Gov. Ron DeSantis asked the Ninth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission to provide him with names of highly qualified nominees for one county judge vacancy on the Orange County Court bench created by the elevation of Judge Gisela Laurent.
The Commission requires interested candidates to submit a complete application for consideration. Applicants must have been a member of the Florida Bar for the preceding five years and must be a registered voter. The individual appointed must reside in Orange County at the time that he or she is appointed.
Applications may be downloaded from the Office of the Governor at www.flgov.com. Applicants must include a recent photograph, preferably as a cover page. PLEASE NOTE: Effective July 1, 2020, the application has been substantially revised. Please be sure to download and use the current application. Any other version is obsolete and will not be accepted.
Applicants must submit a complete application to Jeff Aaron, at [email protected] by Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, at Noon (12 p.m.). The Commission will be holding interviews on Friday, Mar. 5, 2021. The Commission encourages applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. Any application received after the noon deadline will not be considered. Applicants who are in need of guidance may contact the Chair. Applications must be in .pdf form with a second .pdf version of the application with personal information not subject to public disclosure – such as the social security number – redacted as permitted by Section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes. The two .pdf files should be named in a “last name.first name” format. For example: Bob Smith should submit two file names: (1) Smith.Bob.pdf and (2) Smith.Bob-REDACTED.pdf. No paper applications will be accepted.
To assist the Commission in its review of applications, all questions on the application must be fully and completely answered. The submitted application must include the financial disclosures, a writing sample, and a recent photograph. Applicants must also include current contact information, including e-mail addresses, for all judges, co-counsel, opposing counsel, and references to facilitate the background investigation that members of the Commission will conduct.
Members of the bench, the Bar, and the public are encouraged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions. Letters of recommendation should be e-mailed or mailed to all Commissioners at any time before the interviews begin:
9th Circuit JNC Commissioners
Jeff Aaron, Chair
Gray Robinson, P.A.
301 E. Pine St., Ste. 1400
Orlando, FL 32801
[email protected]
Office: 407-244-5644
Josh Grosshans
The Grosshans Group, PLLC
884 S Dillard Street
Winter Garden, FL 34787
[email protected]
Office: 407-900-3261
Robert Holborn
Debevoise & Poulton, P.A.
1035 S. Semoran Blvd., Ste. 1010
Winter Park, FL 32792-5512
[email protected]
Office: 407-673-5000
Matthew A. Klein
Signature Aviation
13485 Veterans Way, Ste. 600
Orlando, FL 32827
[email protected]
Office: 407-206-5291
Chris Posteraro
Walt Disney World Legal Dept.
PO Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000
[email protected]
Office: 407-828-1130
Michael A. Sasso, Vice-Chair
Sasso & Sasso, P.A.
1031 W. Morse Blvd., Ste. 120
Winter Park, FL 32789-3774
[email protected]
Office: 407-644-7161
Tim Schulte
Zimmerman Kiser Sutcliffe, P.A.
315 East Robinson Street, Suite 600
Orlando, FL 32801
[email protected]
Office: 407-425-7010
Tara Tedrow
Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.
215 North Eola Drive
Orlando, FL 32801
[email protected]
Office: 407-418-6361
Interviews will be held on Mar. 5, 2021, at the law offices of GrayRobinson, P.A. in Orlando. Applicants will be notified by email as to their interview time and the address once the schedule is made after the application deadline. A complete interview schedule will be available on the Governor’s website at a later time. If there are any questions about the application process, please contact the Chair of the JNC, Jeff Aaron, at 407-244-5644.