Staff Reports
Gov. Rick Scott on Friday announced sixteen reappointments and fifteen appointments to fourteen Judicial Nominating Commissions (JNCs), the panels charged with making recommendations for judgeships.
They “submit three to six names of the most highly qualified applicants to the Governor, who must make a final selection from the list,” according to The Florida Bar.
“Each Judicial Nominating Commission has nine members. Five members are appointed directly by the Governor, and the Bar sends nominations to the Governor to fill the remaining four spots.”
Scott “appoints JNC members who share his vision that judges will follow the law and serve humbly,” spokeswoman Lauren Schenone previously has said. “The voters that elected him expect that.”
The latest names are below:
First Circuit JNC
Louis A. Maygarden, III, 38, of Pensacola, is a partner with Shell, Fleming, Davis, & Menge, P.A. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2019.
Bobby L. Whitney, Jr., 61, of Fort Walton, is an attorney with Seymour Whitney. He succeeds Lennard B. Register and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Third Circuit JNC
Elizabeth A. Rosado, 31, of Live Oak, is an assistant public defender with the Third Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office. She succeeds Angela Cancio and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Fourth Circuit JNC
Patrick J. Kilbane, Jr., 37, of Jacksonville, is the General Counsel and a wealth advisor for Ullman Brown Wealth Advisors. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Robert M. Harris, 65, of Jacksonville, is a managing partner with Harris Guidi and Rosner P.A. He succeeds Courtney K. Grimm and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Fifth Circuit JNC
Anita Geraci Carver, 47, of Clermont, is a sole practitioner. She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2018.
James T. Schatt, 42, of Ocala, is an attorney with Schatt Hesser McGraw. He succeeds W. James Gooding, III and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2019.
Vanessa Thomas, 50, of Fort McCoy, is a partner with Forman, Hanratty, Thomas & Montgomery. She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Shanta N. Matthews, 32, of Ocala, is an attorney with Daniel L. Hightower, P.A. She succeeds James T. Schatt and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Eighth Circuit JNC
Kirsten L. Rowe, 43, of Newberry, is a sole practitioner, in addition to being a Florida Supreme Court certified circuit civil mediator. She is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Brande Smith, 41, of Gainesville, is the senior assistant university counsel for the University of Florida. She is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Brent G. Siegel, 60, of Gainesville, is an attorney with Siegel Hughes & Ross. He succeeds Leonard E. Ireland and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Tenth Circuit JNC
Benjamin W. Hardin, Jr., 57, of Lakeland, is a partner with Hardin & Ball. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Twelfth Circuit JNC
Carly J. Lambert, 36, of Palmetto, is an attorney with Esposito Law Group. She is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
William C. Robinson, Jr., 41, of Bradenton, is an attorney with Blalock Walters, P.A. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Bonnie Lee A. Polk, 53, of Sarasota, is an attorney with Williams Parker Harrison Dietz & Getzen. She is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Thirteenth Circuit JNC
Alexander Caballero, 48, of Tampa, is a shareholder with Sessums Black Caballero Ficarrotta, P.A. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Fourteenth Circuit JNC
William A. Lewis, 66, of Panama City, is an attorney with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Fifteenth Circuit JNC
Gordon Dieterle, 51, of Boca Raton, is a partner with Peter M. Feaman P.A. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Eleni Howard, 33, of Tequesta, is an associate with Holland & Knight, LLP. She succeeds Gregor J. Schwinghammer, Jr. and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Laura Starr, 55, of Lake Worth, is a partner with Weisman Brodie Starr & Margolies, P.A. She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2018.
Gregor J. Schwinghammer, 50, of Jupiter, is a shareholder with the law firm Gunster, Yoakley, & Stewart, P.A. He succeeds Anna P. Morales-Christiansen and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Sixteenth Circuit JNC
Nicholas Mulick, 67, of Tavernier, is a sole practitioner. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Robert B. Shillinger, Jr., 51, of Key West, is the county attorney for Monroe County. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Eighteenth Circuit JNC
David Bear, 36, of Winter Springs, is an associate with Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, P.C. He succeeds Timi Tucker and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Alan Landman, 54, of Indialantic, is a sole practitioner with Alan H. Landman, P.A. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Andrew B. Pickett, 34, of Melbourne, is an attorney with Alpizar Law, LLC. He succeeds Steven D. Kramer and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Nineteenth Circuit JNC
Benjamin J. Bedard, 49, of Jupiter, is a managing partner with Roberts, Reynolds, Bedard & Tuzzio, PLLC. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Steven G. Gieseler, 38, of Port St. Lucie, is an attorney with Gieseler & Gieseler, P.A. He is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Bradley W. Rossway, 56, of Vero Beach, is the managing member of Rossway, Swan, Tierney, Barry, Lacey & Oliver. He succeeds David B. Earle and is appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
Twentieth Circuit JNC
Suzan Z. Reynolds, 62, of Fort Myers, is a self-employed international attorney. She is reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2017, and ending July 1, 2020.
