A plan that went into motion more than 15 years ago came to fruition at 9:39 a.m. April 27.
That’s when Kelly Eckley, chief assistant statewide prosecutor for the Attorney General’s Office, noticed an incoming call on her cellphone. She immediately recognized the number on the caller ID and pushed “accept.”
After Gov. Rick Scott identified himself, he asked Eckley how she was doing.
“I think you’re about to let me know,” she replied.
Scott was calling to advise Eckley he was appointing her to the Duval County Court to replace retired Judge Charles Cofer.
“That phone call changed my life forever,” said Eckley.
A graduate of Florida State University and the University of Dayton School of Law, Eckley, 39, was admitted to The Florida Bar in September 2001.
She first worked as an assistant state attorney in the 11th Judicial Circuit. After four years, she went into private practice with Lieber, Gonzalez & Portuondo in Miami and later was legal counsel for an insurance company.
In 2007, she went back to work for the state as an assistant statewide prosecutor in the Attorney General’s Office. After three months in Miami, Eckley was transferred to Jacksonville. She was appointed chief assistant statewide prosecutor in 2014.
The mix of criminal, civil, private and government practice was by design.
“Everything I’ve done in my career was pointed toward becoming a judge,” Eckley said.
Her plan worked better than she might have imagined.
Eckley was selected from six candidates sent to Scott. It was the first time she applied for a judgeship and the governor made his decision six days before the May 3 deadline.
For the past eight years, Eckley has specialized in prosecuting organized crime cases, which she said gave her a background in complex litigation and narrow issues of law.
“Being chief assistant, I learned leadership and how to run an office,” Eckley added.
Since she got the call, she’s been “going in 47 directions,” making sure to wrap up her cases and help find her replacement as chief assistant.
Eckley also has been shadowing her future colleagues on the bench, being mentored by several judges in all phases of county court.
She’s shadowed judges who heard civil, criminal and traffic cases and observed a first-appearance session.
“Being a county judge appealed to me because it’s something different every week — and it’s where I got my start as an attorney and a prosecutor,” said Eckley.
After attending the investiture Thursday of Circuit Judge John Guy, Eckley said she was humbled to be included in the procession of judges, even though she won’t be admitted to the bench until June 2.
The ceremony was not only humbling, it was inspirational.
“It gave me some ideas for my investiture,” Eckley said.
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