Six nominated for vacancy on Duval County Court

The 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission interviewed 10 applicants Oct. 25 to fill the vacancy on the Duval County Court Bench created by the appointment of Judge London Kite to the Circuit Court.

Six applicants are nominated to succeed Kite. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ staff will interview them in Tallahassee.

Among the three women and three men, two graduated from Florida State University College of Law; the other nominees graduated from Boston College Law School, Florida Coastal School of Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law and Stetson University College of Law.

One nominee is a general magistrate and hearing officer, one is an assistant public defender, two are assistant state attorneys and two are attorneys in private practice.

The nominees, in alphabetical order:

• Brooke Brady is a general magistrate and hearing officer in Duval County, appointed in 2017.

A graduate of Stetson University College of Law, Brady was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2001.

• Attorney Matthew Lufrano is owner and stakeholder at Lufrano Law.

He graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2009.

• Lara Mattina is an assistant state attorney in the 4th Circuit.

She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2006 after graduating from Boston College Law School in Newton, Massachusetts.

• Barry Newman is a partner at Spohrer & Dodd.

After graduating from Florida Coastal School of Law, Newman was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2000.

• Jonathan Sacks is an assistant state attorney in the 4th Circuit.

He was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2002 after graduating from Florida State University College of Law.

• Susan Zerbe is an assistant public defender in the 4th Circuit.

A graduate of Florida State University College of Law, she was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2006.

By law, DeSantis has 60 days to appoint one of the nominees to succeed Kite, or he may request the commission to submit additional nominees.