Florida judicial elections, 2014

Overview
Total candidates:  | 439
Primary candidates:  | 153
General election candidates:  | 48
Incumbency
Incumbents:  | 308
Incumbent success rate:  | 96%
Competition - general election
Percent of candidates in contested races:  | 54%
Percent uncontested*:  | 0%
Percent retention:  | 46%
*264 candidates (60% of total) were uncontested and automatically re-elected in August

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Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2014
Judicial election dates
Candidates by state
Supreme court elections

## Contents

* 1 Election dates
* 2 General election: Contested races
* 3 Retentions
* 3.1 Appellate courts
* 4 Primary
* 5 Process
* 5.1 Primary election
* 5.2 General election
* 5.3 Retention election
* 5.4 Unopposed candidates
* 6 Ballot measure
* 6.1 Gubernatorial appointments for judicial vacancies
* 7 Noteworthy events
* 7.1 Spotlight on the Sunshine State
* 7.2 A look at Florida's Fourth Appellate District
* 7.3 Florida Bar poll gives voters insight into judicial elections
* 7.4 Newcomers perform well in Florida's Miami-Dade County elections
* 7.5 7 incumbents defeated in Florida primary
* 7.5.1 Circuit court judges
* 7.5.2 County court judges
* 7.6 Florida primary election preview
* 7.7 Impartiality v. Perception: A campaign promise retracted prior to election
* 7.8 Two challengers face incumbent in Seminole County judicial election
* 7.9 Candidate changes campaign materials after criticism
* 7.10 No election for Fourth Circuit Court
* 7.11 Hillsborough County Court race
* 7.12 The contested races of Florida's 20th Circuit
* 7.13 Three challengers face incumbent in county court primary
* 7.14 The race for Florida's 16th Judicial Circuit Court
* 7.15 One judicial candidate secures pre-election win
* 7.16 Open seats, swing districts attract challengers in Florida
* 8 See also
* 9 External links
* 10 Footnotes

Last updated: November 2014

The Florida judicial elections in 2014 included over 400 candidates. Appellate court candidates faced retention elections, while candidates for the circuit and county courts ran in nonpartisan elections. After the August primary, nine circuit and four county court races remained undecided and advanced to the November election.[1]

In total, 439 judicial candidates ran in Florida's 2014 elections; 308 incumbents ran for re-election, and 264 candidates ran unopposed.

See: Florida elections summary, 2014 for an overview of the 2014 results.

### Election dates[edit]

* May 2: Filing deadline
* August 26: Primary
* November 4: General election[2]

In addition to candidate lists, this page includes information about how the state's judicial elections work, as well as articles about noteworthy news in races across the state.

## General election: Contested races[edit]

(I) denotes incumbent

Fifth Circuit Court, Group 3

* Denise A. Dymond Lyn, 40.9%A
* Mary P. Hatcher, 59.1%A

Seventh Circuit Court, Group 20

* Adam Warren, 46.1%A
* Kathy Weston, 53.9%A

Thirteenth Circuit Court, Group 34

* Melissa Polo, 48.7%A
* Robert Bauman (Florida), 51.3%A

Thirteenth Circuit Court, Group 8

* Barbara Twine Thomas, 51.2%A
* Carl C. Hinson, 48.8%A

Sixteenth Circuit Court, Group 4

* Bonnie J. Helms, 57.9%A
* Jack Bridges, 42.1%A

Seventeenth Circuit Court, Group 16

* Dennis Bailey, 50.6%A
* Rhoda Sokoloff, 49.4%A

Eighteenth Circuit Court, Group 13

* Christina Sanchez, 45.2%A
* George T. Paulk, 54.8%A

Eighteenth Circuit Court, Group 19

* Susan Stacy, 59.5%A
* Mitch Krause, 40.5%A

Eighteenth Circuit Court, Group 23

* John Moser, 40.9%A
* Nancy Maloney (I), 59.1%A

Broward County Court, Group 27

* Claudia Robinson, 50.1%A
* Ian Richards (I), 49.9%A

Miami-Dade County Court, Group 19

* Frank C. Bocanegra, 42.3%A
* Jacqueline Schwartz (I), 57.7%A

Orange County Court, Group 10

* Kenneth A. Barlow, Jr. (I), 48.3%A
* Tina Caraballo, 51.7%A

St. Lucie County Court, Group 4

* Albert B. Moore, 42.3%A
* Kathryn Nelson, 57.7%A

## Retentions[edit]

The following judges faced a retention election in order to keep their seat. In such elections, the incumbent judge is not being evaluated against an opponent. Rather, he or she simply receives votes of "yes" to retain or "no", do not retain.

One-third of the state's intermediate appellate judges were up for retention this year. There were no significant efforts to unseat any of the judges.

