial trial.

A judge should be fair, compassionate, and follow the law, and I have demonstrated all three of these qualities throughout my 22 years as a member of the Florida Bar and my six years as your Judge. For five years, I served as one of Leon County’s general jurisdiction county judges and served as the Circuit’s Mental Health Court Judge. As a County Judge, I presided over hundreds of evidentiary hearings and trials. For the past year, I have served as a Circuit Judge in the Second Judicial Circuit. As a Circuit Court Judge, I serve as the general jurisdiction Circuit Court Judge for Jefferson County and preside over probate and guardianship cases in Leon County. As a longtime member of this community, I have been honored and humbled to serve.

A judge's decisions should be impartial and based only on the facts and the law. Individuals appearing in Court should receive a fair hearing and a decision based on the law, not a judge's personal beliefs or feelings. Judges should also not be influenced by outside political or societal pressures.

Throughout my six years as one of your judges, I have efficiently and effectively managed my case loads. Whenever I am assigned a new case load, I look at every case file and make decisions on the appropriate next steps. AS an example, I was recently assigned to the Leon County Probate docket that had close to 1200 open cases. In two months, I was able to close over 200 cases through case management. I repeatedly hear from attorneys how happy they and their clients are with the efficiency with which I run my docket, and the timeliness of setting hearings and processing orders.

Access to technology and transportation are two challenges in the Second Judicial Circuit, and I keep both issues in mind when setting hearings. I am currently assigned as the general jurisdiction Circuit Court Judge for Jefferson County, which does not have public transportation. Because of that, I am accommodating when it comes to requests to appear for a hearing by telephone or Zoom. Likewise, if someone has to appear in person for court, I take into account any difficulty they may have arriving in a timely manner.