Three nominees were selected from five applicants for the new seat on the Clay County Court by the 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission on Aug. 22:
• Joshua Beard is an assistant public defender in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
• Hector Murcia Bustos is an assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
• Geraldine Hartin is a partner at Hamilton & Hartin in Fleming Island.
The three nominees will be interviewed in Tallahassee by Gov. Ron DeSantis’s staff. After the interviews, DeSantis has 60 days to appoint one of the nominees to the bench or ask the commission to provide additional nominees.
The commission will interview candidates for a vacancy on the 4th Circuit Court beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 2 in Room 7139 at the Duval County Courthouse, 501 W. Adams St. in Jacksonville.
All proceedings of the commission are open to the public except for deliberations.