### Appellate courts

Court| Judge| Votes

|
|

Click the arrows in the column headings to sort columns alphabetically.
Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal| Alan O. Forst| 75.1%A
Florida Third District Court of Appeal| Barbara Lagoa| 74.0%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| C. Alan Lawson| 72.6%A
Florida Second District Court of Appeal| Chris Altenbernd| 72.4%A
Florida Second District Court of Appeal| Daniel H. Sleet| 72.2%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| Frederic Rand Wallis| 71.2%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| Joseph Lewis| 64.4%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| Kerry Evander| 72.5%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| L. Clayton Roberts| 64.2%A
Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal| Mark W. Klingensmith| 74.3%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| Martha Warner| 77.3%A
Florida Second District Court of Appeal| Morris Silberman| 71.3%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| Richard Orfinger| 70.9%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| Robert Benton| 64.6%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| Scott D. Makar| 63.8%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| Thomas Sawaya| 70.8%A
Florida Third District Court of Appeal| Thomas W. Logue| 72.4%A
Florida First District Court of Appeal| Timothy D. Osterhaus| 63.4%A
Florida Third District Court of Appeal| Vance Salter| 72.7%A
Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal| W. Matthew Stevenson| 76.2%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| Wendy W. Berger| 73.6%A
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal| William Palmer| 72.7%A

## Primary[edit]

For candidate lists and results from the judicial primary on August 26, 2014, please see: Florida judicial primary elections, 2014.

## Process[edit]

### Primary election[edit]

The primary is held 12 weeks before the general election.[3] To get on the ballot, candidates for judicial office are required to obtain signatures equal to at least one percent of the number of registered electors in the geographic boundary of the district.[4] Trial court judicial candidates compete in nonpartisan primaries designed to narrow the field to two candidates for the general election. Candidates who receive a simple majority (fifty percent plus one vote) of the vote in the primary are considered winners and are not on the ballot in the general election unless a write-in candidate qualifies for the same office.[5]

### General election[edit]

In the general election, appellate court judges stand for retention and trial court candidates compete in nonpartisan elections. Political parties and partisan political organizations are forbidden from endorsing, supporting, or assisting candidates in a campaign for judicial office.[6]

### Retention election[edit]

Retention elections for appellate judges ask voters a "yes" or "no" question of whether or not to retain a judge to another term. The judges do not face competition on the ballot. If a majority of votes are in favor of a particular judge, that judge will be retained to a new term.[7]

### Unopposed candidates[edit]

Unopposed candidates for the circuit and county courts do not appear on any ballot and are considered elected following the general election.[7]

## Ballot measure[edit]

### Gubernatorial appointments for judicial vacancies[edit]

The Florida Prospective Judicial Vacancies, Amendment 3 ballot measure would have altered the method of judicial selection in Florida. This measure was defeated in the November 4 general election.[8] Instead of waiting for a judge or justice's term to end before a successor is named, the governor of Florida would have been permitted to appoint a successor when one of three conditions is met:

* a judge approaches mandatory retirement,
* a sitting judge does not qualify for a retention election, or
* a judge loses a retention election.

Three justices of the Florida Supreme Court had terms that were set to expire on January 8, 2019, due to the mandatory retirement age in Florida: Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente, and Peggy Quince. This bill was approved in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate in April 2014 along party lines, with Republicans favoring the measure.

## Noteworthy events[edit]

The following articles were current as of the dates listed.

### Spotlight on the Sunshine State

October 9, 2014| Click for story→

|

See: JP Election Brief: Spotlight on the Sunshine State

### A look at Florida's Fourth Appellate District

September 18, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Candidate in contempt of court and a 3-month retirement

In Florida, appellate judges are appointed by merit selection and subject to retention elections at the end of their six-year terms.[9] In retention elections, voters are presented with a "yes" or "no" choice to retain the judicial candidates. No opposing candidates are presented to voters on the ballot. If a judge fails to be retained by receiving a majority of "no" votes, the governor appoints a replacement. As of 2014, the current salary for a Florida appellate judge was $154,140 a year.[10]

On November 4, 2014, voters in Florida's Fourth District voted on the retention of four judges: Alan O. Forst, Martha Warner, W. Matthew Stevenson, and Mark W. Klingensmith. The Fourth District encompasses Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach and Broward counties. The Fourth District Court of Appeal reviews challenged cases from lower courts. In the court, defendants can contest the manner in which their cases were handled, prosecutors can challenge the ruling of a trial court judge and civil litigants can argue a jury's verdict. After a case is decided in the appeals court, any future challenges are presented to the Florida Supreme Court.[10]

Jurisdiction of the Florida District Courts of Appeal

Alan O. Forst was appointed to the court on March 7, 2013, by Governor Rick Scott. Prior to his appointment, he served as chairman of the Florida Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission for 12 years. Forst earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and later received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America. The Florida Bar polled its members on their opinions of the appellate judges up for retention in 2014. 79 percent of respondents in the poll recommended Forst's retention.[10][11]

Martha Warner received her undergraduate degree from The Colorado College in 1971 and her J.D. from the University of Florida School of Law in 1974. She worked as an attorney in private practice from 1974 until 1985, when she was elected to the Nineteenth Circuit Court. In 1989 she was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal by Governor Bob Martinez, and in 1995 she earned her LL.M. from the University of Virginia. Since her original appointment, she has been retained by voters in 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008. 93 percent of the respondents to the Florida Bar's poll recommended Warner for retention.[10][12]

W. Matthew Stevenson graduated from Florida State University in 1975 and received his J.D. from the Florida State College of Law in 1978. He was first appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal by Governor Lawton Chiles in 1994, and was retained in 1996, 2002 and 2008. Prior to serving on the appellate court, he served as a judge on the Fifteenth Circuit Court from 1990 until 1994. Stevenson received 92 percent in favor of his retention in the Florida Bar's poll.[10][13]

