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
tmydock@mydocklaw.com, 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
Original source can be found here.