Judicial Candidates

COUNTY COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

I am a candidate for Orange County Judge because I believe that county court judges are the gatekeepers to the judicial system and to the promise of fairness and justice within it.

The Orange County judicial system resolves hundreds of thousands of disputes annually, the vast majority of these within the county court. That is why county court is the “people’s court” and is for many the court of first and last resort.

The citizens of Orange county depend on their county court judges to be fair, intelligent and efficient, and to resolve disputes that they cannot negotiate on their own. Our community is entitled to select their judges, and to expect them to be experienced, patient and courteous.

For 26 years, my diverse criminal and civil law practice has rewarded me with extensive experience in the law and its process, and the satisfaction of advocating on behalf of citizens throughout Florida.

From this diverse legal experience I will bring to the court a valuable new perspective for the benefit of the people of Orange County.

COUNTY COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

* 40 years of experience as a Trial Attorney and Judge
* Received his undergraduate and Law Degree from the University of Florida
* Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by the Florida Bar at time of appointment
* AV rated by Martin-Dale Hubbell at time of appointment
* Recipient of the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award by the Supreme Court of Florida
* Recipient of the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award
* Recipient of the JC Penny Golden Rule Award
* Eagle Scout Award
* Past President of and currently on the Board of the George C. Young American Inns of Court

My Friends & Colleagues:

It has been my pleasure to have served as your County Judge over the past 14 years. Service to the community and to the profession has been my goal since first becoming a member of the OCBA in 1972. Prior to my appointment, January 1998, I was AV rated by Martindale Hubble and had been Board Certified as a Criminal Trial Lawyer since 1989. My commitment to community service was recognized in 1995 when I was honored to receive the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award from the Florida Supreme Court in recognition for my commitment in making legal services available to people who otherwise could not afford them. I am one of only 30 lawyers in the state to have received this award since its inception in 1982. Serving as your Judge continues this dedication.

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CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Greetings!! It is my hope this finds you well. I am running for Circuit Judge for 9th Judicial Circuit and believe that I am the best candidate for the job based on my experience, temperament and commitment to the community. As a Judge, one must respect the rule of law and be able to apply the law to the facts presented, and it is my belief that by practicing various areas of law, I have the experience needed to be the next Circuit Judge in Orange and Osceola County.

As a Florida native and a graduate of Barry University School of Law, here in Orlando, I am committed to serving Central Florida and believe that there is more to being a Judge then just making decisions in the Courtroom. The Judiciary is an essential division of government and one that the public often overlooks and doesn’t understand the role it plays. When elected Judge I plan on reaching out to our local schools and talking to students about the role the Courts play in our community and how honesty, integrity and dedication are essential to reaching your goals.

While judicial candidates are restricted from talking about most issues that are on the minds of all of us today, when elected I promise to follow the Constitution and Laws of the State of Florida, maintain civility and respect in the courtroom treat all individuals as equals regardless of why they are in Court, and promote equality and justice.

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CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Pedro Malaret is seeking judicial election to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court for Orange and Osceola Counties. Mr. Malaret has relentlessly served his community, and we are now asking for your support for his election in 2012. He is fair, hardworking, and committed to this community. He has successfully represented numerous members of our community from all walks of life. He understands the concerns of this diverse community and the qualities of a good judge. Because he has valuable life and professional experience, his patience and commitment to fairness is unwavering. These qualities, coupled with his demeanor and integrity amounts to a great asset to the Orange and Osceola judiciary.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Professional Experience: Letty has been practicing law in Central Florida for 29 years. She is well respected as an attorney, and has extensive courtroom trial experience in criminal, family and personal injury law. After graduation from Georgetown Law, (where she made Law Review and was one of the editors in her third year), she started her career as an attorney at the Public Defender’s Office for the Ninth Circuit, where she tried all types of criminal cases. After three years, she moved to private practice with the Draper Law Firm in Kissimmee, trying family law and criminal cases, including several death penalty cases. In 1995 she joined Martinez & Dalton, P.A. in Orlando. While with Martinez and Dalton, she practiced in the area of personal injury, trying cases in courtrooms all over Central Florida. In 2001 Leticia left to form her own law firm, Leticia J. Marques, P.A., where her practice has continued to keep her in the courtroom, dealing with personal injury cases. Letty has been on the JNC short list for an appointed judicial position four times in recent years, an honor that she attributes to her decades of court experience, her reputation for being even-tempered and her ability to deal well with stress and pressure. Letty is also fluent in Spanish which has been a major asset throughout her career.

