by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Already in the process of seeking a replacement for recently departed Circuit Court Judge Peter Fryefield, the Fourth Judicial Circuit will also need to find a candidate to fill Circuit Court Judge Michael Weatherby’s seat.
Weatherby submitted his letter of resignation Wednesday to Chief Judge Donald Moran and has requested his last day to be Feb. 1, 2010.
“I am mortified that I am leaving something I so dearly love, yet it has also been one of the most calming days of my life,” said Weatherby. “I will still have opportunities to keep my fingers in it with senior judge status.”
Weatherby has submitted his application for senior judge status as well, so his “retirement” won’t bring an end to a law career that spans 35 years through four decades. He received both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate Degrees from the University of Florida, and was admitted to the Florida Bar Oct. 25, 1974. Weatherby served as an assistant state attorney for 12 years and five years in private practice before being elected to the bench in 1989.
The practice of law isn’t Weatherby’s only contribution to the legal community. He is a faculty member of the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, where he teaches death penalty law, and the Florida Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program. He has also been an instructor for the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, and an adjunct professor at University of North Florida and Florida Coastal School of Law.
“I love to teach,” said Weatherby. “I plan to continue teaching after I retire.”
He has served his community through legal service and his country through military service. Weatherby is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, Military Police, of the U.S. Army Reserve, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Weatherby also plans to continue service to his community one nail at a time.
“There is some volunteer work that I want to get back to,” said Weatherby. “I’d like to get back to swinging a hammer for a while.” Weatherby has volunteered his time to HabiJax (Habitat For Humanity in Jacksonville). Traveling is also on the retirement to-do list.
“We are going to miss him a lot,” said Moran. “He is a wealth of knowledge and a team player who is always willing to pitch in and take a case when we need help. Wish him well in his retirement and, hopefully, he’ll come back and sit as a senior judge.”
Weatherby has requested that the chair of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission, Ava Parker, be notified of the vacancy that will be created by his retirement. Upon the request of Gov. Charlie Crist, the JNC will accept applications and interview candidates for the position, and send a list to the governor, from which he may appoint a replacement.
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