NOTE: This piece first appeared on FLGulfNews.com.
By Richard Luthmann
FORT MYERS, FL – It was a high-stakes judicial audition at the Lee County Justice Center Annex as 26 hopefuls vied for two coveted judgeships. The Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission spent November 14 interviewing 16 applicants for a Circuit Court seat and 10 for a Charlotte County Court seat.
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit of Florida includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.
Earlier this week, the Florida Bar announced that 11 finalists had emerged (5 for the Circuit seat in Charlotte, 6 for the County).
These nominees’ names have been sent to Governor Ron DeSantis, who by law has 60 days to appoint one candidate for each bench. The vacancies – a Circuit Court seat and a Charlotte County Court seat – were created by the resignation of Judge Mary Evans and the retirement of Judge John Burns, respectively…