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COUNTY COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Adam is one of the most qualified candidates to run for the county court. He graduated from Barry University College of Law in 2005 with a Juris Doctorate. Further, he studied law at University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom in the summer of 2005 with the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist. At Barry he was elected to the Student Senate 2004-2005. He was awarded the Book Award for immigration law. As a board member of the Hispanic American Law Association, he won the Board Member of the year award for 2004-2005. He was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. He is an adjunct professor at Valencia College teaching business law. Formerly Adam was a Florida Supreme Court Certified County Mediator volunteering in numerous mediations.

Adam started Adam K. McGinnis, PL in 2005 whose concentration is in traffic and criminal defense. In 2008 Adam purchased/merged with Traffic Ticket Attorneys an Orlando law firm. He has represented thousands of clients around the State of Florida. Adam is a member in good standing with the Florida Bar, a member of the Orange County Bar, and the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Adam graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2002 with a BS in Liberal Arts and is a member of the UCF Alumni Association. He attended Valencia College. At Clearwater Central Catholic High School, he played soccer for four years with his team winning the State Championship in 1996 and 1997. USA Today ranked this team second in the nation in 1997. He is an avid runner and a member of the Track Shack Marathon Fest Running Group. He has completed multiple marathons and triathlons including the half iron man distance. He plays soccer in the Central Florida Soccer League and other sports and social leagues. He has been a volunteer coach for the Boys and Girls Club along with local high schools. His firm sponsors law enforcement athletic teams including hockey and semi professional football, local soccer teams and backpack giveaways in Pine Hills.

Adam is a member of the West Orlando Rotary Club and the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida. He attends and is an Usher at First Baptist Church of Orlando. Adam is married to Katherine, also an attorney working in the Orange County Public Defenders Office. They have been married for nearly six years.

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Adam McGinnis, non partisan, candidate for Orange County Court Judge, Group 11.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Do you remember what the Orange-Osceola court system was like 17 years ago? About forty-five judges were spread among multiple buildings in downtown Orlando, and Osceola County got by with just five jurists. There was no complex business litigation division, no domestic violence division, no VOP division, no teen court or even high-tech courtroom. There was no central receiving center to help people with mental illness or substance abuse disorders. There weren't any supervised visitation centers nor was there any sanction to read programs. There wasn't even any court website.

In my fifteen years as chief judge, I have led this system through many milestones as it has expanded to sixty-five judges and 500,000 cases a year. My leadership is proven the tangible results you see daily . . . improved public access, new technologies and efficient, highly professional judicial system. From the budget battles I fight in Tallahassee today to the individual cases I handle, you've had an experienced, knowledgeable judge whose driving force is devotion to public service and justice.

I ask for your support in returning me to the bench where I can continue to serve – according to the words of Justice Barbara Pariente in several opinions – as "one of the most experienced jurists in the state."

Born in Orlando, I am the son of a public school teacher and one of Orlando's two African American police officers. I quickly rose through the ranks at the State Attorney's Office, concluding service as chief assistant in 1989. I became the first African American to be elected judge without first being appointed.

Aside from the thousands of cases I've handled, I have been appointed to many important Florida Supreme Court committees and statewide leadership roles, including current service as chair of the Florida Innocence Commission, Executive Committee of the Trial Court Budget Committee, and member of the Supreme Court Steering Committee.

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COUNTY COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Judge Antoinette DiPalma Plogstedt was elected Orange County Judge in 2000 and re-elected without opposition in 2006. She has been a member of The Florida Bar for almost 22 years in Orlando. Judge Plogstedt has served as Judge for almost 12 years in both criminal and civil divisions. Her campaign website is located at www.Plog2012.com.

Judge Plogstedt began her legal as a Prosecutor in Orange County. She prosecuted crimes including domestic violence, DUI, and drug offenses. She later served as a Guardian Ad Litem representing sexually and physically abused children. She received the Legal Aid’s Award of Excellence

Judge Plogstedt is endorsed by 22 past Orange County Bar Presidents in her re-election. She is a former Secretary of the Orange County Bar and a Young Lawyers’ Section Board Member. As an attorney, she was AV-Rated.

Judge Plogstedt served as Chair of the Orange County Elections Canvassing Board in 2010-2011. She is a Mentor Judge to new judges. She has chaired the Juror Innovations Committee improving the Court experience for Jurors.

Judge Plogstedt has been active in the Orange Bar’s Law Week by co-chairing the Day in the Life of a Judge project for the Parramore Kidz Zone and Hope Community Center children. She has been active in the development of Leadership Law

She graduated in 1987 from the University of Tampa with a B.S., cum laude, in Marketing and a Minor in Business Administration. She earned her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1990, where she served on the Moot Court Board.

