F R O M T H E T H I R T E E N T H J U D I C I A L C I R C U I T C H I E F J U D G E R o n a l d F i c a r r o t t a - C h i e f J u d g e , T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l C i r c u i t
Historical new Judgeships for the 13th Circuit
in the thirteenth Circuit , the year 2021 will be remembered as the year our county judicial bench increased by 35 %.
In the Thirteenth Circuit , the year 2021 will be remembered as the year our county judicial bench increased by 35 %. Each fiscal year , the Florida Supreme Court ’ s judicial certification process assesses the need for additional judgeships based on workload . If a circuit is certified for additional judges , the legislature may appropriate the funding , which then must be approved by the governor . Until 2021 , the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit had not received any additional judgeships since four circuit judges were approved back in 2006 . Then , fifteen years later , the circuit received six new county judges .
The circuit has grown from 45 circuit judges and 17 county judges , for a total of 62 judges , to 45 circuit judges and 23 county judges , for a total of 68 judges . The ever-increasing county caseload , coupled with the recent changes in jurisdictional limits , more than warranted the added constitutional officers . We are thankful for the support of the legislature and Governor DeSantis .
Around the same time last fall , county judge Joelle Ober retired , leaving us with a judicial vacancy , which left Governor DeSantis with seven county positions to fill . The Governor ’ s Office did a great job in vetting some very qualified candidates and selecting highly qualified new judges . I ’ d like to introduce our new judges , who are listed in the order of judicial commission date .
● Leslie Schultz-Kin was Chief Assistant Attorney General and Bureau Chief in the Tampa Civil Litigation Bureau of the Florida Office of the Attorney General before joining the bench . She also worked at Akerman , LLP and Carton Fields , P . A , and as a Guardian ad Litem . She is assigned to County Civil Division I .
● Joseph Tompkins served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida prior to joining the bench . Previously , he was a Senior Law
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