Business Law 101 / Florida’s Judicial College

By Albert L Kelley Esq.

Once a judge has been selected, either by election or appointment, they are still not ready to take the bench. First they must attend the Florida Judicial College. The current Florida Judicial College was started in 1990 by five judges, including our own County Judge Wayne Miller, who served as associate dean of the College for four years and dean of the College for six.

The first aspect of the Judicial College is a mentoring program where each new judge is paired with an experienced judge within 48 hours of their election or appointment. This judicial mentor acts as an advocate for the new judge for their first year in office, assisting in everything from closing their law practice, to assignments and caseloads, to budgets.

The College next focuses on Orientation. This orientation assist the new judges with ethical issues, conflicts that may arise from their prior law practice, and helping the judges recognize and develop their personal qualities to transition into their new career.  The judges take a personality test to show how they can use their style to fit the courtroom. Judicial demeanor is discussed to show the judges how to control the natural reactions and to cultivate an even judicial temperament.

The Judicial College meets twice a year for five days, in January and March. Every elected judge must attend the January session which centers on Trial Skills. For the first 2 ½ days, the newly elected judges are broken into groups where college staff-all experienced judges-present scenarios of legal issues which may arise or have arisen in court. The new judges then discuss these scenarios to develop solutions they would use in their courtroom. This discussion group provides insight into what they can expect and also helps develop a network system between the judges. The second 2 ½ days consist of mock trials. All of the participants in the mock trials are experienced judges who play the roles of attorneys, plaintiffs and defendants, and juries.

The March session is the nuts and bolts. Here the new judges (and existing judges who are given new assignments) take seminars on specific areas of law including family, criminal, landlord-tenant, and guardianship/mental health.

While there is no pass or fail for the Judicial College, every judge must complete the Florida Judicial College program during their first year of judicial service. If a judge has been selected by appointment after the January session, they may be exempt from that session but must still attend the March session. It is the Dean of the College’s responsibility to report any judge that fails to comply with that judge’s Chief Judge.  If the judge fails to attend or complete the Judicial College, they will not be allowed to sit as a judge in Florida.

After attending the Judicial College, the judge’s education is still not complete. As with lawyers, judges must attend 30 hours of continuing judicial education approved by the Florida Court Education Council every three years.

I wish to thank Judge Wayne Miller for his assistance in preparation of this article.

Al Kelley is a Florida business law attorney located in Key West and previously taught business law, personnel law and labor law at St. Leo University. He is also the author of “Basics of Business Law” “Basics of Florida’s Small Claims Court” and “Basics of Florida’s Landlord-Tenant Law” (Absolutely Amazing e-Books). This article is being offered as a public service and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. If you have any questions about legal issues, you should confer with a licensed Florida attorney.

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