Fast5 is an audio series of brief conversations with the judges of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. The questions focus on the community, the courts and access to justice.
Published May 2022
Judge Riva stops by the studio to talk about her love for our beaches and waterways, the meaning of judicial independence and describes what access to justice means to her.
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Published April 2022
Judge Boehm drops by the studio to talk about her hometown of Sarasota and why she pursued a legal career, explain why it’s important for courts to preserve the rule of law and tell us what access to justice means to her.
Published March 2022
Judge Galen stops by the Fast5 studio and talks about her fondness for walking and biking Legacy Trail, explains how an independent judiciary is the cornerstone of democracy, and that access to justice means that everyone is treated fairly and impartially, and the laws will be applied equally to everyone.
Published February 2022
Judge Smith stops by the Fast5 studio and talks about scouting, hiking, and history, explains about the importance of an individual's right to appeal, and what access to justice means to him.
Published December 2021
Judge Williams stops by the studio to talk about his fondness for a day on the links, and if he wasn't on the bench he would be a filmmaker. He explains that judges must avoid appearances of impropriety as it undermines the integrity of the judiciary and that even backlogs in the court should not hinder people from accessing justice.
Correction: As of June 2021, Judge Williams no longer presides over drug court, mental health court or veterans court. Judge Roberts is the presiding judge over those particular problem-solving courts.
Published November 2021
Judge Dees drops by the studio to talk about her fondness for travel and peanut M&Ms, and believes that access to justice means that anybody, regardless of their path or where they are in society, has the same access to the courts and have a judge listen and issue a fair ruling.
Published September 2021
Judge Carroll visits the studio and reminds us that South County covers a greater geographical area than just "Venice," describes judicial independence as the "linchpin" that holds democracy together, and that access to justice allows people to resolve disputes in a neutral, fair way with a system of rules that are applied uniformly to everybody.
Judge Denkin drops by the studio to talk about his introduction to the small town atmosphere of downtown Sarasota circa 1981 when he moved here from Miami to take a position as a prosecutor, how the rule of law prevents the capricious exercise of power, and what access to justice means to him.
Published August 2021
Judge Mercurio visits the studio to discuss his enjoyment of our waterways by boat, kayak and jet ski, why a judge follows an ethical set of rules both on and off the bench, and how access to justice includes giving not only defendants, but victims, witnesses and other participants a chance to be heard.
Published July 2021
Chief Judge Roberts drops by the studio to talk about his fondness of distance running, how a banking law class turned into a legal career, and describes how a person should be able to access justice without difficulty or delay.
Published June 2021
Judge Krug stops by the studio to talk about the joys of fatherhood, how the rule of law is the glue that allows us to coexist as a society, and what access to justice means to him.
Published May 2021
Judge Brewer discuss her enjoyment of the outdoors, hunting for “spring gobblers” and fishing, and explains why it's important for judges to have an ethical code of conduct both on and off the bench.
Published April 2021
Judge Nicholas drops by the studio to talk about giving back, why he pursued a legal career and what access to justice means to him.
Published March 2021
Judge McHugh is a patron of the local arts, baits her own fish hook and believes access to justice has two parts.
Published February 2021
Judge Bonner talks about what makes our community special, what court may look like in the future and the meaning of access to justice.