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
Ronald Ficarrotta - Chief Judge, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
J U D G E
a slice of Mary lee’s house
T
i encourage you to stop by the third floor of the Edgecomb
courthouse and see “a slice of Mary lee’s house” the next time
you are in the building.
he Thirteenth Judicial Circuit is visited
by over a million people each year. Many
visitors have limited knowledge of court
functions and processes, which may
lead to uneasy feelings, or even anxiety.
Now, imagine how children must feel. It is safe to say that
our youngest and smallest visitors may be scared,
confused and anxious. Quite often, they are brought to
the third floor of the George Edgecomb Courthouse
because of the trauma they have experienced, and the
efforts being made to stabilize their lives. The experience
can be overwhelming.
This summer, in an attempt to minimize re-
traumatization, our third floor waiting area was
transformed into a trauma-informed space suitable for
young children. Thanks to Mary Lee’s House and The
Children’s Board, we now have calming wall colors,
scenic murals, a miniature library providing free books
for children on the floor, and a Doggie Delivery Mailbox
where kids can write and send letters to Tibet, Florida’s
first Courthouse Dog. A new bench also enables
children to comfortably sit and visit with Tibet before
or after hearings.
On September 9, 2019, Mary Lee Farrior, the
namesake of Mary Lee’s House, and J. Rex Farrior, III,
assisted in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the
continued on page 15
Jennifer Kuhn, J. Rex Farrior III, Judge Katherine Essrig, Mary Lee Farrior,
Chief Judge Ronald Ficarrotta and Court Administrator Gina Justice at the ribbon-cutting.
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NOV - DEC 2019
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