Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Chief Assistant State Attorney L.E. Hutton to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of 4th Judicial Circuit Judge Don Lester.
Hutton became chief assistant under State Attorney Melissa Nelson in 2017. His role included supervising operations in Clay, Duval and Nassau counties; serving on the homicide unit and officer-involved critical incident review rotation; managing the Grand Jury Indictment Review Panel; and working with the targeted prosecution unit to combat gang violence.
“L.E. Hutton has proven himself as a talented prosecutor with exceptional intellect and work ethic. He will be a valuable asset to our judiciary, and I commend Gov. Ron DeSantis on this outstanding judicial appointment,” Nelson said in a Dec. 20 news release.
“I am appreciative of the trust the governor has placed in me to continue my dutiful service to this community, and I am grateful for this tremendous opportunity,” Hutton said.
A graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Hutton began his legal career with the State Attorney’s Office in 1998. He then joined the Willis, Ferebee & Hutton firm in 2001 and continued his criminal law career representing defendants at the state and federal levels before returning to the State Attorney’s Office in 2017.
Hutton will begin his role on the bench Jan. 2.