Figuring out how to vote for Florida Appellate judges can be a complete nonsense

Now most people know who they voted for races that are important to them.

What about other races? You know, mysterious part of the ballot paper Most of us are just guessing. This is the part of the ballot that seems designed to allow an incumbent to easily keep their positions: Florida Appellate judges and the state’s Supreme Court justices.

Even when asked, several local attorneys admitted that they could offer little advice on how the average citizen should make an informed decision at the ballot box. Citizens rarely have the experience of appearing before an appellate judge. Typically our interactions with judges are at the county court or district court level.

There are seven appellate judges this year. 5th District Court of Appeals We also have two on our ballot papers. Florida Supreme Court Judges.

Judges and judges seeking another six-year term have no opponents. Florida voters have yet to remove a supreme court judge, and it is very rare for an appellate judge to be removed by voters. And judges generally stay in office with between 65 and 80 percent of the vote.

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This is because the system itself makes it almost impossible for a judge to lose his seat. The ballot includes the following statements: “Will Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge (insert name here) continue in office?” Voters will be able to fill in ‘yes’ or ‘no’ options.

This is it.

There is only one resource available to the public. The Florida Bar Association is putting together a list of judges to be retained, as well as their resumes and links to decisions made by the court. just go https://thevotesinyourcourt.com/. You can also find additional information at: Florida Bar website.

Retired Brevard Circuit Judge David Dugan said appellate judges go through a rigorous review process before being elected to office.

Retired Brevard County Circuit Judge David Dugan said appellate judges go through a fairly rigorous review process when being considered for a vacancy on the bench.

“All good judges share many characteristics, including patience, determination, impartiality, independence, temperament and determination to uphold the law regardless of personal views,” he said. “You can trust that they have been well vetted during the appointment process and have all the skills needed.”

But in this day and age of hyper-partisan politics, it may be naive to believe that politics does not play a role.

In this case, perhaps voting along party lines could be the solution for some. Although the justices are nonpartisan, they are all appointed by Florida’s Republican governors. In fact, five of the seven appellate judges up for tenure were appointed to their current positions in the 5th DCA by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The other two were first appointed by then-governor Rick Scott.

This year the following judges will participate in the voting:

Joe Boatwright (i) through 2023, appointed by Governor DeSantis

Eric Eisnaugle (i) 2017-present, appointed by Governor Rick Scott.

Harvey Jay (i) 2016-present, appointed by Scott, reappointed by DeSantis in 2023.

Paige Kilbane, (i) through 2023, appointed by DeSantis.

John MacIver, (i) 2023-present, appointed by DeSantis.

Jordan Pratt, (i) through 2023, appointed by DeSantis.

Adrian Soud, (i) through 2023, appointed by DeSantis.

Both Supreme Court Justices who will remain in office — Renatha Francis and Meredith Sasso — were appointed by DeSantis in 2023.

But Melbourne lawyer Kepler Funk says judging whether judges are “liberal” or “conservative” based on who appoints them is short-sighted.

“As much as I hate to say it, you should do some homework,” he said. “It is extremely difficult for the voting public to evaluate the work of an appellate judge. Lawyers must review the multitude of appellate decisions written by these judges. Creating an intellectually honest assessment is time-consuming and requires great knowledge.”

Still, is there anything the average Joe voter can do other than check with judges at the Florida Bar or the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission to see if there are any complaints about them? Actually, not much.

Talk to lawyers you trust and ask their opinions. Or, if you have time, investigate his decisions to see if he’s someone you’d like to see continue.

It’s better than flipping a coin. . . Maybe.

to contact torres At [email protected]. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook facebook.com/FTjohntorres.

This article first appeared on Florida Today: Opinion: Lack of information makes it difficult to vote for Florida Appellate judges