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The Florida Bar News
February 15, 2011
The Distinguished Judicial Service Award Presented by the Chief Justice
Judge Susan G. Sexton is a circuit judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit. In 1986, she became the first woman elected to the circuit court bench in Hillsborough County.
While currently assigned to the Criminal Justice Division, Post Conviction Relief, over the past 20 years, Judge Sexton has worked in virtually every division in the circuit. However, a majority of her service has been in the probate, guardianship, and mental health division.
As the administrative judge in that division, Judge Sexton worked in the areas of guardianship, public guardianship, and guardian advocacy helping to develop programs to further the interests of those served by the courts and the cause of justice.
In guardianship, the courts are in a unique position, with a duty to make sure that those assigned guardians — the wards — are in fact being protected. Annual reports are filed to attest to what services are delivered to wards. Because of the thousands of reports and lack of case managers to review them, Judge Sexton began a program with the University of South Florida to have master’s students review files as part of their internships with the court and for which they receive credit.
In another area dealing with vulnerable citizens, Judge Sexton helped to begin the Elder Task Force, which involved the community in devising ways for senior citizens to have full access to the court system. The result was the creation of an Elder Justice Center to provide links to various services as well as a mechanism for ongoing monitoring of guardianship cases. The program has been a model for similar programs around the United States and received the Justice Achievement Award from The National Association for Court Management and the Governor’s Peace at Home Award in 2002. In 1999, the Department of Elder Affairs honored Judge Sexton for her dedicated service to Florida’s elder population.
Because many people come into guardianship because of the lack of advance planning, Judge Sexton has become an advocate of advance planning, presenting numerous programs throughout the 13th Judicial Circuit in conjunction with Bay Area Legal Services.
Judge Sexton recently launched a new program for guardian advocacy. Through guardian advocacy, parents can continue to assist their developmentally disabled children once they turn 18. Judge Sexton drafted legislation which assists these parents, then Gov. Charlie Crist signed this bill into law in 2008.
Judge Sexton has served as a member and past president of the Ferguson White American Inn of Court. She is a former member of the Supreme Court Commission on Fairness and currently is a member of the Probate Rules Committee and the executive council of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.
Judge Sexton has participated as a speaker at various legal education programs for The Florida Bar, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Hillsborough County Association for Women Lawyers, the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, University of South Florida and The National Judicial College. She also gives speeches to various civic groups and elderly communities on the subject of “Preserving Your Personal Autonomy.”
Judge Sexton also served as a board member for the Visiting International Professional Program, a program through the Department of State. She hosted many foreign delegations and presented programs on the rule of law to delegations from Argentina, Jordan, Algeria, and Poland. She is a member of the International Association of Women Judges.
Additionally Judge Sexton served as an instructor at the Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat, Muenster, Germany, and as an adjunct professor at Hillsborough County Community College in Family Law.
A founding board member of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Judge Sexton served on the board of directors from 1987 through 2000 and chaired various committees, including the Christmas Drive Committee and the Doctor/Lawyer Sports Competition.
A judge is in a unique position to contribute to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice. The support of pro bono services improves the judicial system as a whole. This award is for outstanding and sustained service to the public, especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services.
Judge Susan G. Sexton 13th Judicial Circuit Court, Felony Division, Tampa
While currently assigned to the Criminal Justice Division, Post Conviction Relief, over the past 20 years, Judge Sexton has worked in virtually every division in the circuit. However, a majority of her service has been in the probate, guardianship, and mental health division.
As the administrative judge in that division, Judge Sexton worked in the areas of guardianship, public guardianship, and guardian advocacy helping to develop programs to further the interests of those served by the courts and the cause of justice.
In guardianship, the courts are in a unique position, with a duty to make sure that those assigned guardians — the wards — are in fact being protected. Annual reports are filed to attest to what services are delivered to wards. Because of the thousands of reports and lack of case managers to review them, Judge Sexton began a program with the University of South Florida to have master’s students review files as part of their internships with the court and for which they receive credit.
In another area dealing with vulnerable citizens, Judge Sexton helped to begin the Elder Task Force, which involved the community in devising ways for senior citizens to have full access to the court system. The result was the creation of an Elder Justice Center to provide links to various services as well as a mechanism for ongoing monitoring of guardianship cases. The program has been a model for similar programs around the United States and received the Justice Achievement Award from The National Association for Court Management and the Governor’s Peace at Home Award in 2002. In 1999, the Department of Elder Affairs honored Judge Sexton for her dedicated service to Florida’s elder population.
Because many people come into guardianship because of the lack of advance planning, Judge Sexton has become an advocate of advance planning, presenting numerous programs throughout the 13th Judicial Circuit in conjunction with Bay Area Legal Services.
Judge Sexton recently launched a new program for guardian advocacy. Through guardian advocacy, parents can continue to assist their developmentally disabled children once they turn 18. Judge Sexton drafted legislation which assists these parents, then Gov. Charlie Crist signed this bill into law in 2008.
Judge Sexton has served as a member and past president of the Ferguson White American Inn of Court. She is a former member of the Supreme Court Commission on Fairness and currently is a member of the Probate Rules Committee and the executive council of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.
Judge Sexton has participated as a speaker at various legal education programs for The Florida Bar, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Hillsborough County Association for Women Lawyers, the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, University of South Florida and The National Judicial College. She also gives speeches to various civic groups and elderly communities on the subject of “Preserving Your Personal Autonomy.”
Judge Sexton also served as a board member for the Visiting International Professional Program, a program through the Department of State. She hosted many foreign delegations and presented programs on the rule of law to delegations from Argentina, Jordan, Algeria, and Poland. She is a member of the International Association of Women Judges.
Additionally Judge Sexton served as an instructor at the Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat, Muenster, Germany, and as an adjunct professor at Hillsborough County Community College in Family Law.
A founding board member of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Judge Sexton served on the board of directors from 1987 through 2000 and chaired various committees, including the Christmas Drive Committee and the Doctor/Lawyer Sports Competition.
[Revised: 02-17-2012]
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