On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced 21 appointments to Florida’s Judicial Nominating Commissions.
Four of the appointees were from the Eighth Judicial Circuit, which is comprised of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Levy, Gilchrist and Union counties, and three from the Third Judicial Circuit, which includes Columbia, Dixie, Suwannee, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison and Taylor counties.
According to The Florida Bar, the Judicial Nominating Commissions are a nonpartisan nine-member commission of lawyers and non-lawyers who choose judges through appointment based on judicial merit. The appointees evaluate, recruit, locate and investigate applicants for judicial office and then submit three to six names of qualified applicants to the governor, who makes a final selection from the list.
Each Judicial Nominating Commission has nine members with five being appointed by the governor and The Florida Bar sends nominations to the governor to fill the remaining four spots.
The area appointees included:
Eighth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
Stephanie Emrick, of Williston, is an Attorney at Scruggs, Carmichael, & Wershow, P.A. She earned both her bachelor’s degree and her juris doctor at UF. Emrick is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Rebecca Shinholser, of Gainesville, is an Assistant State Attorney and the Executive Director for the Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Freed Hardeman University and her juris doctor from UF. Shinholser is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2027.
Robert Woody, of Gainesville, was the Jail Director for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Department. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York and his master’s degree from Rollins College. Woody is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2027.
Brian Kramer, of Gainesville, is the State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UF and his juris doctor from Stetson University. Kramer is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2028.
Third Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
Dana Taylor, of Live Oak, is an Attorney at the Law Office of Dana A. Taylor, P.A. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and her juris doctor from Georgia State University. Taylor is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
George Reeves, of Madison, is a shareholder at Davis, Schnitker, Reeves & Browning, P.A. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and his juris doctor from UF. Reeves is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2028.
James Willingham Jr., of Jasper, is the owner of James Estes Willingham, Jr. Attorney and Counselor at Law. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and his juris doctor from UF. Willingham is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2028.