Nineteen applications were submitted by the 5 p.m. deadline Friday for an open seat on the Fourth Circuit bench created by the pending retirement of Judge Mack Crenshaw Jr., who serves in Clay County.
Crenshaw is scheduled to retire Dec. 31.
Gov. Rick Scott ordered the Fourth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission on Aug. 20 to take applications for an opening in the circuit so it could develop a list of candidates for the governor to choose from to fill the seat.
The commission will provide the governor with the names of three to six applicants to consider.
Chip Bachara is the new chair of the circuit commission and will be joined by immediate past-Chair Wayne Alford, Richard Alexander, Dexter Van Davis, Kyle Gavin, Deno Hicks, Robert O’Quinn, Melissa Nelson and William Prichard Jr.
The commission will meet Oct. 3 in Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran’s chambers, room 7139, at the Duval County Courthouse to interview applicants.
Those scheduled to be interviewed are:
• Marianne Aho of Marks Gray
• County Judge Roberto Arias
• Assistant Public Defender Melina Buncome
• Assistant State Attorney James Colaw
• Susannah Collins of The Law Office of F. Susannah Collins
• Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Kelly Eckley, with the Florida Attorney General’s Office
• Roger Gannam of Lindell & Farson
• Nassau County Attorney David Hallman
• Duval County Judge Russell Healey
• Fourth Circuit Family Court Magistrate Joanna Houser
• Andy Kantor of Brennan Manna & Diamond
• Donald Mairs of The Mairs Law Firm
• Attorney Blane McCarthy
• Circuit Judge John Merritt
• Tatiana Salvador of Rogers Towers
• Michael Sharrit of Terrell Hogan
• Assistant State Attorney Wesley White
• Gary Wilkinson of Bledsoe Jacobson Schmidt Wright & Wilkinson
• Attorney John Winkler
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