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7TH CIRCUIT JNC ANNOUNCES APPLICANTS FOR CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL VACANCY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2024
CONTACT: Travis Mydock, Chair; [email protected]
Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE: 904-864-3002

Gov. Ron DeSantis has requested that the Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission convene for the purpose of selecting and submitting a list of highly qualified lawyers for appointment to the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court. The Seventh Circuit includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties. This appointment shall fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge James R. Clayton, effective April 1, 2024.

The Commission published a notice of vacancy and received fourteen (14) applicants. The applicants (listed in alphabetical order and without any preference) are as follows:

Christopher Ditslear

Allison Hughes

Isadore Hyde

James Partlow

Ann Phillips

Robert Pickens III

Milan Samargya

Bethany Schonsheck

Michele Simonsen

Jeanne Stratis

Sarah Thomas

Andrew Urbanak

David Wainer III

Chris Walker

The Commission shall convene at 1 p.m. on April 10, 2024 at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, Courtroom 351, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084.

Agenda:

Call to Order

Interview of Applicants

Adjourn Public Meeting

(Executive session for confidential deliberations of the Commission pursuant to Article V, Section 11(d) of the Florida Constitution)

The Commission encourages and seeks comments regarding the qualifications of the applicants.

All correspondence regarding an applicant should be sent to Travis Mydock, Chair, at

[email protected], by no later than 5 p.m. on April 9, 2024. All correspondence will be forwarded by the Chair to the Commission. All correspondence constitutes a public record

pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

Applicants that interviewed before the Commission on Jan. 24, 2024 may appear in person for a five (5) minute supplemental interview. Interviews will start at 1 p.m. on April 10, 2024 and shall proceed in alphabetical order. No negative inference shall be made by the Commission should an applicant elect not to appear.

Applicants that were not interviewed by the Commission on Jan. 24, 2024 should appear in person at 2:15 p.m. on April 10, 2024 for a ten (10) minute interview.

The current members of the Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission are:

Travis Mydock, B.C.S. (Chair)

Terrence White (Vice Chair)

Casey Arnold

Kelly Parsons Kwiatek

Andrew Morgan

John Reid, B.C.S.

Raven Sword

Erica White

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