Mark W. Klingensmith received his undergraduate degree in 1982, and later his J.D. in 1985, from the University of Florida. He was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal by Governor Rick Scott in 2013 and faced his first bid for retention in 2014. Previously, he served as a judge on the Nineteenth Circuit Court from 2011 until 2013. He worked as an attorney with the firm, Sonneborn, Rutter, Cooney & Klingensmith PA from 1986 through 2011 and held various elected positions for the City of Sewall's Point, including a term as mayor from 2010 to 2011. In the Florida Bar poll, 82 percent of respondents recommended Klingensmith for retention.[10][14]

### Florida Bar poll gives voters insight into judicial elections

September 11, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Party switches and the soaring cost of campaigning

As it has done every alternate year since 1978, the Florida Bar conducted a poll of its membership and published the results, along with a voter information guide (published in Spanish and English) that seeks to help Floridians understand the judicial elections process, the importance of participation, and the role that judges fulfill in civil society. In 2014, voters decided whether or not 22 appellate court judges should retain their seats.[15]

The poll, which is conducted by mail, surveys Florida Bar members of good standing and asks participants to indicate whether judges should be retained or not, using a scale of eight attributes to make their decision. Attributes include: quality and clarity of opinions, knowledge of the law, integrity, judicial temperament, impartiality, freedom from bias-prejudice, demeanor, and courtesy.[16]

The results, published in early September, showed support for all judges up for retention among Florida Bar members with an average rating of 88 percent.[17]

### Newcomers perform well in Florida's Miami-Dade County elections

August 28, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Florida primary results are in; supreme court races are heating up

Miami-Dade County, Florida

New judicial candidates in Florida's most populous county performed well in Tuesday's primary.[18]

Over fifty judicial candidates filed to run for election or re-election in Miami-Dade County in 2014, though only those facing opposition appeared on primary ballot. Of the seventeen candidates who did compete in the primary, only four were incumbents—and of those four, only one secured re-election.[18]

In Florida, candidates garnering more than 50 percent of the primary vote win the election by default. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two candidates face each other in the general election. This was the situation that applied to County Judge Jacqueline Schwartz's race. She missed the 50 percent mark by 0.6 percent in a three-way race against Frank C. Bocanegra and Rachel Glorioso Dooley. She was then required to compete against Bocanegra in November.[18]

Incumbent circuit judge Fleur J. Lobree was defeated by defense lawyer Mavel Ruiz, and County Judge Nuria Saenz lost the primary to personal injury attorney Victoria Ferrer. Only incumbent Rodney Smith defeated his challenger Christian Carrazana.[18]

All primary winners or previously unopposed candidates are considered to have won their respective seats. Their names did not appear on the general election ballot on November 4, 2014.[19]

### 7 incumbents defeated in Florida primary

August 28, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Florida primary results are in; supreme court races are heating up

During Florida's primary election on August 26, 2014, seven incumbent judges across the state were defeated.

#### Circuit court judges

* Fleur J. Lobree, of the 11th Circuit Court in Miami, was defeated by Mavel Ruiz after receiving 45.6 percent of the vote.
* Diana Lewis, of the 15th Circuit Court in Palm Beach County, was defeated by Jessica Ticktin after receiving 45.6 percent of the vote.
* Tegan Slaton, of the 16th Circuit Court in Monroe County, was defeated by Jack Bridges and Bonnie J. Helms after receiving 23.0 percent of the vote.
* Steven B. Feren, of the 17th Circuit Court in Broward County, was defeated by John Patrick Contini after receiving 48.6 percent of the vote.

#### County court judges

* Cynthia S. Munkittrick, of the Dixie County Court, was defeated by Jennifer J. Ellison after receiving 49.8 percent of the vote.
* Nuria Saenz, of the Miami-Dade County Court, was defeated by Victoria Ferrer after receiving 36.3 percent of the vote.
* Peter A.D. McGlashan, of the Volusia County Court, was defeated by Angela Dempsey after receiving 40.7 percent of the vote.

These incumbents left office at the end of their terms on January 5, 2015.

Approximately 84 percent of the incumbents that faced primary opposition either moved on to the general runoff in November, or were elected outright due to receiving over 50 percent of the vote.

### Florida primary election preview

August 21, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Primary previews and a 19-person race

Over 100 candidates faced contested elections in the Florida judicial primary on August 26, 2014, and any one of them who received over 50 percent of the votes were elected without having to run in November. Races with only two candidates are indicated by an asterisk in the table below.

