History and Purposes:

Since 1964, the Palm Beach County Bar Association has conducted a judicial evaluation of the Palm Beach County Judicial Officers. The evaluation is designed with two (2) primary goals: first, to assist the judiciary, in a positive way, to improve the quality of justice and the administration of our courts; and second, to provide the public with information regarding those who hold judicial office.  The Palm Beach County Bar Association has a vital interest in retaining on the bench Judicial Officers of the highest possible qualifications so that our Courts may have the utmost confidence and respect of the public and the Bar.

With these purposes in mind, the Bar requested that the evaluation reflect the Judicial Officers’ recent performance. Attorneys were asked to evaluate only those Judicial Officers before whom they had had at least one (1) trial or three (3) adversarial or other hearings within the last two (2) years. If they hadn’t, they were asked not to evaluate that Judicial Officer regardless of how much experience they have had with that Judicial Officer prior to the last two years. Recent experience is crucial to a fair and meaningful evaluation.  Judges who have not been on the bench for a full year at the time of the evaluation are not included.