United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

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United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
(M.D. Fla.)
Location Orlando
More locations
Appeals to Eleventh Circuit
EstablishedJuly 30, 1962
Judges15
Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard
Officers of the court
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe
U.S. Marshal William B. Berger Sr.
www.flmd.uscourts.gov
Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse, Tampa Samgibbonsch.jpg
Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse, Tampa

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

Contents

The District was established on July 30, 1962, with parts of the Northern and Southern Districts transferring into the newly created Middle District. [1]

As of March 31,2025, the United States attorney for the District is Gregory Kehoe. [2]

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida is one of three federal judicial districts in Florida. [3] Court for the District is held at Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, and Tampa.

Fort Myers Division comprises the following counties: Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Glades, Hendry, and Lee.

Jacksonville Division comprises the following counties: Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Hamilton, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union.

Ocala Division comprises the following counties: Citrus, Lake, Marion, and Sumter.

Orlando Division comprises the following counties: Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia.

Tampa Division comprises the following counties: Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.

Current judges

As of August 31,2025:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
Active Chief Senior
32Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard Jacksonville 19652007–present2024–present— G.W. Bush
33District Judge Mary Stenson Scriven Tampa 19622008–present—— G.W. Bush
36District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell Ft. Myers 19622013–present—— Obama
38District Judge Paul G. Byron Orlando 19592014–present—— Obama
39District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza Orlando 19702014–present—— Obama
40District Judge William F. Jung Tampa 19582018–present—— Trump
41District Judge Thomas Barber Tampa 19662019–present—— Trump
42District Judge Wendy Berger Jacksonville 19682019–present—— Trump
43District Judge John Badalamenti Ft. Myers 19732020–present—— Trump
44District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle Tampa 19872020–present—— Trump
45District Judge Julie S. Sneed Orlando 19692024–present—— Biden
46District Judgevacant——————
47District Judgevacant——————
48District Judgevacant——————
49District Judgevacant——————
15Senior Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich Tampa 19361982–20181996–20022018–present Reagan
17Senior Judge Patricia C. Fawsett Orlando 19431986–20082003–20082008–present Reagan
19Senior Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger Jacksonville 19401991–2006—2006–present G.H.W. Bush
20Senior Judge Anne C. Conway Orlando 19501991–20152008–20152015–present G.H.W. Bush
21Senior Judge Steven Douglas Merryday Tampa 19501992–20252015–20202025–present G.H.W. Bush
22Senior Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr. Jacksonville 19451993–2010—2010–present Clinton
23Senior Judge Susan C. Bucklew Tampa 19421993–2008—2008–present Clinton
24Senior Judge Richard A. Lazzara Tampa 19451997–2011—2011–present Clinton
25Senior Judge James D. Whittemore Tampa 19522000–2017—2017–present Clinton
26Senior Judge John Antoon Orlando 19462000–2013—2013–present Clinton
27Senior Judge John E. Steele Ft. Myers 19492000–2015—2015–present Clinton
28Senior Judge James S. Moody Jr. Tampa 19472000–2014—2014–present Clinton
29Senior Judge Gregory A. Presnell Orlando 19422000–2012—2012–present Clinton
30Senior Judge Timothy J. Corrigan Jacksonville 19562002–20242020–20242024–present G.W. Bush
31Senior Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington Tampa 19552004–2020—2020–present G.W. Bush
34Senior Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell Tampa 19572009–2023—2023–present Obama
35Senior Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. Orlando 19522011–2022—2022–present Obama
37Senior Judge Brian J. Davis Jacksonville 19532013–2023—2023–present Obama

Vacancies and pending nominations

SeatPrior judge's duty stationSeat last held byVacancy reasonDate of vacancyNomineeDate of nomination
8 Tampa Charlene Edwards Honeywell Senior status December 4, 2023 Kyle Dudek June 16, 2025
9 Jacksonville Brian J. Davis December 30, 2023Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe
15 Timothy J. Corrigan November 2, 2024John M. Guard
11 Tampa Steven Douglas Merryday August 31, 2025Jordan Pratt

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed byReason for
termination
1 John Milton Bryan Simpson FL 1903–19871962–1966 [Note 1] 1962–1966— Truman/Operation of law elevation to 5th Cir.
2 Joseph Patrick Lieb FL 1901–19711962–1971 [Note 1] 1966–1971— Eisenhower/Operation of law death
3 William McRae FL 1909–19731962–1973 [Note 1] 1971–1973— Kennedy/Operation of law death
4 George C. Young FL 1916–20151962–1981 [Note 2] 1973–19811981–2015 Kennedy/Operation of law death
5 Charles R. Scott FL 1904–19831966–1976—1976–1983 L. Johnson death
6 Ben Krentzman FL 1914–19981967–19821981–19821982–1998 L. Johnson death
7 Gerald Bard Tjoflat FL 1929–present1970–1975—— Nixon elevation to 5th Cir.
8 William Terrell Hodges FL 1934–20221971–19991982–19891999–2022 Nixon death
9 John A. Reed Jr. FL 1931–20151973–1984—— Nixon resignation
10 Howell W. Melton FL 1923–20151977–1991—1991–2015 Carter death
11 George C. Carr FL 1929–19901977–19901989–1990— Carter death
12 Susan H. Black FL 1943–present1979–19921990–1992— Carter elevation to 11th Cir.
13 William J. Castagna FL 1924–20201979–1992—1992–2020 Carter death
14 John H. Moore II FL 1929–20131981–19951992–19951995–2013 Reagan death
16 G. Kendall Sharp FL 1934–20221983–2000—2000–2022 Reagan death
18 Ralph Wilson Nimmons Jr. FL 1938–20031991–2003—— G.H.W. Bush death
  1. 1 2 3 Reassigned from the Southern District of Florida.
  2. ↑ From 1962-1966, Judge Young was jointly appointed to the Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida.

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

Courthouse history

Historic Federal Courthouse in Tampa Historic Federal Courthouse.tif
Historic Federal Courthouse in Tampa

Completed in 1908 by architect John Knox Taylor, the historic Federal courthouse in Tampa stands as the only civic building constructed in the eclectic renaissance style. [4] Initially serving as a U.S. Post Office, the courthouse moved two blocks down to its current location in 1998. [5] Congress named the court in honor of long-time Tampa representative and University of Florida Law alumnus Sam Gibbons; the congressman is largely recognized as the founder of the University of South Florida. [6]

U.S. Attorneys

Federal Defenders

See also

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Federal Judiciary - Federal Judicial Center". Fjc.gov. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  2. ↑ "United States Attorney's Office Announces Departure Of Roger B. Handberg As U.S. Attorney" (Press release). U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. February 18, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  3. ↑ 28 U.S.C.   § 89
  4. ↑ "National Registry". Npgallery.nps.gov. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  5. ↑ Wade-Bahr, Linda H. "Official Site of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida". Flmd.uscourts.gov. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Public Law 104-230" (PDF). Gpo.gov. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Donna Bucella | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ "The United States Department of Justice – United States Attorney's Office". April 8, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Lawyer goes full circle: From defense to prosecution and back again". Florida Trend. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Attorneys Listing | USAO | Department of Justice". November 15, 2017. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2024.

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