Retention of Justices on the Ballot
Please Note - Following the election, all of the Justices listed below will be retained in their position.
Please Note - Following the election, all of the Justices listed below will be retained in their position.
Voters Guide 2020 - Guide for Florida Voters
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT FLORIDA JUDGES, JUDICIAL ELECTIONS AND MERIT RETENTION
Florida Supreme Court
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Carlos G. Muniz
Appointed to the Florida Supreme Court January 22, 2019 by Governor Ron DeSantis Prior to joining the Court, he served on the staff of Secretary Betsy DeVos as the presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed general counsel of the United States Department of Education. In addition to working as an attorney in the federal government and in private practice, Justice Muñiz had an extensive career in Florida state government. He served as the deputy attorney general and chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi; as deputy chief of staff and counsel in the Office of the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives; as general counsel of the Department of Financial Services; and as deputy general counsel to Governor Jeb Bush. Justice Muñiz is a graduate of the University of Virginia and of Yale Law School. After law school, he clerked for Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Judge Thomas A. Flannery of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Read his full biography here. |
Retention of Judges in the Fifth District Court of Appeals
Please note: Judge Jamie Grosshans (on the ballot) was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court on September 14, 2020.
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Kerry I. Evander
Degrees:B.A., Political Science, University of Florida, 1976, with Honors; J.D., University of Florida, 1980, with Honors. Legal Offices & Positions:
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John M. Harris
Judge John M. Harris was appointed to the Fifth District Court of Appeal by Governor Rick Scott in July, 2018. Prior to his appointment to the appellate court, Judge Harris served sixteen years as a trial court judge in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit (Brevard and Seminole Counties). Judge Harris served in every division of the circuit court, served as administrative judge of the criminal, civil, probate and appellate divisions of the circuit court, and was twice elected to serve as Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Circuit, first in 2013 and then again in 2017. Appointed to the county court bench by Governor Bush in 2002, Judge Harris served in the traffic, civil and criminal divisions of the county court. In 2006, Judge Harris was appointed to the circuit court bench, again by Governor Bush, and served primarily in the civil, felony and probate/guardianship divisions. He has also served as Chairman of the Brevard County Canvassing Board and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Judicial Mentor. Read his full biography here. |
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Richard B. Orfinger
Richard B. Orfinger has been a Judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeal since 2000, and served as the Court’s Chief Judge from 2011 to 2013.While a Circuit Judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida from 1991-2000, he served as Chief Judge from 1996-1999. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Orfinger was a shareholder in the firm of Monaco, Smith, Hood, Perkins, Orfinger and Stout, P.A. from 1990-1991, and a shareholder in Orfinger and Stout, P.A. from 1979-1990. His public service includes working as an Assistant State Attorney in the Seventh Judicial Circuit from 1976-1978. Judge Orfinger has served on numerous court committees and workgroups including the District Court Budget Commission from 2009-2013, serving as its Chair from 2011-2013; the State Court Administrator Selection Committee in 2013; the Court System/Clerk of Court Revenue Stabilization Workgroup in 2011 and the Judicial Branch Governance Study Group from 2009-2011. Read his full biography here. |
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Meredith Sasso
Judge Meredith L. Sasso joined the Fifth District Court of Appeal in January 2019, after being appointed by Governor Rick Scott. Judge Sasso was raised in Tallahassee, Florida. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2005 and her law degree from the University of Florida in 2008, where she was a member of the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board. Judge Sasso began her career in private practice, representing clients in large loss general liability, auto negligence, and complex commercial claims in state and federal courts at trial and on appeal. She also served as a guardian ad litem, representing abused or neglected children. In August of 2016, Judge Sasso joined the Office of the General Counsel to Governor Rick Scott where she ultimately served as Chief Deputy General Counsel. In this role, she represented the Governor in litigation before the Florida Supreme Court, the First District Court of Appeal, and state and federal trial courts, among other duties. Read her full biography here. |
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F. Rand Wallis
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida Hometown: Orlando, Florida Spouse: Married Degrees:J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 1992; B.A., Furman University, Political Science, 1989 Legal Offices & Positions:
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