After two years and about one month on the Duval County Court, Judge Eric Roberson was appointed Monday by Gov. Rick Scott to fill the vacancy on the 4th Judicial Circuit bench created in January when former Judge Mark Hulsey resigned.
Roberson said he took the call from Scott as he and his wife, Helen, were preparing to visit the doctor for a sonogram of their second child.
It was déjà vu. When Scott called on May 8, 2015, to tell Roberson he was joining the county court bench, the couple was viewing a sonogram of their first-born.
“What a great parallel,” Roberson said. “The Roberson family is happy today. We are blessed.”
A graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Roberson was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2005.
An assistant state attorney in Duval and Nassau counties from 2005-07, he then went into private practice before his appointment to the county bench.
While serving in county court, Roberson heard misdemeanor criminal cases and civil claims when less than $15,000 was at issue. He also regularly presides over first appearance hearings at the pretrial detention facility, his assignment for next week, Roberson said.
“It’s different work (in circuit court). It’s a broader range of topics,” Mahon said.
Mahon said when Roberson is sworn in to the circuit bench, he likely will be assigned to juvenile court to replace Judge Henry Davis, who retired in January.
“A new challenge awaits. I’m happy to go wherever the chief judge wants me to serve,” Roberson said.
He said the transition from county judge to circuit judge will take less time than when he went from private practice to the bench, a process that took about six weeks to wrap up pending cases or refer them to other counsel. Roberson could join the circuit court as soon as June 26, he said.
Roberson’s appointment to the circuit court creates a vacancy on the county court, which will be addressed by the Judicial Nominating Commission.
“We’re starting over again,” Mahon said.
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