Twenty-Seven Apply for Polk County Judge Position
by Kemp Brinson
The Florida Bar has published the names of the applicants for an open seat on the Polk County bench. County court judges hear civil cases when less than $15,000 is at issue, misdemeanors, and traffic cases. There are some good people on this list. I have included some very brief biographical info on each, culled from the Florida Bar online directory, attorney web sites, and personal knowledge.
- John K. Aguero – assistant state attorney
- Victoria Avalon- assistant state attorney
- Tina Roy Balentine – former assistant state attorney, now workers comp attorney with Ross Vecchio
- Barry W. Bennett – a real estate/probate/corporate attorney with Stanley, Wines, Bennett and Helms
- John Berndt – assistant state attorney
- Catherine Combee – family lawyer
- Gary Richard Ellis – assistant state attorney
- William Paul Friel – former assistant state attorney, now personal injury, criminal, and family attorney with Harbsmeier DeZayas
- Robert D. Grode, II – a personal injury lawyer with Lilly, O’Toole and Brown and former public defender
- Jean Marie Henne – formerly a clerk with the appeals court, now a solo appellate attorney
- Gerald Paul Hill, II – corporate/real estate/probate attorney with Straughn & Turner, son of State Attorney Jerry Hill
- David G. McDonald – staff attorney with guardian ad litem program
- Hope M. Pattey – assistant state attorney
- Steve Pincket – criminal/family lawyer with Pincket & Pincket
- Mark Hudson Smith – former assistant state attorney, now practices family law and personal injury with Smith & Haas
- Sheryl Snodgrass – currently a magistrate with the circuit court
- David E. Stamey, Jr. – assistant state attorney
- Anthony Wayne Surber – criminal/family attorney
- Clifford Alan Taylor – attorney with Florida Department of Management Services
- Mark A. Taylor - general practice solo practicioner, former detective
- Christine Trakas Thornhill – criminal/family attorney with Thornhill & Trakas
- Ronald Toward – criminal lawyer
- Amanda Maxine Traweek – currently a magistrate with the circuit court
- Dorothy Rutland Trogolo – public defender
- William John Twyford – criminal conflict and civil regional counsel’s office
- Cheryl Westmoreland – DCF attorney
- Nathaniel White – former assistant state attorney, now criminal lawyer
Christine Trakas Thornhill is so much more. She was with the Public Defenders Office. She is dedicated, focused and will render decisions in a timely manner. She has much to offer the judicial system. Her repuation and standing in the community are beyond reproach.
Your comment was eaten by my spam filter – sorry. I know Christine personally myself and I think she would make a fine judge. There is a lot more that could be said about a number of these applicants, obviously.