On Monday, April 28, 2025, Tallahassee Democrat reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to appoint a new judge to the state’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, following the retirement of Judge Robert Wheeler. Thirteen candidates had applied for the vacant position, and the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) conducted interviews for these applicants on April 30, 2025.
The interviews took place at the Judge Charles A. Francis Leon County Court Annex, located at 1920 Thomasville Road in Tallahassee. After the interviews, the JNC compiled a list of six finalists to submit to Governor DeSantis, who expressed a strong preference for receiving the maximum number of nominees for consideration.
The applicants seeking the judicial position included a diverse group of legal professionals. Among them were Michael Ruff, a senior attorney with the Florida Department of Financial Services; Andrea White, who served as general counsel for the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court Administrator’s Office; and James A. Beville, an assistant state attorney from Quincy. Other candidates included Francis Carbone, general counsel for the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities; Carlos Rey, general counsel for the Florida Senate; and D. Jason Harrison, a senior assistant attorney general for the state.
Additionally, the list of candidates featured Steven Sellers, an attorney from the Tallahassee law firm O’Steen & O’Steen; Stefanie M. Newlin, a judge in Leon County; and Robert G. Churchill Jr., founder and managing partner of Churchill Law Group in Tallahassee. Churchill had previously run for an open county judge seat but was unsuccessful. Jeremiah Hawkes, an associate at Bass Sox Mercer law firm in Tallahassee, and Jason Jones, a Leon County judge, also vied for the position. Lastly, Kristen Hope Matthis, a shareholder at Meenan law firm in Tallahassee, and C. Ian Garland, a lawyer in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, were part of the group of applicants.
Circuit judges in Florida handle a variety of significant cases, including felony and juvenile matters, as well as civil lawsuits that involve claims of $50,000 or more. Judge Wheeler, who retired, had served on the circuit bench since 2016 after being appointed by former Governor Rick Scott, a Republican, following his tenure as a county judge.
The process for selecting circuit judges in Florida typically involves nonpartisan elections for six-year terms. In cases where a mid-term vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement through a merit selection process, relying on recommendations from a judicial nominating commission. Judges who are appointed to fill vacancies must stand for election at the end of their terms to retain their positions.
The 2nd Judicial Circuit serves several counties in north Florida, including Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla. The circuit is crucial in ensuring the administration of justice across these regions, with judges addressing a wide range of legal issues.
In terms of compensation, judges in Florida receive salaries based on their court level. As of the 2024-25 fiscal year, the annual salary for county judges is approximately $186,034, while circuit judges earn around $196,898. Judges serving on the District Court of Appeal receive an annual salary of about $218,939, and justices on the State Supreme Court earn approximately $258,957.
Source: Tallahassee Democrat
