1ST CIRCUIT JNC ANNOUNCES JUDICIAL APPLICANTS AND INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
The First Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission received applications from the individuals listed below to fill the two vacancies on the First Judicial Circuit Court due to the retirements of Judge Shackelford and Judge Nobles. The JNC will convene at 12 p.m. local time on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W. Government Street, 1st Floor Media Room, Pensacola, Florida 32502. The interviews will be conducted with each applicant at the times indicated below.
- White, Stephanie 12:15 PM
- Sumey, Jeffrey 12:30 PM
- Snyder, Molly 12:45 PM
- Sebastian, Nathaniel 1:00 PM
- Luongo, Stephen 1:15 PM
- Leigh, Codey 1:30 PM
- King, Patrick 1:45 PM
BREAK 2:00 PM
- Gordon, Matt 2:15 PM
- Etheridge, Casey 2:30 PM
- Dlubala, Erica 2:45 PM
- Davis, Brooke 3:00 PM
- Bergosh, Gary 3:15 PM
- Baily, Paul 3:30 PM
- Abreu, Andrew 3:45 PM
All interviews are open to the public. Deliberations will be conducted in closed session.
| AGENDA: | 12:00 PM – 12:15 PM | JNC Deliberation |
| 12:15 PM – 4:00 PM | Interviews | |
| 4:00 PM until adjourned | JNC Deliberation |
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to attend is asked to contact the Chair at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting via email at [email protected].
In its effort to select the most qualified applicants for nomination to Gov. DeSantis, the Judicial Nominating Commission requests members of the legal community and the public to provide pertinent information (based upon personal knowledge) regarding any applicant. Information about applicants may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Personal attributes such as integrity, moral conduct, and ethics;
- Competency and experience, which would include professional reputation, knowledge of the law, and knowledge of and experience in court; and
- Judicial capabilities such as patience, decisiveness, courtesy, civility, temperament, and
Information and comments may be addressed (via email) to Zack Smith, Chair, Judicial Nominating Commission, First Judicial Circuit, at [email protected] or you may contact any other member of the Commission. Letters of recommendation should be emailed or mailed to all commissioners.
A list of the members of the First Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission is available at the Office of the Governor’s website .
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EDITORS: Please note The Florida Bar is not an association and "Association" is not part of our name. Proper reference is "The Florida Bar." Local bar organizations are properly termed "associations."