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CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Judge Tim Shea embodies the three key ingredients of a successful jurist: Judicial Experience, Legal Experience and Life Experience.

After having served on the Criminal Felony Bench for the first four years of his judicial tenure, Judge Shea is now assigned to the Domestic Relations Bench where he has earned the respect of his colleagues as well as Marital and Family Law Practitioners.

Prior to assuming his Judicial Position, Judge Shea’s legal practice was quite varied. Tim Shea represented clients in criminal cases (both felonies and misdemeanors), juvenile delinquency, juvenile dependency, employment discrimination, traditional labor law (NLRA), and general civil litigation in both federal and state courts. Judge Shea brings a keen understanding of the vast legal landscape to his judicial responsibilities.

As the married father of three adult children, Judge Shea brings a wealth of life experience to his judicial assignments. Tim Shea knows what it’s like to face life’s daily struggles and his rulings reflect the compassion and understanding one would expect from a public servant who wields judicial power.

Judge Tim Shea: Judicial Experience. Legal Experience. Life Experience.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

About
Jose is first and foremost a loving father to his two young children. He participates in their extracurricular activities, helps them study for school and coached youth soccer for 7 years. Jose speaks fluent Spanish and is conversational in Portuguese. He is a member of St Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park. As a 55 year old father of two, he has the life experiences necessary to serve as your Circuit Judge.

Business Background
Jose has been a sole practitioner attorney in Orange and Osceola county for the last 21 years. This means taking care of payroll, insurance coverage and finding new clients. His quick smile and friendly demeanor have won him many friends throughout the community and in our courthouses. Before becoming an attorney, Jose worked in marketing management for R. J. Reynolds and British American Tobacco - both domestically and in the international divisions.

Legal Background
Jose started his legal career working for the Orange Osceola State Attorney as a prosecutor. He tried hundreds of cases over 3 years. He knew he wanted to be a lawyer who spent his days in the courtroom and decided to open his own practice specializing in criminal defense. He has helped many thousands and tried over 250 cases since opening his own firm. Jose is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in Washington D.C. Since 2002.

Education
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Masters in Business Administration from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona. Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Judge Keith White was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to the Circuit Court bench and began serving February 1, 2011. He has been assigned to the domestic violence division handling injunction cases and connected family law cases.

Prior to serving the citizens of Orange and Osceola counties on the Circuit bench, Judge White practiced law at one of Florida’s largest law firms, Broad and Cassel.

Judge White was a Partner in the Orlando office of Broad and Cassel and a member of the Firm's Labor and Employment and Commercial Litigation Practice Groups.
At the Firm, Judge White practiced in the area of labor and employment law. He assisted employers in navigating through the multitude of statutes and regulations that govern the workplace and defended against employee claims in administrative, arbitration and judicial proceedings. He worked with management to resolve union-related matters, including organizing campaigns, unfair labor practice charges, and proceedings before the NLRB and PERC. He also has handled numerous matters in the areas of civil rights, creditors' rights, construction litigation and commercial disputes.

Judge White advised governmental clients regarding a variety of issues, including, but not limited to, the Public Records Act, the Sunshine Law, the Conflict of Interest Law, the Public Employees Relations Act and the Whistle-Blower Act.

Judge White served as counsel for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and assisted with labor and employment matters and an array of governmental matters. He has also represented the University of Central Florida, the Orange County School Board and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority in employment, civil rights, construction and eminent domain litigation.

Prior to being named to the bench, Judge White handled cases in state and federal, trial and appellate courts, including the Florida Supreme Court.

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CIRCUIT COURT JUDICIAL CANDIDATE

Judges make daily decisions that touch the lives of the citizens of Orange and Osceola Counties, and judges need to be knowledgeable, fair and respectful of the citizens for whom they work. I am experienced, well tempered, and committed to applying the law fairly and accurately in cases that will come before me.

My experience as a former prosecutor, defense attorney and family law attorney has afforded me the opportunity to see and experience the impact the legal system can have on people's lives when applied correctly and incorrectly.

I also have experience outside of the legal field having been a member of the military for over 10 years. During my military service, I was deployed to numerous places throughout the World, including deployments to Kuwait and Turkey. My military and life experiences have provided me with a common sense approach to legal issues.

I am dedicated to working hard to provide the citizens of our community with a just and unbiased legal system.

Sincerely,
Joel Wilson
Candidate for Circuit Judge, Orange and Osceola Counties, Group 7