| Competitive Florida judicial primary races
August 26, 2014

Court| Candidates| Counties
*4th Circuit, Group 27| Anthony Paul Penoso
Mike Sharrit| Duval and Nassau
5th Circuit, Group 3| Sandy K. Kautz
Mary P. Hatcher
Denise A. Dymond Lyn
Bo Samargya| Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter
*6th Circuit, Group 1| Susan St. John
Laura Snell| Pasco and Pinellas
6th Circuit, Group 2| Alicia Polk
Ken Lark
Alan Scott Rosenthal| Pasco and Pinellas
*6th Circuit, Group 16| Kimberly Sharpe
Brian Battaglia| Pasco and Pinellas
*6th Circuit, Group 21| Phil Matthey
Amanda Colon| Pasco and Pinellas
*6th Circuit, Group 35| Jon Newlon
Bruce Boyer| Pasco and Pinellas
*11th Circuit, Group 16| Thomas Aquinas Cobitz
Stephen Thomas Millan| Miami-Dade
*11th Circuit, Group 26| Rodney Smith
Christian Carrazana| Miami-Dade
*11th Circuit, Group 27| Mary C. Gomez
Alberto Milian| Miami-Dade
*11th Circuit, Group 58| Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts
Martin Zilber| Miami-Dade
*11th Circuit, Group 67| Mavel Ruiz
Fleur J. Lobree| Miami-Dade
*11th Circuit, Group 70| Veronica Diaz
Renier de la Portilla| Miami-Dade
13th Circuit, Group 8| Carl C. Hinson
John Dingfelder
Barbara Twine Thomas| Hillsborough
*13th Circuit, Group 19| Michael Scionti
Michael John Brannigan| Hillsborough
*13th Circuit, Group 20| Karen Stanley
Laura Ward| Hillsborough
13th Circuit, Group 34| Robert Bauman (Florida)
Melissa Polo
Constance Daniels| Hillsborough
*15th Circuit, Group 14| Diana Lewis
Jessica Ticktin| Palm Beach
15th Circuit, Group 30| Peggy Rowe-Linn
Maxine Cheesman
Jaime Goodman| Palm Beach
*17th Circuit, Group 8| Frantz Jahra McLawrence
Lynn Rosenthal| Broward
17th Circuit, Group 16| Russell Thompson
Rhoda Sokoloff
Dennis Bailey
Andrea Ruth Gundersen| Broward
*17th Circuit, Group 17| Stacey Schulman
Julie Shapiro Harris| Broward
*17th Circuit, Group 27| Steven B. Feren
John Patrick Contini| Broward
18th Circuit, Group 13| Samuel Bookhardt III
George T. Paulk
Christina Sanchez| Brevard and Seminole
*18th Circuit, Group 14| Brooke Deratany Goldfarb
Robin Lemonidis| Brevard and Seminole
18th Circuit, Group 19| Susan Stacy
Mitch Krause
Donna M. Goerner| Brevard and Seminole
18th Circuit, Group 23| Nancy Maloney
Maurice Arcadier
John Moser| Brevard and Seminole
*20th Circuit, Group 3| Robert Branning
Mary Evans| Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee
*20th Circuit, Group 16| Steven S. Leskovich
Amy R. Hawthorne| Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee
*Brevard County, Group 3| Michelle V. Baker
Minerva Simpson| Brevard
*Brevard County, Group 8| Benjamin B. Garagozlo
Oscar Hotusing| Brevard
Broward County, Group 27| Jonathan Kasen
Ian Richards
Claudia Robinson| Broward
*Broward County, Group 18| Ellen Feld
Mark W. Rickard| Broward
*Collier County, Group 4| Sal Bazaz
Robert L. Crown| Collier
*Dixie County, Group 1| Jennifer J. Ellison
Cynthia S. Munkittrick| Dixie
*Hillsborough County, Group 12| Chris Nash
Norman S. Cannella, Jr.| Hillsborough
Miami-Dade County, Group 19| Jacqueline Schwartz
Rachel Glorioso Dooley
Frank C. Bocanegra| Miami-Dade
*Miami-Dade County, Group 36| Victoria Ferrer
Nuria Saenz| Miami-Dade
Orange County, Group 10| Tina Caraballo
Kenneth A. Barlow, Jr.
Blaine McChesney| Orange
*Orange County, Group 15| Brian Duckworth
Will Jay| Orange
Seminole County, Group 6| Sandra Rivera
Jerri L. Collins
Alex Finch| Seminole
*St. Lucie County, Group 2| Stephen Smith
Philip J. Yacucci| St. Lucie
St. Lucie County, Group 4| Albert B. Moore
Roseanna Bronhard
Kathryn Nelson
Leonard S. Villafranco| St. Lucie
*Volusia County, Group 10| Peter A.D. McGlashan
Angela Dempsey| Volusia

### Impartiality v. Perception: A campaign promise retracted prior to election

August 21, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Primary previews and a 19-person race

Florida Fifteenth Circuit Court candidate Peggy Rowe-Linn signed a pledge supporting a constitutional amendment that would make all abortions illegal in the state, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. She was one of approximately 300 judicial candidates in Florida who signed the pledge. Rowe-Linn later withdrew her pledge, citing concerns about how it might impact public perception of her impartiality on issues related to abortion.

Rowe-Linn released the following statement regarding her decision:

| “  | "I am a practicing Catholic and personally pro-life; however, I am and have always been completely tolerant of diverse positions contrary to my own...After careful and thoughtful reflection, I am retracting my affirmation. This is to avoid any mistaken impression concerning my impartiality. My personal beliefs remain unchanged."[20] | ”

|
|

The group that circulated the pledge, the Personhood FL ProLife PAC, said that some judicial candidates declined to sign it, referencing judicial ethics rules as their reason. Canon 7 of Florida’s judicial code states that a judge or judicial candidate may not make statements that could reasonably be interpreted as committing to a particular stance prior to hearing a case. Michael Schneider of Florida's Judicial Qualifications Commission emphasized the importance of neutrality, saying, "The hallmark of the judicial position is impartiality – that you give everybody a fair shake and you don't predetermine your ruling on something."[21] Schneider noted the inherent tension between the impartiality expected of judicial candidates and their First Amendment right to express personal views.

