from staff
The judicial carousel continues to roll with openings on the First District Court of Appeal (DCA) and Florida Supreme Court.
The highest court in Florida will lose two judges due to mandatory retirement. Justice Harry Lee Anstead will step down January 1 and Justice Charles Wells in March.
Eighteen applicants have applied for Anstead’s seat, and two candidates with local ties are Circuit Court Judge Waddell Walllace and Florida Solicitor General Scott Makar. Wallace was one of three finalists considered for the seat vacated by Justice Ken Bell in October.
Interviews and candidate selection will take place Dec. 8-9 at the Tampa Airport Marriott Hotel.
Applicants for the First DCA must live in the district which includes Northeast Florida and the Panhandle. This seat is being sought by 31 applicants, including attorneys Alan Chipperfield and Harvey Jay, Magistrate Leatrice Williams Walton and Wallace. The vacancy was created by the appointment of Judge Ricky Polston to the Florida Supreme Court.
The First DCA Judicial Nominating Commission met by conference call on Saturday to determine which candidates will be interviewed and set a schedule for the interviews and deliberations.
Judicial nominating commissions can select a group of 3-6 judges to submit to Governor Charlie Crist for appointments.