News & Information

Meet the new president of Bradenton Kiwanis: Judge Gilbert A. Smith, Jr.

Judge Smith’s social calendar just became a little busier. On October 5 he was sworn in as the president of the Bradenton Kiwanis.

Mediation Week highlights benefits of alternative dispute resolution in Florida’s courts

Chief Justice Charles Canady has proclaimed October 17-23 as Mediation Week, marking the importance of alternative dispute resolution as an effective substitute to litigation.

Circuit Judge Maria Ruhl recognized during Hispanic Heritage month

Circuit Court Judge Maria Ruhl was one of six judges recognized by a coalition of voluntary bar associations as part of the group’s second annual Recognizing Hispanic Excellence event, held on September 23. The judges were celebrated in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through October 15. Judge Ruhl was interviewed by Dana Keane, president of the Sarasota County Bar Association.

Due process clause on courthouse serves as reminder to all who enter

Have you ever stopped at the traffic light on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 10th Street West in downtown Bradenton and looked up at the Manatee County Judicial Center? The phrase is the due process clause from the Fifth Amendment.

Court announces new county civil case management protocols

To address county civil cases more efficiently, effective October 11, 2021, the Court is amending its county civil case management protocols, as outlined in Administrative Orders 2021-17.1 and 2021-6b.1, dated September 27, 2021.

Two local attorneys receive circuit's annual professionalism award

Twelfth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Charles Roberts presented two local attorneys with the annual Jim Slater Award for Professionalism in a virtual ceremony Friday. This year it was a tie between a defense attorney and a prosecutor. Twelfth Circuit judges selected assistant public defender (recently retired) Tom Fielding and assistant state attorney Kate Wallace for their professionalism in the practice of criminal law and awarded them both with the 2021 Jim Slater Award for Professionalism.

Code of judicial conduct limits what judges can read, discuss about cases

Have you ever checked your favorite news source and read a story that troubled you? An unfortunate situation has befallen another and you feel a need to do something, anything, to help that person. Sometimes such actions involve showing your support or speaking your mind in a tweet, IG post, letter to a CEO, newspaper, or elected official.

Guess what happens if you write to a judge to show your support or speak your mind on a particular matter when you are not personally involved in that matter? Mostly nothing happens.

Happy 234th birthday to the U.S. Constitution

September 17 is the day the government of the United States of America, the great experiment, was born with the signing of the U.S. Constitution. This special document turns 234-years-old this year and we thought a great way to celebrate it would be to learn more about it.

Chief Justice raises awareness of opioid, stimulant use with proclamation

To raise awareness about opioid and stimulant use issues and disorders, and to highlight solutions involving the courts, Chief Justice Charles T. Canady issued a proclamation ​establishing September 2021 “as a month of awareness, training, and action regarding opioids, stimulants, and treatment for related substance use disorders.” 

Court employee's dedication to profession is 'PDI'

Congratulations to Dana Yawn, Guardianship Monitor (Sarasota), who is adding to her growing list of accomplishments. Dana recently passed the clinical social work examination and will soon add more initials after her name.