A spokesperson for the Florida Bar clarified that signing such a pledge does not automatically constitute a violation of judicial conduct rules, but added that the bar evaluates such matters on a case-by-case basis rather than issuing broad determinations.

Rowe-Linn’s opponents, Jaime Goodman and Maxine Cheesman, both raised concerns about the appropriateness of signing the pledge in light of the impartiality required of judges. Goodman stated, "[he] believe[s] it's conduct barring [Rowe-Linn] from being the impartial judge that the Palm Beach County community deserves."[21] Cheesman emphasized the importance of public confidence in judicial neutrality, stating, "There has to be that appearance of impartiality because when someone comes before you, if they think you have preconceived notions, they're not going to feel they're being heard fairly. It might just be a perception, but perception is very important as well."

In a message to voters, Rowe-Linn urged the public not to base their decisions solely on a candidate’s personal beliefs. She stated: "[p]ersonal opinions or lifestyle should not be a deciding factor in who becomes a judge. Qualifications, a sense of justice and integrity should decide."[21]

### Two challengers face incumbent in Seminole County judicial election

August 21, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Primary previews and a 19-person race

Jerri L. Collins, judge for the Seminole County Court in Florida, faced two challengers in the primary on August 26. Sandra Rivera and Alex Finch challenged the sitting judge who had been on the bench for eight years.[22]

Jerri L. Collins, originally from southern Illinois, obtained a B.A. from Eastern Illinois University and earned her J.D. from Mercer University. She moved to Longwood, Florida, in 1990 to marry her husband, Mike Pinnock. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 1991, she began a legal career as an assistant state attorney for Seminole County. She left this job to open a private practice, but would return to the Seminole County State Attorney's office later to lead a new unit dedicated to prosecuting crimes against the elderly and disabled. In 2005, she was appointed to the Seminole County Court by Governor Jeb Bush.

Sandra Rivera at the time of the election was a solo practitioner for the Law Offices of Sandra Rivera P.A. which she founded in 2012. She graduated in 1999 from Salem College and earned her J.D. from the Florida State University School of Law in 2001. She began her legal career as an assistant state attorney for the Florida 9th Circuit Court in 2002. in 2011 she left to pursue a career in private practice.[23] She is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Seminole County Bar Association, Hispanic Bar Association, and also serves as a volunteer guardian ad litem for the Orange County Legal Aid Society.Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

After graduating from Oviedo High School in 1981, Alex Finch served four years as a Russian linguist in the U.S. Army, where he was granted a top secret security clearance. After earning the rank of sergeant he was honorably discharged in July 1985. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida and his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law. As of 2014, he had been an attorney for 20 years, with experience in corporate, transactional and litigation matters.[24]

### Candidate changes campaign materials after criticism

August 7, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Pricey retention campaigns in Tennessee and Florida candidates in the news

There was a four-way race for the bench in the Seventeenth Circuit Court of Florida. As the campaigns prepared for the August 26 primary, one of the candidates, Dennis Bailey, drew public attention for distributing two versions of his campaign cards. One version featured the image of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and listed several supporters from the Black community; this card did not include Bailey's photo. The other version included Bailey’s photo and highlighted endorsements from the Police Benevolent Association and the Fraternal Order of Police. These law enforcement endorsements were not listed on the version featuring Rev. King's image. Bailey responded to concerns by stating that some critics alleged he was attempting to portray himself as Black in materials distributed in predominantly Black communities, which he denied.[25]

Corey Shearer, president of the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus, criticized Bailey on Facebook and in fliers that read, "Warning! There is a fox in the hen house." Shearer also addressed Bailey directly about the materials prior to a judicial candidates' forum in Pembroke Pines. Bailey responded that the changes—removing the image of Rev. King and substituting endorsements from law enforcement groups—were made because he believed group endorsements were more effective at that stage of the campaign. He said that he had initially featured four individual community leaders before receiving broader institutional endorsements. During their exchange, Shearer expressed concern about the use of Rev. King’s image, to which Bailey replied, "I respect that."[25]

In an interview, Bailey emphasized that he did not intend to target different racial groups with the separate versions of the card. Other candidates and political consultants acknowledged awareness of the differing campaign materials. Rhoda Sokoloff, one of Bailey’s three opponents, declined to comment to the Sun Sentinel, saying, "I may have an opinion, but I'm not going to say what my opinion is." Another opponent, Andrea Ruth Gundersen, confirmed she had seen the two versions but added, "It's not my place to judge my opponent and what he chooses to do or not do. If he chooses to do that that's his business."[25]

On August 26, Bailey faced Andrea Ruth Gundersen, Rhoda Sokoloff, and Russell Thompson in the primary election and advanced. He then defeated Rhoda Sokoloff in the general election.[26]

### No election for Fourth Circuit Court

August 7, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Pricey retention campaigns in Tennessee and Florida candidates in the news

