Middle Schoolers Try “Murder” Case at Mock Trial: State of Fla. vs. Teaberry Olson

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Middle Schoolers Try “Murder” Case at Mock Trial: State of Fla. vs. Teaberry Olson

It was a whodunnit of the craziest kind and the middle schoolers who were “trying” the case were determined to ferret out the truth. Did Tee Olson kill a homeless woman who was blackmailing him because his cafe served horsemeat? Could the meat delivery guy offer any clues? And what about the teen who usually loitered by the dumpster but disappeared after the murder? Students from Sunrise Middle School, William Dandy Middle School, Seminole Middle School, Nova Middle School, and Beachside Montessori Village argued their cases before Judges Michele Towbin Singer and Kenneth A. Gottleib in search of a verdict.

by Sallie James — December 12, 2024 in Announcements

Celebrating Decades of Public Service: 5 Judges Retire

Nearly 60 county and circuit court judges celebrated decades of service, friendship and memories at a special luncheon to honor five retiring judges whose years on the bench totaled a combined 125 years of service. Retiring judges included: Judge Louis H. Schiff, 28 years; Judge Robert W. Lee, 27 years; Judge Robert F. Diaz, 32 years; Judge Terri-Ann Miller, 18 years; and Judge John Murphy III, 20 years. Thank you for dedicating your lives to so many years of public service. Onto the next chapter! Enjoy your retirement. Read our press release HERE.

by Sallie James — December 11, 2024 in Announcements

Visiting the Courthouse & Learning About the Law

Students from Sawgrass Springs Middle School got a close up look at how court interpreters do their job, then visited Judges Michael J. Orlando, Deborah Carpenter-Toye and retiring Judge Robert F. Diaz in their respective courtrooms. Each judge took time to explain the in-progress proceedings, then fielded questions from the students during impromptu Q&A sessions. Special thanks to Phillippe Dumoulin, who took time to explain and then demonstrate how court interpreting works so the students could watch and learn.

by Sallie James — December 10, 2024 in Announcements

Celebrating Our Judicial Assistants With Holiday Cheer – and Plenty of Sweets!

A big shout out to the hard-working judicial assistants who keep the judges of the 17th Judicial Circuit organized and on track year round. Behind the scenes, they schedule hearings, update judges’ calendars and zip in and out of the case management system making sure everything falls into place at the right time. Judges and their judicial assistants this week celebrated the upcoming holidays with a hot lunch, sweet treats and a few party hats during the annual festivity. A good time was had by all. Happy Holidays!

by Sallie James — December 5, 2024 in Announcements

The 17th Judicial Circuit Welcomes Johnathan D. Lott to the Bench

The 17th Judicial Circuit is pleased to welcome Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnathan D. Lott as its newest judge. Judge Lott will fill the vacancy left by Circuit Judge John Murphy III, who resigned on August 1st after 20 years on the bench. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Lott to the vacancy on Nov. 25th. Judge Lott will take over Judge Francis Viamontes’ division in family court and Judge Viamontes will move to a felony criminal division. Judge Lott will begin his service on Jan. 1, 2025. Read our press release HERE.

by Sallie James — December 3, 2024 in Announcements

Judges Share Insights & Advice with Students During Courthouse Tour

A group of students enrolled in the Community Reconstruction Inc. (CRI) D.A.Y program met judges in three different courtrooms, asked questions and observed justice in progress during a recent courthouse tour. CRI creates opportunities for youth to transform their own lives by fostering behavioral changes that promote personal responsibility, healthy relationships, and positive contributions to society. The students met with Judges Elijah H. Williams, Ari Abraham Porth and Yael Gamm. Plenty of great questions made the day interesting!

by Sallie James — December 2, 2024 in Announcements