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Politics

Judges appointed by Bush to serve for years

The two-term governor wanted a more diverse judiciary and increased the number of minorities and women on the bench.

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 8, 2007

Jeb Bush's legacy will live on through the judges he appointed during his two terms as governor.

County and circuit judges stand for election every six years. Most times, they run unopposed.

So, for many years to come, the people Bush put on the bench will help decide small claims, death penalty cases, and everything in between.

In Citrus County, Bush appointed circuit judges Ric Howard and Carol Falvey.

In Hernando, he appointed County Judge Kurt Hitzemann and circuit judges Stephen O. Rushing and Curtis Neal.

Bush also appointed Circuit Judge William "Bud" Hallman III, who for a time served in Citrus and Hernando counties.

Bush was elected in 1998 and won another term in 2002. Other judges took the bench in Citrus and Hernando counties during Bush's tenure, but they were elected.

Some numbers to consider:

-In all, Bush appointed 343 judges to county, circuit and appeals courts and the Florida Supreme Court.

-Of those judges, 68 percent were men and 77 percent were white.

-The number of minority judges on the statewide bench grew by 69 percent during Bush's tenure.

-The number of female judges increased by 51 percent.

-The judges listed above for Citrus and Hernando counties are all white. Falvey is the only woman.

-In the 5th Judicial Circuit, whose member counties are Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Lake and Sumter counties, Bush appointed 15 judges. All but one are white. Four were women.

In late 1999, Bush chastised this region's judicial nominating commission - the group that screens and recommends finalists for judicial openings - for recommending too many white men. He also chastised nominating commissions in other parts of Florida.

Bush asked the commissions to re-examine their procedures "to eliminate any informal barriers that may affect the diversity of the lists I receive."

Lisa Herndon, a prosecutor who serves in Citrus and Hernando counties, has been on the circuit's judicial nominating commission for six years, including the past two years as chairwoman.

"Because of the number of qualified candidates, the 5th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission has been very successful in fulfilling Governor Bush's philosophy of creating a knowledgeable, well-balanced and professional judiciary," she wrote in an e-mail.

"During my tenure on the JNC, we have had the opportunity to nominate candidates with a depth of legal knowledge from diverse backgrounds, and we have been very fortunate, in that the judges appointed by the governor all exhibit an exemplary degree of professionalism and decorum."

This story includes information from Times files.

[Last modified January 8, 2007, 06:54:24]