Under a decision released by a Florida circuit court, Judge Donald Moran of the 4th Judicial Circuit was to be replaced by appointment rather than election.[27]

Moran, who submitted notice of his retirement to Governor Rick Scott earlier in 2014, postdated his resignation for January 2, three days before the scheduled conclusion of his term. The period of vacancy between his retirement and his term expiration created the need for gubernatorial appointment of a successor under Florida election code. Moran noted in his letter of resignation that he would prefer that his successor be appointed and not elected.[27]

Upon Moran's announcement, the Florida Department of Elections closed the race and announced that the governor would seek an appointed successor to serve until the next general election in 2016.[27]

David Trotti, a Jacksonville attorney who had qualified to run for Moran's seat before the election closed, sued and argued that Moran's timing was intended to avoid an election.[27] But Tallahassee Circuit Judge George Reynolds rejected his arguments:

| “  | The plaintiff is correct in his assertion that Florida law generally favors elections. Nevertheless the court finds that, because Chief Judge Moran resigned prior to the start of the qualifying period and a physical vacancy will occur between the effective date of his resignation and the start of the following term, his seat should be filled by gubernatorial appointment.

[20]

| ”

|
|

—Judge George Reynolds

Trotti's attorney Nicholas James expressed disappointment with the ruling, commenting that Moran "hung his hat on that one-day vacancy" and wasn't resigning, but rather leaving at the end of his term. James expressed concern that Reynolds' ruling might encourage other judges to resign in order to bypass voter accountability.[27]

Trotti wanted to appeal the decision to the 1st District Court of Appeal, though the governor's office announced that the process for seeking an appointed successor for Moran would begin.[27]

### Hillsborough County Court race

July 31, 2014| Click for story→

|

See also: JP Election Brief: Attorneys weigh in on nonpartisan elections, Tennessee judges and conspiracy

The son of a prominent Florida lawyer challenged an incumbent on the Hillsborough County Court. Norman S. Cannella, Jr. challenged Judge Chris Nash in the primary on August 26.

Cannella's father, Norman Cannella Sr., was a well-known criminal defense lawyer in the Tampa area. His son worked as a criminal defense lawyer, representing clients such as radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. Prior to that, he served as assistant state attorney from 1996 to 2001. Cannella expressed that he wanted to both build on his father's legacy and establish his own, stating in the Tampa Bay Times, "People appreciate that maybe they don't know me as well as my father, but they can see that normally, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."[28]

Incumbent Chris Nash worked with private practice firms from 1999 until his 2013 appointment to the bench by Governor Rick Scott. He also scored highly in a survey by the Hillsborough Bar Association, with 99 percent of the 430 people who rated Nash as a candidate stating they either "highly approve" or "approve" of him. Cannella received high ratings from 70 percent of the 254 people who rated him in the survey. Cannella noted that only 15 percent of the Hillsborough Bar Association membership participated in the ratings, and argued that Nash's incumbency could have put the results in his favor.[28]

### The contested races of Florida's 20th Circuit

July 3, 2014| Click for story→

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See also: JP Election Brief: Election laws challenged

There were two contested races in Florida's Twentieth Circuit Court in 2014. The 20th Circuit serves the counties of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee.

Twentieth Circuit Court - Group 16: Incumbent Amy R. Hawthorne was appointed by Governor Scott on February 7, 2013, to fill the vacancy created by Judge John W. Dommerich. She ran against Steven S. Leskovich in the Group 16 primary.

Hawthorne had been in private practice since 1998. She served as an assistant public defender from 1993 to 1998 and worked as a general magistrate for the Twentieth Circuit Court from 2010 to 2011. In the press release announcing Hawthorne's appointment, Governor Scott stated that, "Amy's handling of cases as a civil magistrate has shown a clear understanding of the application of the law in a consistent and predictable manner."[29]

On her campaign website, Hawthorne listed her active membership in the Fort Myers Rotary Club as well as previously serving on the board of directors for the Florida Rural Legal Services and Florida Equal Justice Center. In 2012, she was a member of the Hope Hospice Celebration of Women Committee.[30]

At the time of the election, Leskovich was employed as a managing partner in the law firm of Galasso & Leskovich, LLC. After earning his B.B.A. degree in economics with honors from Ohio's Kent State University, he attended the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan. Leskovich began his legal career as an assistant public defender for the Twentieth Circuit in Lee County, Florida. In 2002, he began working for a private criminal defense law firm in Fort Myers.

Leskovich's website listed his civic involvement on the board of directors for the Southwest Florida Safety Council. He formerly served on the board for the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition. He served as a member of both the Charlotte and Lee County Bar Associations and as a member of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce and of the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Leskovich was also a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.[31]

Twentieth Circuit Court - Group 3: Vying for the vacancy in Group 3, Robert Branning and Mary Evans are preparing for the primary election.

