Two Jacksonville attorneys have opened campaign accounts to run for 4th Judicial Circuit judgeships in 2018.
Katie Dearing plans to run for Circuit Group 17 and former House Judiciary Chairman Charles McBurney is pursuing Circuit Group 18, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Dearing, of the Dearing Law Firm, is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a former assistant state attorney. In February, Dearing raised $4,350 and loaned her account $50,000.
McBurney served in the House from 2007-16, when he was term-limited. His law office is The McBurney Firm. He opened his account March 1.
Dearing and McBurney previously sought appointments to the bench and have had their names submitted to Gov. Rick Scott for selection. Most recently, the two made that list along with Robert Dees, whom the governor selected in June to fill the vacancy left when Harvey Jay was appointed to the 1st District Court of Appeal.
There are 15 circuit and nine county court judgeships on the 2018 ballot, according to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections website.
Wednesday deadline for Hulsey seat
Wednesday is the deadline to apply to the 4th Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission for the vacancy left by the resignation of former Circuit Judge Mark Hulsey.
Candidates must be a member of The Florida Bar for the preceding five years and a registered voter. They also must live in Clay, Duval or Nassau counties at the time they would assume office.
Applications should be mailed to Gilbert Feltel Jr., 4th Circuit JNC chair, Tanner Bishop, One Independent Drive, Suite 1700, Jacksonville, FL 32202 and emailed with a color photograph to [email protected].
Applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Interviews will be April 6 in Chief Judge Mark Mahon’s chambers at the Duval County Courthouse.
Judge to face Supreme Court reprimand in May
A North Florida circuit judge will receive a public reprimand May 2 from the Florida Supreme Court because of wrongdoing before he was elected to the bench in 2012.
The Supreme Court ruled this month that 3rd Circuit Judge Andrew Decker should receive a reprimand and be suspended for six months.
Decker was accused of a conflict of interest while representing clients as an attorney and of, among other things, declaring he was “pro-life” and Republican at campaign events before his election in 2012.