by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Interview about 50 applicants for two jobs in two days.
This is the task before the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission in order to fill two seats on Florida’s highest court this fall. Commission members are currently investigating the qualifications of each applicant and those applicants will be interviewed on August 11-12. Six candidates from Jacksonville have applied for consideration: former law professor Vicki Dearing, County Court Judge Pauline (Drayton) Drake, law professor Stephen Durden, State Solicitor General Scott Makar, attorney Tom Slater and Circuit Court Judge Waddell Wallace.
After the interviews, the commission will take two days to decide which candidates will be selected for the at-large seat being vacated by Justice Raoul G. Cantero III and the First District Court of Appeals seat, which covers North Florida and the Panhandle, being vacated by Justice Kenneth B. Bell. The commission can choose up to six candidates for each group and the list of those candidates will be sent to Gov. Charlie Crist on Aug. 15 for appointments.
Here is a look at the Jacksonville candidates for the Florida Supreme Court.
Judge Waddell Wallace III, 55, is a Circuit Judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit assigned to the Juvenile division. He was elected to the Circuit Court in 2002. Prior to serving on the bench, Wallace practiced civil litigation with Smith, Hulsey & Busey from December 1999-July 1978. He was admitted to the bar in 1978 shortly after earning his law degree, with high honors, from the University of Florida in 1978. He earned his undergrad degree in economics from the University of Virginia in 1975.
“I practiced civil litigation as a lawyer for 21 years. As a Circuit Judge, I have served about eight years on the bench, handling cases in the criminal, family and juvenile dependency and delinquency divisions. I have been in the courtroom virtually every day and have tried numerous trials,” said Wallace. “I have actually managed large caseloads requiring extensive supervision. In reviewing a case on appeal, it is hard to understand the practical considerations and realities of the courtroom without firsthand experience in the type of case on appeal. I believe the Supreme Court would benefit from the perspective of an experienced trial judge who has served in all divisions of the court.”
Attorney Tom Slater, 47, has over 20 years experience in the courtroom as a civil trial lawyer and currently practices with the law firm of Pajcic & Pajcic. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1983 and his law degree in 1986, from the University of Florida. He was admitted to the bar in 1986 and clerked and was hired for his first practice by the law firm of Howell, Liles, Braddock & Milton that same year. Slater moved on to Margol & Pennington from 1989-1995 and then to Pajcic & Pajcic in 1995. He became a board certified civil trial lawyer in 1999.
“The Supreme Court serves a number of important functions including the overall operation of the Bar, admission and disciplining of attorneys and working closely with the bar to help the administration of the court system,” said Slater. “I’ve always been interested in going into public service. The timing of this position being open is such that I don’t think the opportunity will be available again during my career.”
Scott Makar, 48, is the Solicitor General for the State of Florida. He was appointed to the position in 2006 and his responsibilities include overseeing civil appeals involving the state’s interests in all state and federal appellate courts; teaching at the Florida State University College of Law; and serving as a policy advisor to the Attorney General.
Prior to the post in Tallahassee, Makar was the Chief of the Appellate Division for the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville, 2001-06. Before public service, he practiced at the law firm of Holland & Knight in both its Tallahassee and Jacksonville Offices. Makar also earned his Ph.D in Economics from the University of Florida in 1993 while working at the firm. His first job was judicial law clerk for Circuit Judge Thomas Clark of the 11th Judicial Circuit.
Makar also earned his MBA in finance and masters in economics in 1982 and a law degree in 1987 from the University of Florida. Makar was admitted to the bar shortly after earning his juris doctorate. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mercer University in 1980.
“Performing the functions of an appellate judge would be a natural extension of my background in legal scholarship and appellate practice, both of which are reflected in my writings, reported cases, and teaching,” said Makar. “I believe my greatest strengths are making sense of complex legal problems and writing in a pragmatic way, all the while maintaining collegiality with others, even if we disagree.”
Stephen Durden, 48, is a professor at the Florida Coastal School of Law. He teaches courses in Constitutional Law, Advanced Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Constitutional Law Seminar, Florida Constitutional Law and Paths of the Law. (A combination of Jurisprudence and Introduction to the Common Law.)
He was admitted to the bar in 1986 after graduating from the University of Florida School of Law in 1984. Durden earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, in 1981.
Judge Pauline (Drayton) Drake, 55, is a Duval County Court Judge who was appointed by Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1989 to fill the unexpired term of Judge June Blackburn. She hears cases involving civil, criminal, small claims and traffic court cases involving injuries. Before being appointed to the bench she practiced law as an assistant state attorney, regional legal advisor for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and in private practice. Drake earned her law degree at the University of Florida in 1984, her master’s in special education at the University of Alabama in 1976 and her bachelor’s at Tuskegee University in 1974.
“I believe in the system of justice and I like to be actively involved in cases that affect all of us,” said Drake of her interest in being a Supreme Court Justice. “It’s the highest honor as a citizen in the State of Florida to serve in the judiciary.”
Attorney Vicki Dearing, 43, is the former director of pro bono services at the Florida Coastal School of Law. She was admitted to the bar in 1992 and is licensed to practice law in Florida.
She earned her bachelor’s in health services administration at the Auburn University in 1987 and law degree from Cumberland School of Law 1991.
She has practiced law since 1992 working for both law firms and as a sole practitioner, and has been a professor of law at both Jacksonville University and Florida Coastal School of Law.
Dearing believes her experience in both the courtroom and classroom would aid her in carrying out the responsibilities of a supreme court justice.
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