Branning was a partner for his Fort Myers firm Rehak & Branning, LLC. The firm focuses on family matters, estate planning, and criminal defense. He also taught law and ethics courses as an adjunct professor at Southwest Florida College. He formerly worked as an instructor at the Southwest Florida Institute for Public Safety and also formerly worked as a prosecutor for the Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit. He was an active member of the Lee County Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, he previously served as president of the organization. Branning received his law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law.[32]

Evans earned her J.D. from the Stetson University College of Law and has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2003. She served in various leadership positions within the Lee County Bar Association, including President, Vice President, secretary, Member at-Large, Family Law Section Chair, Mock Trial Committee Chair and Social Committee Chair. Evans works as a certified family mediator.[33]

### Three challengers face incumbent in county court primary

June 26, 2014| Click for story→

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See also: JP Election Brief: Survival of the fittest as more candidates are eliminated

Three challengers ran in the August 26 primary against incumbent Judge Kathryn Nelson of the St. Lucie County Court in Florida. Lawyers Roseanna Bronhard, Albert B. Moore and Leonard S. Villafranco ran against Nelson, who was arrested in 2011 and charged on counts of DUI with property damage and resisting arrest without violence.[34][35] Nelson, 55, served on the St. Lucie County Court since 2005 and raised a total of $24,710 for her campaign from loans and donations so far, according to the TCPalm.[36]

Roseanna Bronhard, 48, is a resident of Port St. Lucie.[34] She earned her J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990. Bronhard later received her LL.M. in taxation from New York University. A member of the Florida Bar for over 21 years, she worked as an attorney in Florida for nearly a decade. Her work experience also includes serving as a judicial staff attorney/trial court law clerk from 1993 to 1997 and as a court probate counsel in Broward County from 1997 to 2002.[37] The TCPalm reported that Bronhard, as of June 12, had not received any donations to her campaign but had loaned her campaign $7,856 and had spent almost that much.[36]

Albert B. Moore, 49, is a resident of Fort Pierce.[34] He has practiced law in St. Lucie County since 1990. Additionally, he served as a traffic hearing officer in both St. Lucie and Martin counties. Moore was also appointed as general master for the St. Lucie County judicial system, where he heard cases under the supervision of a circuit judge on mental health, family law and dependency.[38] As of June 12, Moore reported a total of $4,675 in contributions from 19 donors and loaned his campaign $53,750, for a total of $58,425. The records indicated he had spent $22,134 of that money.

Leonard S. Villafranco, 53, is a resident of Port St. Lucie.[34] In 2001, he earned his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. His legal and professional experience includes working with numerous Florida law firms from 2002 until the present, as well as working as an account execuitive for Franklin Press, Inc. and William Graphics, Inc. Villafranco also taught industrial arts at Minerva Central High School in Olmstedville, New York from 1982 to 1983. In 2012 he received the Exceptional Pro Bono Service Recognition from the Florida Supreme Court, Florida Pro Bono Services Coordination Association.[39] The TCPalm reported that he had collected a total of $10,632 from 38 contributors and spent $6,021 on his campaign costs.

### The race for Florida's 16th Judicial Circuit Court

June 19, 2014| Click for story→

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See also: JP Election Brief: Retention tension, a supreme court candidate on trial, and an election decided by coin toss

Two challengers ran in the August 26 primary against incumbent Tegan Slaton in the race for Florida's 16th Judicial Circuit Court. Jack Bridges and Bonnie J. Helms both ran against Slaton to win his seat on the bench.

Bridges, a resident of Upper Keys, currently serves as a board member for the Mosquito Control District. He was elected to serve as the Mosquito Control Commissioner for Monroe County in 2010. He became an attorney in 1999, and in 2012 he was appointed to the position of circuit civil magistrate.[40][41]

Helms has lived in the Florida Keys for 20 years. Her judicial career focused on family law and mediation. In 1994, she started her own law firm, and one year later she was certified as a circuit civil mediator. In 2008, Helms became a supreme court certified family law mediator. According to her campaign website, she was actively involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Women’s Club of Key West, and the Zonta Club of Key West.[42]

Slaton was first elected to the bench on November 4, 2008. His prior experience includes serving as an assistant public defender and as an attorney in private practice. A member of the Florida Bar, he had been practicing law for 23 years.[43]

Judge Tegan Slaton

Jack Bridges

Bonnie Helms

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### One judicial candidate secures pre-election win

June 5, 2014| Click for story→

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Sandy Upchurch was guaranteed a win with the announced retirement of Judge Terrill J. LaRue of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Upchurch, a mediator and local attorney from Daytona Beach, ran unopposed. Though she had no competitors, her name was still be required to appear on the August ballot. Upchurch was the only non-incumbent candidate in Florida to be running unopposed. LaRue announced his retirement and declined to run for an additional term. Upchurch began serving on the court in January 2015.[44]

### Open seats, swing districts attract challengers in Florida

May 15, 2014| Click for story→

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See also: JP Election Brief: Candidate attacks

Four sitting judges on the Broward County Court faced challengers, and two dozen ran unopposed. Additionally, six candidates competed for two open seats on the court.[45]

Seventeenth Circuit Court judges in some of the state’s population centers vacated their seats after their terms expired.[45] Dennis Bailey, Andrea Ruth Gundersen, Rhoda Sokoloff and Russell Thompson ran for a spot on the Seventeenth Circuit Court, group 16, a position that was held by Mel Grossman. The departure of Judge Jeffrey E. Streitfeld left an opening for group 17 of the same circuit, which Julie Shapiro Harris and Stacey Schulman ran for.

