Christopher Benjamin (politician)

Last updated
Christopher Benjamin
Christopher Benjamin.jpg
Miami-Dade County Court Judge
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 5, 2024
Personal details
Born Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Political party No Political Affiliation
SpouseZakiyyah Shakir-Benjamin Carleen Nelson-Benjamin (deceased)
Children4
Education Florida Memorial University (BS)
St. Thomas University (JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
Years of service1991–1994

Christopher Benjamin is an American attorney, arbitrator, mediator, special magistrate, hearing officer, and politician who has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 107 from November 2020 until November 2024. [1] [2] He was elected in November 2024 to serve as a County Court Judge for Miami-Dade County’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

Contents

Early life and education

Benjamin was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Florida Memorial University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law in 2001. [3]

Career

As a young teenager, Benjamin began his working experience as a door-to-door salesman for the Miami Herald . [4] Benjamin served in the United States Army from 1991 to 1994. After graduating from law school, Benjamin worked as an attorney in the Case Management Division (Family Division) of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade County, Florida. In 2002, Benjamin opened his law practice, formerly known as the Barrister Firm where he has provided affordable legal services to clients in the areas of Business Formation, Business Litigation, Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, Child Support, Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation, Consumer Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Law, Guardianship, Probate, Real Estate and Real Estate Closings w/Title Insurance (Residential and Commercial). In 2021, he joined the law firm, International Law Partners as Of Counsel.

In 2007, Benjamin obtained his first certifications in Alternative Dispute Resolution (Mediation and Arbitration) and has actively practiced with the prestigious ADR firm of Salmon and Dulberg and he has also been an independent contractor with the 17th Judicial Circuit of Broward County, Florida (Mediation Department) and the FL Department of Financial Services (Mediation Program - Insurance Disputes). In 2010, Benjamin was appointed as a Traffic Hearing Officer with the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County, Florida; he has also been appointed Special Magistrate for municipalities throughout S. Florida as well as an arbitrator and mediator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA).

In his community, Benjamin has served on several committees and boards such as: Florida's Local Advocacy Council, Miami Garden's Nuisance Abatement Board, Miami-Dade County's Citizen's Independent Transportation Trust, Parks and Recreation, Small Business/Minority Certification and the Human Rights Commission, Dade Public School' s Small Business/Minority Certifications, Attendance & Boundary Committee and the Save Our Future Advisory Committee.

Benjamin is also a Florida licensed real estate broker, title insurance agent, title insurance instructor and notary. He has taught at Florida Memorial University, Miami Dade College and Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad School of Law.

In 2020, Benjamin defeated Ulysses Harvard in the Democratic primary for District 107 in the Florida House of Representatives. Benjamin did not face a candidate in the general election and assumed office on November 3, 2020.

In 2022, Benjamin defeated Wancito Francis in the Democratic primary for District 107 in the Florida House of Representatives. Benjamin did not face a candidate in the general election and was reelected to office on November 2, 2022.

In 2024, Benjamin would finish first in a three way race for County Court Judge against former judge Scott Janowitz and Alina Salcines Restrepo. Benjamin would go on to defeat Restrepo in a runoff and was elected to office on November 5, 2024.

too History

Upon assuming office, Benjamin became the first Muslim elected to the Florida legislature. [1] [2]

Once again, upon assuming office, Benjamin would make history becoming the first Muslim elected to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s County Court Bench for Miami-Dade County (and only the second Muslim in Florida to hold the title of Judge).

Elections

2020 Florida's 107th House district Primary Election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Christopher Benjamin 13,376 60.6
Democratic Ulysses Buck Harvard8,70039.4
Total votes22,076 100%

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References

  1. 1 2 Dawn Araujo-Hawkins (2020-11-16). "Religious diversity in the election". Christian Century . Retrieved 2020-11-18. More than 100 Muslims ran for office this year, and five states elected their first Muslim state lawmakers. Madinah Wilson-Anton was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives, while Iman Jodeh won a seat in Colorado's house. In Florida, Christopher Benjamin was elected to the House of Representatives, and Mauree Turner was elected to the Oklahoma legislature. Samba Baldeh was elected to the Wisconsin's State Assembly.
  2. 1 2 Tori B. Powell (2020-11-04). "Five Muslim Lawmakers Elected in History-Making Result". Daily Beast . Retrieved 2020-11-18. Christopher Benjamin was elected in Florida to represent the 107th District in the House of Representatives.
  3. ↑ "Christopher Benjamin". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  4. ↑ Delgado, Jason (2020-07-21). "Meet Christopher Benjamin, a Democrat running for House District 107". Florida Politics . Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  5. ↑ "2020 Florida's 107th House district Democratic Primary Election Results". results.elections.myflorida.com.
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