The Florida Bar

News Releases

3RD DCA JNC EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR JUDICIAL APPLICATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2024
CONTACT: CONTACT: Lauren E. Morse, Chair; [email protected]
Third District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE: 305-375-3661

The Third District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission has been asked to provide Gov. Ron DeSantis with nominees for the vacancy in the Third District Court of Appeal created by the passing of Judge Eric Wm. Hendon. The JNC seeks and encourages a broad, diverse, and highly qualified pool of applicants.

The Commission has extended the deadline for applications an additional 9 days until Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 12 p.m. The Commission requests that interested candidates submit a completed application for consideration to Chair, Lauren Morse at [email protected] and Vice Chair, Paul Huck, Jr. at [email protected]. Incomplete applications, obsolete forms of application, and applications received after the extended deadline will not be considered. Applicants in need of guidance should direct inquiries to the Chair. Applicants must qualify to hold office for District Court under Article V, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution. Those qualifications include having been a member of the Florida Bar for the preceding ten years, being a registered voter in the State of Florida, and residing in Miami-Dade or Monroe County at the time of appointment. Applicants who have previously submitted an application before the prior April 8 deadline may amend or revise their submitted application and the Commission will consider the amended submission.

Instructions for submission:

  • The current Judicial Application form must be used. It may be downloaded in pdf and Word version from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ website. Applicants should ensure they are using the correct and current form.
  • With the extension, the complete signed application must be submitted by Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 12 p.m. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants must submit a recent photograph, preferably as a cover page. To assist the Judicial Nominating Commission in its review of applications, all questions in the application must be fully and completely answered. In addition, applicants should include current and accurate contact information for themselves, as well as for judges, co-counsel, opposing counsel, and references to facilitate the requisite background investigation. If requested information is missing from an application, the Judicial Nominating Commission will consider the applicant’s lack of effort in submitting a complete application.
  • All applications must be submitted in one file in .pdf format. A second .pdf version of the application must also be provided with redactions to protect any personal information not subject to public disclosure 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, James Madison should submit two files named: (1) Madison.James.pdf and (2)

Madison.James.REDACTED.pdf. Applications not submitted in the correct format may be rejected and paper applications will not be accepted. Please send both electronic copies by email to [email protected] and [email protected]. Please also send the redacted .pdf file to each of the nine Commissioners listed below.

Applicants receiving interviews will be separately notified of the exact date, time, and location of the interview. Potential applicants are advised that the Commission at present intends to hold interviews on April 25, 2024 (between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.), April 26, 2024, and to keep April 27, 2024 (between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.) in reserve if necessary. These dates are subject to change. The interviews will take place at The LS Law Firm, One Biscayne Tower – Suite 2530, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33131. Applicants receiving interviews will be separately notified of the exact date, time, and location of the interview. Separate public notice shall be provided when the interview schedule is approved by the Commission.

The Commission will hold an organizational meeting on April 17, 2024, at 6 p.m. At such organizational meeting the Commission will set the interview dates and times. The Commission may take up other matters as appropriate. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams video and audio conferencing at:

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 236 017 127 319

Passcode: Y7zdbb

Dial-in by phone

+1 786-628-2782,,802161642# United States, Miami

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 802 161 642#

Members of the public wishing to attend the organizational meeting of the Judicial Nominating Commission may appear in person or via the video and audio conferencing listed above.

Members of the bench, the Bar, and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions. Letters of recommendation should be emailed to all Commissioners at any time before the interviews begin. The contact information for the commissioners is:

Lauren E. Morse, Chair

Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office

111 N.W. 1st Street, Suite 2810

Miami, FL 33128

Telephone: 305-375-3661

Email: [email protected]

Paul Huck, Jr., Vice Chair

Lawson Huck Gonzalez, PLLC

334 Minorca Avenue

Miami, Florida 33134

Telephone: 305-441-2299

Email: [email protected]

Lilly Ann Sanchez

LS Law Firm

One Biscayne Tower

2 S. Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2530

Miami, Florida 33131

Telephone: 305-503-5503

Email: [email protected]

Maia Aron

Mark Migdal & Hayden

80 SW 8th Street, Suite 1999

Miami, FL 33130

Telephone: 305-374-0440

Email: [email protected]

Stephen Demanovich

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

600 Brickell Avenue, Suite 3100

Miami, FL 33131

Telephone: 302-864-7219

Email: [email protected]

Adam M. Foslid

Winston & Strawn, LLP

200 S. Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2400

Miami, Florida 33131

Telephone: 305-910-0646

Email: [email protected]

Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman

United States Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Florida 99 N.E. 4th Street

Miami, FL 33132

Telephone: 305-961-9001

Email: [email protected]

John E. Meagher

Shutts & Bowen LLP

200 S. Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 4100

Miami, FL 33131

Telephone: 305-379-9198

Email: [email protected]

Daniel W. Schwartz

1900 Purdy Avenue, Suite 1909

Miami Beach, Florida 33139

Telephone: 904-476-7703

Email: [email protected]

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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."