Florida Judge Bronwyn Miller Loses Bid to Halt Judicial Discipline Proceedings

On Monday, April 27, 2026, the Miami Herald reported that a disciplinary case against Miami appeals court Judge Bronwyn Miller will proceed following a ruling by Judge Morris Silberman. The case revolves around text messages Miller sent to Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle during the resentencing phase of convicted murderer Corey Smith.

Silberman, an appellate court judge in St. Petersburg presiding over the disciplinary proceedings, rejected Miller’s attempts to dismiss the charges brought by a state judicial investigative panel. The panel asserted that the texts could compromise Miller’s impartiality as a judge on the 3rd District Court of Appeal.

Miller, who as a prosecutor in 2005 secured the initial death penalty conviction against Smith, is now accused of sending texts to her former boss, Rundle, as Smith’s resentencing unfolded. Smith’s resentencing was granted in 2024 after changes to state law altered the requirements for a jury recommendation for the death penalty, moving from a unanimous decision to a two-thirds majority.

During a hearing, Miller’s attorney, Sandy Bohrer, argued that her client was simply exercising her First Amendment rights and not interfering in the case against Smith. Bohrer stated that Miller acted outside of her official capacity when texting Rundle.

Silberman’s six-page order stated that Miller’s constitutional challenges were “premature” and require the case to move forward for proper consideration. He added that the investigative panel provided sufficient detail regarding the alleged ethical violations.

Miller’s text messages with Fernandez Rundle were obtained and published by the Miami Herald on November 10, 2024. Three days later, on November 13, Miller reported herself to the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission.

The case has seen several developments, including prosecutors waiving the death penalty against Smith last year. Smith was ultimately resentenced to 30 years in prison following a new agreement with prosecutors. Smith’s attorneys have also accused prosecutors of coaching witnesses and engaging in inappropriate communication with a convicted murderer via a recorded jail call.

Notably, Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson of the Miami-Dade Circuit Court presided over the resentencing hearing, not Miller. Miller’s texts to Rundle reportedly criticized Wolfson’s handling of the case and even called for her removal.