PRESS RELEASE

The First District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) met on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, and selected the following thirteen applicants for further consideration for the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Edward T. Barfield:

Wendy W. Berger, Kevin A. Blazs, Gerald B. Curington, James H. Daniel, James C. Hankinson, Michael Jay Hauversburk, Scott D. Makar, Simone Marstiller, Miguel A. Olivella, Jr., Charles A. Stampelos, Jessica Enciso Varn, Karen D. Walker, and Waddell A. Wallace III.

The Commission thanks the many outstanding applicants who offered to serve the citizens of Florida in this very important capacity. Interviews of applicants will be conducted on Nov. 30, 2009, at the First District Court of Appeal beginning at 8 a.m. Interested persons may contact the Chair for the interview schedule. Interviews are open to the public; however, the Chair asks that visitors come and go during transitions between interviews as a courtesy to the applicants.

The Commission welcomes comments from the public regarding the applicants' qualifications and fitness for judicial office. Comments may be submitted in writing to George T. Levesque, 420 The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-1300, or electronically to glevesque4@comcast.net, or may be directed to individual Commissioners. The members of the Judicial Nominating Commission include the following: Fred D. Franklin, Jr., Marcia Parker Tjoflat and Steven K. Yablonski of Jacksonville; and Peter Antonacci, Vice Chair, Patricia Ann Conners, Agustin G. Corbella, Katherine E. Giddings, and Michael J. Glazer of Tallahassee.