Gov. Ron DeSantis announced four judicial appointments April 10, including one to the 5th District Court of Appeal, one to the 4th Judicial Circuit Court and one to Duval County Court.
Jordan Pratt
DeSantis appointed Jordan Pratt of Jacksonville to serve on the 5th District Court of Appeal, consisting of the 4th, 5th, 7th and 18th Judicial Circuits.
Pratt has served as senior counsel for First Liberty Institute since 2021, according to a news release.
He previously served as deputy general counsel for the U.S. Small Business Administration, senior counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice, and deputy solicitor general for the Florida Office of the Solicitor General.
Pratt clerked for Judge Jennifer Elrod at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and Judge Harvey Schlesinger at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
He received his bachelor’s degree, graduating as valedictorian, and law degree from the University of Florida.
He fills the judicial vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kerry Evander.
Jonathan Sacks
DeSantis appointed Jonathan Sacks of Ponte Vedra to the 4th Judicial Circuit Court, consisting of Clay, Duval and Nassau counties.
Sacks has served as a judge on the Duval County Court since his appointment by DeSantis in 2021.
Sacks previously was an assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and his law and master’s degree from Florida State University.
He fills the judicial vacancy created when Judge Adrian Soud was elevated to the 5th District Court of Appeal as of Jan. 1, 2023.
Brooke Brady
DeSantis appointed Brooke Brady of Jacksonville to Duval County Court
Brady has served as a general magistrate for the 4th Judicial Circuit since 2017.
Previously, she was an assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
Brady received her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and her law degree from Stetson University.
She fills the judicial vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Roberto Arias.
The fourth appointment was Ryan Felix, of Sarasota to serve on the Sarasota County Court
Felix has served as an assistant state attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit since 2012.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from the University of Cincinnati.