Florida Third District Court of Appeal


The Florida Third District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Miami, Florida. Its ten judges have jurisdiction over cases arising from Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.

History

The Third District Court of Appeal was one of the first three DCAs created by the Florida legislature in 1957. Court was first held in a room of the University of Miami School of Law. Then, from 1960 to 1976, court sessions took place at the State Office Building. It wasn't until 1976 that the court finally had its own facility to conduct its business. This courthouse was dedicated by Governor Reubin Askew in the fall of 1976. In 1990 an addition was added to keep pace with the court's continued growth. The courthouse has won the recognition of the American Institute of Architects and in 1981 Governor Bob Graham gave the court the Governor's Design Award.
The court's original three judges have increased to ten as of 2010.

Chief Judges

Judges who have served as Chief Judge of the Third DCA include:
Judges serving on the Third DCA as of July 1, 2017 include:
NameTenureAppointing Governor
Kevin Emas - Chief Judge2010–Charlie Crist
Vance E. Salter2007–Charlie Crist
Ivan F. Fernandez2011–Rick Scott
Thomas Logue2012–Rick Scott
Edwin A. Scales, III2013–Rick Scott
Norma S. Lindsey2017–Rick Scott
Bronwyn C. Miller2018–Rick Scott
Eric Wm. Hendon2018–Rick Scott
Monica Gordo2019–Ron DeSantis
Fleur J. Lobree2019–Ron DeSantis

Retired Judges

Judges who have served on the Third DCA include:
NameTenureComments
Charles A. Carroll
Mallory H. Horton
Tillman Pearson
Thomas H. Barkdull, Jr.
Norman Hendry
Richard H.M. Swann
Robert M. Haverfield
Raymond G. Nathan
Phillip A. Hubbart
James W. Kehoe
Alan R. Schwartz
Joseph Nesbitt
Natalie Baskin
Daniel S. Pearson
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr.
James R. Jorgenson
David L. Levy
Mario P. Goderich
Melvia B. Green
John G. Fletcher
Robert L. Shevin
Rodolfo Sorondo, Jr.
Gerald B. Cope, Jr.
David M. Gersten
Linda Ann Wells
Frank A. Shepherd
Leslie B. Rothenberg
Richard Suarez

The Florida Third District Court of Appeal Nominating Commission