Seventeen attorneys have applied for appointment to a county judge seat in Volusia that became vacant after the elevation to circuit court of Christopher Kelly of New Smyrna Beach late last year. Kelly replaced Circuit Judge Steven C. Henderson, who died at age 49 in August from Covid.
Volusia, along with Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns form the Seventh Judicial Circuit.
The appointment process begins with the circuit’s Judicial Nomination Commission interviewing applicants and forwarding a shortlist to the governor, from which the governor chooses an appointee. Those interviews, less than 20 minutes each, have been scheduled for March 1, in person, at the Volusia County Courthouse Annex, 125 East Orange Avenue, Courtroom 10, in Daytona Beach.
The interviews are open to the public, but to attend members of the public are requested to first contact Vicky Cobb at 904-824-9402, or by e-mail to [email protected]. The interviews may also be watched online at: https://zoom.us/j/95702926093 Meeting ID: 957 0292 6093
The nine-member Seventh Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission–one of 27 in the state, and one of 20 for county and circuit courts–is chaired by Andrew Morgan. All nine members are appointed by the governor–five of them directly, the other four from a shortlist provided by the Florida Bar. The governor’s appointment power lends the process a partisan edge: currently, it is unlikely for candidates who do not have a strong Republican pedigree to win appointment.
The interview schedule is as follows:
9:00 a.m. Bryan Lambert
9:20 a.m. James Disinger
9:40 a.m. Jessica Damoth
10:00 a.m. Wesley Flagler
10: 20 a.m. Regina Nunnally
10:40 a.m. Jeanne Stratis
11 :00 a.m. Neal Coffman
11:20 a.m. Adam Dala
11 :40 a.m. Rachel Myers
12 :00 p.m. LUNCH BREAK AND DELIBERATIONS
1: 00 p.m. Joseph Fazio
1:20 p.m. Robin Hutcheson
1:40 p.m. Joseph LeDonne
2:00 p.m. William Hyland
2:20 p.m. Steve Gosney
2:40 p.m. Brian Toung
3:00 p.m. David Gillespie
3:20 p.m. Melody Pullen
