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Takac has varied experience for 5th Circuit Court bench

Michael Takac is no stranger to tense elections. For the second time in two years, the Ocala lawyer is in a tight race to become a Circuit Court judge in the 5th Circuit, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Lake and Sumter counties.

In 2002, Takac lost narrowly to incumbent Judge Carven Angel, who later received a public reprimand from the Florida Supreme Court for missteps during that campaign.

This time, Takac faces Stephen Spivey, a fellow Ocala lawyer, in a bid to succeed retiring Judge William Swigert. Spivey topped Takac and prosecutor Anthony Tatti in the August primary election but not by enough votes to win the seat outright.

Voters will make the final decision on Nov. 2, and the Times recommends that they choose Takac.

Takac, 42, has been preparing his entire career to take this next step. He worked with a law firm in Ocala before becoming a prosecutor in the state Attorney General's Office in 1995. Takac was later chosen to be assistant general counsel for then-Gov. Lawton Chiles. Takac handled cases involving Sunshine Law and ethics complaints. He returned to private practice, and for the past four years he has run his own law office in Ocala.

Takac, the son of European immigrants, says his personal and professional background gives him a deep sense of fairness, a lack of bias and respect for all types of people. He has worked on criminal and civil cases at various levels of the legal system to gain a broad range of experience.

By contrast, Spivey, 52, has spent his entire legal career in private practice, mostly representing investors with claims against financial advisers. In his 10 years as an attorney, he has tried three cases as lead counsel before juries. Spivey has never appeared in criminal court, but he believes that his other courtroom experience has prepared him to make the jump to the bench.

Spivey worked for five years as a law clerk for circuit judges in Marion County before being admitted to the Florida Bar. He helped start a mediation program and created the Teen Court and Drug Court programs in Marion.

Spivey also has a long record of community service. For the past 17 years, he has been active on the boards of nonprofit organizations such as the Centers, a mental health provider, and Interfaith Emergency Services.

The winner of this race will likely split his time between Citrus and Hernando counties, taking over the schedule that Judge William "Bud" Hallman now manages.

Of the two lawyers in this race, only one has the varied legal experience that is essential in being a fair and understanding judge. The Times recommends that voters choose Michael Takac for the 5th Circuit Group 10 seat.

Candidates who are not recommended by the Times editorial board are invited to respond. Replies must be received no later than 5 p.m. Monday. Replies are limited to 250 words. Deliver to: Greg Hamilton, Editor of Editorials, Citrus Times, 301 W Main St., Inverness, FL 34450; e-mail to hamilton@sptimes.com or fax to 860-7320.