Gov. DeSantis announces 20 judicial appointments

government Ron DeSantis appointed 20 judges in five district courts and ten district courts across the state on Friday, marking the governor’s 150th appointment since he took office.

The dates are as follows:

DeSantis tapped London kite to serve as a judge at the Fourth District Court.

Kite has served on Duval County Court since 2020. She previously served as Assistant District Attorney for the Fourth Judicial District for 17 years.

Kite holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and her law degree from the University of Florida. It fills the position created by the resignation of the judge Karen Cole.

Appointed DeSantis Eric Netcher to serve as a judge on the Ninth Judicial District Court.

Netcher has been a shareholder in Walker, Revels, Greninger, & Netcher, PLLC since 2020. He previously worked as a clerk for judges at the US District Court David A. Faber from 2013 to 2014.

Netcher holds a bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Florida. He will fill one of the nine new posts in the judiciary created by the legislature.

Appointed DeSantis Michael Cords as a judge at the Ninth District Court.

Snure is the owner of Michael J. Snure, PA. He was also an associate and partner at Kirkconnel, Lindsey, Snure, & Ponall, PA for 30 years.

Snure earned a bachelor’s degree from Lambuth College and a law degree from the University of Arkansas. He will fill one of the new judicial positions in the Ninth Judicial District created by the Florida Legislature.

DeSantis tapped Ariana Fajardo Orshan to serve as a judge on the Eleventh Judicial District Court.

Ariana Fajardo-Orshan most recently served as US prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida from 2018 to 2021. She previously worked at the Eleventh District Court between 2012 and 2018.

Ariana holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and her law degree from Nova Southeastern University. It fills the position created by the resignation of the judge Rosa C. Figarola.

Appointed DeSantis Diana Vizcaino to serve as a judge on the Eleventh Judicial District Court.

Vizcaino has served on the Miami-Dade County Court since then. 2015. She previously worked as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Miami from 2008 to 2015.

Vizcaino earned her bachelor’s and law degrees from St. Thomas University. It fills the position created by the resignation of the judge Martin Zilber.

Appointed DeSantis Bradley Harper to serve as a judge on the Fifteenth District Court.

Harper has served on the Palm Beach County Court since 2017. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a law degree from the University of Florida.

Harper is filling the post created by the judge’s retirement Krista Marx.

Appointed DeSantis William Orth to serve as a judge in the Eighteenth District Court.

Orth has been a trial lawyer for family and criminal law for 20 years. Prior to that, he was Assistant State Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit between 1998 and 2000.

Orth earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and his law degree from Case Western Reserve. He fills the position created by the retirement of the judge Marlene alva.

Appointed DeSantis Charles helmet To be a judge in Citrus County Court.

Helm has served as the U.S. Assistant Attorney in Ocala since March 2021. Previously, he was Deputy Public Prosecutor for the Fifth Judicial District from 2015 to 2021.

Before studying law, Helm served as a police officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Liberty University.

Helm fills the new Citrus County Court magistrate’s position created by the Florida Legislature.

Appointed DeSantis Leslie Schultz-Kin to serve as a judge in Hillsborough County Court.

Schultz-Kin has served as Chief Assistant Attorney General and Bureau Chief in the Tampa Civil Litigation Bureau of the Florida Office of the Attorney General since 2020.

Previously, she was a counsel with Akerman, LLP for seven years and an associate and shareholder with Carlton Fields, PA for seven years. She is also a Guardian ad litem.

Schultz-Kin holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, a master’s degree from the University of South Florida, and a law degree from Stetson University. She fills the position created by the retirement of the judge Joelle ann above.

Appointed DeSantis Jeffrey Rich to serve as a judge in Hillsborough County Court.

Rich has been a lone practitioner since 2008. He previously served as a deputy public defender in the Twelfth Judicial District.

Rich holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Florida Coastal. He will fill one of the new positions on Hillsborough County Court created by the Florida legislature.

Appointed DeSantis Joseph Tompkins To be a judge in Hillsborough County Court

Tompkins has served as the U.S. Assistant Attorney for the Central Florida District since 2018. He previously served as a Senior Law Clerk at the Florida State Second District Court of Appeals.

Tompkins earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Ave Maria University. He will fill one of the new positions on Hillsborough County Court created by the Florida legislature.

Appointed DeSantis Michael Hay to serve as a judge in Hillsborough County Court.

Hooi has been an Associate Attorney at Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, PA since 2009. He previously served as Legal Counsel and Attorney General to Judge Charles R. Wilson on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Hooi earned his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his law degree from the University of Florida. He will fill one of the new positions on Hillsborough County Court created by the Florida legislature.

Appointed DeSantis Erik Leontiev to serve as a judge in Lee County Court.

Leontiev has been with the Twentieth Judicial Circuit as Assistant State Attorney since 2007.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and his law degree from the University of Miami.

Leontiev is filling the new Lee County Court vacancy created by Florida lawmakers.

Appointed DeSantis Laura Gonzalez to serve as a judge in Miami-Dade County Court.

Gonzalez joined Kobre & Kim, LLP as Of Counsel in 2020. Prior to that, she was an Associate at Kobre & Kim, LLP from 2016 to 2020 and an Associate at Holland & Knight, LLP from 2011 to 2016.

Gonzalez holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Columbia University.

It fills the position created by the resignation of the judge Miguel Mirabal placeholder image.

Appointed DeSantis James “Jimmy” Morgan to serve as a judge in Monroe County Court.

Morgan has been Chief of Staff for Spottswood Hotels in Key West since 2020. Since 2018 he has also served as a deputy public defender in the 16th judicial district.

Morgan previously served as a prosecutor with the United States Marine Corps from 2010 to 2018 and is currently with the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from the University of Miami. Morgan fills the post created by the judge’s retirement Ruth Becker.

Appointed DeSantis Brian Sandor to serve as a judge in Orange County Court.

Sandor joined The Morgan Firm, PA as a Trial Attorney in 2020. Prior to that, he was Assistant State Attorney at the Fifth Judicial Circuit from 2011 to 2015.

Sandor earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and his law degree from Michigan State University. He fills a new vacancy on Orange County Court created by Florida lawmakers.

Appointed DeSantis April Bristow to serve as a judge in Palm Beach County Court.

Bristow has served as General Counsel of the Fifteenth District Court since 2019. Before that she worked as a professional lawyer for judges Dorian Damoorgian at the Florida State Fourth District Court of Appeals.

Bristow holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Stetson University.

She fills the position created by the retirement of the judge Sandra Bosso-Pardo.

Appointed DeSantis Austin Anderson to serve as a judge in Pasco County Court.

Anderson has served as the Assistant District Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District since 2018. Prior to that, he served as Supervising Attorney for the Criminal Conflict Offices of Pasco County and Civil Regional Counsel from 2007 to 2018.

Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a law degree from the University of Florida.

Anderson fills the post created by the judge’s retirement William G. Sestak.

Appointed DeSantis Brandon Rafool to serve as a judge in Polk County Court.

Rafool ​​has been a managing partner of The Rafool ​​Firm since 2002 and a litigator since 1992. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Stetson University.

Rafool ​​is filling the position created by the appointment of the judge Lori Winstead.

Appointed DeSantis Lauren Blocker to serve as a judge in St. John’s County Court.

Blocker has been the Corporate Counsel for Fidelity Information Services since 2018. She previously worked as a clerk at a US judge judge Carol is looking for, US magistrate judge Patricia D. Barksdale and U.S. District Judges Marcia Morales Howard.

Blocker received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her law degree from the Florida Coastal. She occupies the new Justice Vacancy on St. Johns County Court created by the Florida Legislature.