Judge Melanie G. May, a former judge on the Seventeenth Circuit bench, who now serves on the Fourth District Court of Appeal, received a National Center for State Courts Distinguished Service Award last week. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to those who have made significant contributions to the justice system and who have supported the mission of NCSC.
Judge May was presented the award at the annual meeting of the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators taking place in Newport, Rhode Island. Read more about the recognition and Judge May’s contributions on the website http://ow.ly/ctZ430lvUzS

The Seventeenth Circuit held a resource fair on Friday, August 24, 2018, to highlight our new One-Stop Self-Help Resource Center, located in the Central Courthouse. Agencies including 211- Broward, Women in Distress, Henderson Behavioral Health, Coast to Coast Legal Aid and South Florida Wellness Network all offer in-house services for the public Monday – Friday during regular business hours.

The Seventeenth Circuit welcomes two new judges to the Circuit Bench! Friday, August 17, 2018, Governor Rick Scott appointed Hunter Davis, a prosecutor in the Attorney General’s Office, and Peter Holden, a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office, to two vacant Circuit Court seats.

Congratulations to both!

Starting August 20, 2018, if you are filing a Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage, you can get divorced on the same day. You can only file a Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage if no children have been born during the marriage who are currently under the age of eighteen, and no children are expected by either party. Both parties must sign the Petition. A Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage may be filed in person or electronically. Click here for instructions and procedures for both.

In addition to serving the circuit bench for the second-largest circuit court in the state of Florida, Judge Edward H. Merrigan Jr. also serves  in the United States Armed Forces in the Army Reserves. Earlier this year, he was formally promoted from the rank of Colonel to the rank of brigadier General in the Reserves, with the actual pinning and promotion ceremony taking place on Friday, August 10, 2018 in the jury assembly room of the central courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Special permission had to be granted to hold the ceremony in a non-customary venue, but this is where Judge Merrigan, who presides over the circuit’s Veterans Treatment Court, wanted it.

To watch the video of this highly-distinguished rite, click here.