The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) announces that the JNC received applications from the individuals listed below to fill one vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the retirement and resignation of Judge Janis Brustares Keyser. The applicants will be interviewed on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at the times indicated below:

9:00 a.m.               Thomas Berger

9:12 a.m.               Andrew Carrabis

9:24 a.m.               Alex Braunstein

9:36 a.m.               Santo DiGangi

9:48 a.m.               Jaianna Seaborne

10:00 a.m.             Kevin Walsh

10:12 a.m.             Danielle Sherriff

10:24 a.m.             Stephanie Tew

10:36 a.m.             Break

10:48 a.m.             Judge Melanie Surber

11:00 a.m.             Steven Phillips

11:12 a.m.             Schnelle Tonge

11:24 a.m.             Judge John Parnofiello

11:36 a.m.             Lawonda Warren

11:48 a.m.             Danielle Grundt

12:00 p.m.             Kristen Grimes

12:10 p.m.             JNC Deliberations

The above interviews will be conducted in person at the Library Conference Room, Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse, 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33401.

Each interview will be ten minutes long, including a two minute opening statement. The interviews will be transcribed by Phipps Reporting pro bono.

JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations. A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information.

If you have any questions, please contact Robert Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or by email at [email protected]

Please click here to view the AO. 

Please click here to view AO. 

Commencing July 5, 2022, the probate and family divisions of the Court will be reorganized.

The following changes will be implemented:

•  Hybrid family/probate divisions will be discontinued and the family and probate divisions will be separated.
• Family Division FD and Civil Division AB will be phased out and closed to accommodate the creation of two independent probate divisions. Attorneys with cases in Civil Division AB should closely monitor the Circuit website and the Palm Beach County Bar Association website for additional information.
• Two probate divisions will be established. One division will be located in the Main Courthouse. Judge Laura Johnson will be assigned to the division in Main. One division will be located in South County. Judge Charles Burton will be assigned to South County.
• Three family divisions will remain in North County and in South County. Family divisions in the Main Courthouse will be reduced from three divisions to two divisions.

Please continue to monitor the Circuit’s website for additional information.

Please click here to view the AO. 

Please click here to view the AO. 

Please click here to view the AO. 

The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) announces that the application deadline to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the retirement and resignation of Judge Janis Brustares Keyser has been extended.

The deadline for submission of the completed application is extended to 5:00 p.m., April 29, 2022. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Both the original and redacted electronic applications must be submitted by email to [email protected].

Qualifications of Applicants:

Applicants must be able to fulfill the Constitutional qualifications for circuit court and county court judges described in Article V, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution.

Instructions for Submission:

1)           The current Judicial Application form must be used and can be found at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/. Applicants should ensure they are using the correct and current form.

2)           Applications must be in .pdf form and submitted as follows: (i) one original copy of the application, including all attachments, (ii) one redacted copy of the application, including all attachments, excluding all exempt information under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes or other applicable public records law. The two .pdf files should be named in a “last name.first name” format. For example: Jane Smith should submit two files named: (1) Smith.Jane.pdf and (2) Smith.Jane-REDACTED.pdf. 

Each electronic application, including exhibits, must be a single pdf file. No paper applications will be accepted.

3)           Please ensure the Application is complete, including all required responses (including references, case style and contact information regarding recent cases, and class standing and degree information regarding education), and all required attachments (writing sample, financial disclosure, photograph). Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Additional Information:

The JNC will publish on the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s website www.palmbeachbar.org and Governor Ron DeSantis’ judicial webpage https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/  the date and location of any interviews that the JNC chooses to conduct. The JNC anticipates that any interviews will be held the week of May 9, 2022.

All JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations. Applications are not confidential. If an applicant is nominated, all materials attached to the original application will be submitted to the Governor.

A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions.

If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at [email protected]

The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) announces one vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the retirement and resignation of Judge Janis Brustares Keyser. The JNC has been asked to provide Governor Ron DeSantis with nominees for the vacancy by Saturday, May 14, 2022.

Qualifications of Applicants:

Applicants must be able to fulfill the Constitutional qualifications for circuit court and county court judges described in Article V, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution.

Instructions for Submission:

1) The current Judicial Application form must be used and can be found at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/. Applicants should ensure they are using the correct and current form.

2) Applications must be in .pdf form and submitted as follows: (i) one original copy of the application, including all attachments, (ii) one redacted copy of the application, including all attachments, excluding all exempt information under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes or other applicable public records law. The two .pdf files should be named in a “last name.first name” format. For example: Jane Smith should submit two files named: (1) Smith.Jane.pdf and (2) Smith.Jane-REDACTED.pdf.

Each electronic application, including exhibits, must be a single pdf file. No paper applications will be accepted.

3) The deadline for submission of the completed application is 1:00 p.m., April 27, 2022.  Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.  Both the original and redacted electronic applications must be submitted by email to [email protected].

Please ensure the Application is complete, including all required responses (including references, case style and contact information regarding recent cases, and class standing and degree information regarding education), and all required attachments (writing sample, financial disclosure, photograph).  Incomplete applications may not be considered.  

Additional Information:

The JNC will publish on the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s website www.palmbeachbar.org and Governor Ron DeSantis’ judicial webpage https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/   the date and location of any interviews that the JNC chooses to conduct.  The JNC anticipates that any interviews will be held the week of May 9, 2022.

All JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations.  Applications are not confidential.  If an applicant is nominated, all materials attached to the original application will be submitted to the Governor.

A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions.

If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at [email protected]

To protect the safety and well-being of courthouse users and personnel, and in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines related to after-travel health precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Circuit adopted Administrative Order, 12.514 4/2021. Current guidelines and public health conditions no longer require the restrictions set forth in Administrative Order, 12.514 4/2021.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority conferred by Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.215, it is ORDERED that Administrative Order, 12.514 4/2021 is VACATED.

DONE and SIGNED in Chambers at West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida this 14th day of April, 2022

___________

Glenn D. Kelley
Chief Judge