Navigation The First Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission received 10 applications to fill the vacancy on the Okaloosa County Court due to the elevation of Judge Jonathan Schlechter. The JNC will convene at 1 p.m., CDT, on Tuesday, April 29, at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building in Pensacola to interviews the following applicants: Jeffrey Sumey, 1:15 p.m. […]
'Florida Bar Association' Category Archives
Senate moves bill to shield appellate court clerks and JQC employees
Sen. Darryl Rouson The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to approve separate public records exemptions that sponsors say are necessary to protect Judicial Qualifications Commission staff and appellate court clerks. The Senate voted 35-3 to approve SB 302, regarding the Judicial Qualifications Commission staff, and 35-2 to approve SB 300, the appellate court clerk bill. Click […]
Documentary participation could risk lending judicial prestige
A judge may not appear in a potentially for-profit documentary about high-conflict custody cases, citing concerns over judicial impartiality, confidentiality, and the risk of lending judicial prestige to commercial ventures, the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee has ruled. Acting April 16 in Opinion Number 2025-10, the committee said that while the judge would not discuss any […]
Can judges serve in the Florida State Guard?
A judge may serve as a volunteer in the Florida State Guard, with limits, according to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. The ethics panel acted April 16 in Opinion Number: 2025-09, but not without dissent. The Florida State Guard (FSG) was re-established in 2022 “to protect and defend the people of Florida from all threats […]
Mindfulness and Secondary Trauma
The practice of law is a noble profession. One of the hallmarks of this nobility is the willingness of legal professionals to help clients navigate conflicts that often take a significant toll on their lives — their sense of safety, well-being, relationships, and even their freedom. As national, state, and local bar associations, law schools, […]