It was a morning of celebration in the 17th Judicial Circuit as newly appointed Circuit Court Judge James R. Harris was sworn into office by Chief Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips.
Judge Harris was appointed to the bench on Feb. 25 by Governor Ron DeSantis and will preside in the Circuit’s Family Division. He fills the vacancy created when Judge Jonathan D. Lott was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal on Oct. 30, 2025.
Previously a senior assistant statewide prosecutor with the Office of the Attorney General, Judge Harris served as a legal advisor to the 22nd Statewide Grand Jury and prosecuted complex cases involving RICO, drug trafficking and organized fraud. His work involved close collaboration with Homeland Security, the DEA, FDLE and local law enforcement agencies.
Welcome, Judge Harris. We are fortunate to have you on our team. Read our press release here.
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