Judge Gordon Murray receives Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence
Judge Gordon Murray
Miami-Dade County Judge Gordon Murray received the 2023 Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence from Florida Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz at the Annual Education Program of the Conference of County Court Judges.
Judge Murray, appointed in 2017 and elected in 2020, currently serves as the county court administrative judge where he presides over the county civil division.
“Judge Murray is a judge of the people who has spent countless hours implementing programs that provide better access and justice for our community,” said Miami-Dade County Court Associate Administrative Judge Milena Abreu.
The Chief Justice Awards for Judicial Excellence, established in 2015, recognize one county court judge and one circuit judge who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the judicial branch. Recipients personify judicial excellence by exhibiting qualities such as strength of character, integrity, fairness, open-mindedness, knowledge of the law, sound judgment, professional ethics, intellectual courage, compassion, and decisiveness.
Judge Murray began his career in public service in 1986 as an assistant state attorney. He has experience in private legal practice and served as a magistrate for the City of South Miami and the 11th Judicial Circuit. During the pandemic, Judge Murray helped ensure “an efficient and effective transition to remote hearings, successfully maintaining safe access to the courts,” according to a statement from the court.
He played a key role in creating CourtHELP, an online early dispute resolution portal designed to assist landlords and tenants. Judge Murray’s efforts have helped institute an online early dispute resolution portal for credit card cases to enhance CourtHelp. Judge Murray also worked to create a blind filing system for the county civil division to relieve the burden of a substantial increase in court filings.
Judge Murray is also committed to the Miami-Dade area legal community. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Miami-Dade College since 1995 and participates annually at their Miami-Dade College Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Summer Program. Judge Murray has lectured for the Miami-Dade County Medical Association, teaching doctors and other medical professionals on understanding and responding to victims of possible domestic violence. He has presided over the final round of the Honorable Earle Zehiner Memorial Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Florida Justice Association for many years.
Judge Murray has been the recipient of numerous honors. He received The Florida Bar’s 2023 William M. Hoeveler Judicial Professionalism Award; The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award; The Cuban American Bar Association Distinguished Service Award; The Miami-Dade County Community Pillar Award; and The Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County, Inc., 15 Years of Outstanding Service Award.