Several incumbents faced opposition as well, including, Ian Richards. Richards fedeated challenger Catilina M. Avalos by less than one percent in 2008.[46] This election cycle, Richards ran against Jonathan Kasen and Claudia Robinson in the primary.[47] Ellen Feld of the Broward County Court faced a challenge from attorney Mark W. Rickard. Feld won her seat in 2008 by defeating Julio Gonzalez.[46] Additionally, Judge Steven B. Feren ran against challenger Patrick Contini, a race that was determined in the nonpartisan primary on August 26.[48] Finally, Franz Jahra McLawrence challenged incumbent Lynn Rosenthal. Rosenthal was appointed by Governor Rick Scott in 2012.[45]

## See also[edit]

* Florida judicial elections, 2014 - Circuit Courts
* Florida judicial elections, 2014 - County Courts
* Florida judicial elections
* Judicial selection in Florida

## External links[edit]

* Florida Division of Elections

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ The Florida Bar, "50 judicial races decided; 13 headed to November runoffs," September 15, 2014
2. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Calendar of Election Dates"
3. ↑ Florida Secretary of State,"General Voting Information," accessed April 29, 2014
4. ↑ Florida Election Law, "Sec. 105.035(e)," accessed April 29, 2014
5. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions"
6. ↑ Florida Election Code, "Sec. 105.09," accessed May 4, 2014
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Florida Election Law, "Sec. 105.051," accessed April 29, 2014
8. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, Amendments Election Results"
9. ↑ Judgepedia, "Florida judicial elections," accessed September 17, 2014
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 The Sun Sentinel, "Appeals court judges run to keep their jobs," September 16, 2014
11. ↑ Judgepedia, "Alan O. Forst," accessed September 17, 2014
12. ↑ Judgepedia, "Martha Warner," accessed September 17, 2014
13. ↑ Judgepedia, "W. Matthew Stevenson," accessed September 17, 2014
14. ↑ Judgepedia, "Mark W. Klingensmith," accessed September 17, 2014
15. ↑ My News 13.com, "Florida Bar voters' guide for judicial races, merit retention," July 24, 2012
16. ↑ The Florida Bar, "Merit Retention Polls," accessed September 10, 2014
17. ↑ The Florida Bar, "Florida Bar Poll Shows Overwhelming Support For Appellate Judges in Merit Retention Elections," September 8, 2014
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Miami Herald, "Two incumbent Miami-Dade judges lose; Miami assistant city attorney wins seat," August 26, 2014
19. ↑ Judicial selection in Florida
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Sun Sentinel, "Judicial candidate recants pledge to pro-life group," August 20, 2014
22. ↑ Jerri Collins Campaign Website, "About," accessed August 20, 2014
23. ↑ Sandra Rivera Campaign Website, "Biography," accessed August 20, 2014
24. ↑ Alex Finch Campaign Website, "Home," accessed August 20, 2014
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Sun Sentinel, "Candidate alters campaign pitch after criticism," July 31, 2014
26. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Circuit Court Judge primary results," accessed August 27, 2014
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 The Florida Times-Union, "Judge rejects Jacksonville lawyer's claim that judicial replacement for Donald Moran should go to election," August 4, 2014
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Tampa Bay Times, "In Hillsborough judge's race, legendary lawyer's son squares off against appointed incumbent," July 19, 2014
29. ↑ 20th Judicial Circuit, "Amy Hawthorne Appointed to Circuit Bench," accessed July 2, 2014
30. ↑ Hawthorne Campaign Website, "About Judge Amy R. Hawthorne," accessed July 2, 2014
31. ↑ Leskovich Campaign Website, "About Steven S. Leskovich," accessed July 2, 2014
32. ↑ Branning for Circuit Judge, "About Robert Branning," accessed July 2, 2014 (dead link)
33. ↑ Mary Evans for Judge, "Meet Mary Evans," accessed July 2, 2014
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 TCPalm.com, "Voters to select 2 county judges, 2 circuit judges in November; decide whether to retain 4 district judges," May 2, 2014
35. ↑ TCPalm.com, "St. Lucie County Judge Kathryn Nelson released on bail following DUI arrest," October 26, 2011
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 TCPalm.com, "Kathryn Nelson top money raiser for circuit judge seat," June 12, 2014 (dead link)
37. ↑ Roseanna Bronhard Campaign Website, accessed June 25, 2014
38. ↑ Albert Moore Campaign Website, "About," accessed June 25, 2014
39. ↑ Leonard Villafranco Campaign Website, "Biography," accessed June 25, 2014
40. ↑ Keys News, "Bridges to run for judge seat," January 3, 2014
41. ↑ Judgepedia.org, "Jack Bridges," accessed June 18, 2014
42. ↑ Facebook.com "Bonnie J. Helms, Committee to Elect," accessed June 18, 2014
43. ↑ Re-elect Judge Tegan Slaton, "Experience," accessed June 18, 2014 (dead link)
44. ↑ PR Web, "Florida Mediator Sandy Upchurch Unopposed, Elected Circuit Judge," May 07, 2014
45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 The Sun Sentinel, "Four Broward judges face election challenge," By Rafael Olmeda, May 2, 2014
46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Broward County, "2008 primary election results," accessed May 14, 2014
47. ↑ Florida Department of State, "2014 Judicial Candidates, Broward County," accessed May 14, 2014
48. ↑ See: Florida judicial elections

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