Election 2022: Meet Brevard's seven judicial candidates vying for county, circuit judge
Three judicial races appear on the Brevard County Aug. 23 primary ballot, and all registered voters can choose from the seven candidates in these nonpartisan races.
Circuit Court judges serve six-year terms and earn annual salaries of $146,080, while county judges serve six-year terms with annual salaries of $138,020.
On Monday, all seven candidates participated in a nonpartisan judicial forum conducted by the North Brevard Democratic Club at Dixie Crossroads in Titusville.
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Club President Cathy Riley led off the event by telling the audience the American Bar Association's Model Code of Judicial Conduct circumscribes what the candidates are allowed to say in such a forum.
“For example, they are not allowed to tell you which political party they are a member of, if any," Riley said.
"They are not allowed to make pledges, promises or commitments about issues or cases which may come before them," she said.
"They are not allowed to answer political questions," she said.
Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony crimes and civil matters involving more than $30,000. Circuit Court also has general trial jurisdiction over matters not assigned by statute to the County Court, and also to hear appeals from County Court cases.
County Court has jurisdiction for misdemeanor crimes, traffic violations and civil matters in disputes involving less than $30,000.
Candidates were asked questions by FLORIDA TODAY Engagement Editor John Torres; Sonya Mallard, cultural center coordinator of the Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Cultural Complex and first vice president of the NAACP's North Brevard chapter; and Jessica Travis, an attorney and member of the Space Coast League of Women Voters. The club livestreamed the forum on Facebook.
Circuit Court Judge Group 3
All registered voters in Brevard and Seminole counties can vote in this 18th Judicial Circuit race between John Mannion and incumbent Jessica Recksiedler.
Mannion worked as a programmer analyst for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, then worked as a project manager for The Coca-Cola Co., according to his campaign website.
After leaving the private sector, he worked as an assistant state attorney from 2003 to 2016 before launching his private practice, Mannion Law.
“I’ve sat in jail cells with people who were wrongly accused of crimes. And their lives are torn apart. I believe I bring this sort of commitment to justice to Seminole and Brevard counties. I bring integrity. And I bring experience," Mannion said during the forum.
Recksiedler was elected chief judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit last year. She began her career at the State Attorney’s Office. Afterward, she joined two firms, Killgore Pearlman and Thompson, Recksiedler and Evangelo, according to her campaign website.
She was elected circuit judge in 2010 and has been an administrative judge for the felony criminal division, civil division and appellate division.
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"I am a board-certified civil trial lawyer and civil jury trial expert by the Florida Bar. Out of 109,000 lawyers in the state of Florida, only approximately 120 women in the state have that distinction. And I’m one of them," Recksiedler said during the forum.
Recksiedler is endorsed by a list of Space Coast officials, including Sheriff Wayne Ivey and State Attorney Phil Archer, along with Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
Mannion said he did not seek endorsements from any elected officials.
"I don't think that's appropriate in a judicial race," he said during the forum.
In campaign fundraising, Recksiedler reported $132,089 in contributions, including $56,630 in loans from herself, and $3,741 in in-kind donations as of July 15, Florida Division of Elections records show. She had spent $26,421 as of that date.
Mannion reported $18,160 in contributions, including $10,010 in loans from himself, and $220 in in-kind donations as of July 15, Florida Division of Elections records show. He had spent $22,278 as of that date.
County Court Judge Group 2
The County Judge Group 2 race features David Baker and incumbent Kelly Ingram.
Baker served in the U.S. Army for 10 years and the Florida Army National Guard for 10 years, retiring as a first sergeant, according to his campaign website.
He worked for the Cocoa Police Department for more than 15 years, serving as a police officer, SWAT officer, detective and sergeant. He now has a private law practice in Rockledge.
“I think that my background experience would be very helpful as a judge. I’ve done everything from work on the street, on the SWAT team, been a lawyer in court. I was the sergeant: I got to read thousands of reports throughout the years,” Baker said during the forum.
Ingram worked as an assistant state attorney before working in private practice as a defense attorney, according to her campaign website.
She was elected judge in 2016. Last year, her colleagues elected her administrative county judge. This month, they chose her as 18th Judicial Circuit representative for the Conference of County Court Judges of Florida.
State Attorney Phil Archer has endorsed Ingram's re-election, her website says.
Baker is endorsed by Mallard, one of the forum panelists.
“What I hear most frequent from defendants in the jail, from litigants in my courtroom: They may not be happy with my decision — but they always say I’m very fair and respectable. And I treat everybody with respect and dignity,” Ingram said during the forum.
In campaign fundraising, Ingram reported contributions of $218,632 as of July 15, Voter Focus records show. Of that sum, contributions and loans from herself in April totaled $206,265. She reported $792 in in-kind contributions, and she had spent $42,687 as of July 15.
Baker reported $25,250 in contributions as of July 15, including $18,000 in loans from himself, according to Voter Focus. He reported $1,295 in in-kind contributions and expenditures of $19,033 as of that date.
County Court Judge Group 4
The County Court Judge Group 4 race features Rodney Edwards, Kimberly Musselman and Renee Torpy. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff election on Nov. 8.
The incumbent, County Judge Rhonda Babb, is not running for reelection.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Edwards worked for the law office of Muller & Sommerville in Winter Park before opening his private practice in 2010. He also has worked for the Orlando Police Department legal adviser's office.
He has served as assistant city attorney in Palm Bay since 2017, focusing on governmental law, tort litigation defense, real estate litigation and civil litigation.
“A judge is there not to try to legislate from the bench or create laws. He’s there to listen to the facts and apply the facts to the law, and then make a fair ruling that is fair and impartial. You need to be fair and impartial. You need to listen. And then you need to have compassion,” Edwards said during the forum.
Edwards is endorsed by 2020 Brevard sheriff's candidate Alton Edmond and Palm Bay City Council Members Donny Felix and Randy Foster, among others, according to his campaign website.
Musselman has worked in the court system for more than 30 years as an investigator, probation officer, judicial law clerk and prosecutor, according to her campaign website.
She has worked as an assistant state attorney since 2004, where she now works in felony intake, reviewing cases submitted by law enforcement for filing decisions.
“I make difficult decisions every day. Every day. The merits of cases: I have to review them and make a really difficult decision, and pass that information on to the victim, the attorneys and to law enforcement that sends the cases to us. I am a searcher for the truth," Musselman said during the forum.
Musselman is endorsed by State Attorney Phil Archer, Brevard County Clerk of Court Rachel Sadoff and former Clerk of Courts Scott Ellis, among others.
Torpy began her legal career as an assistant public defender, then transferred to become an assistant state attorney, according to her campaign website.
In 2020, she became an injunction for protection attorney with Serene Harbor, a Palm Bay domestic violence shelter. She focuses on victims of domestic, dating, sexual violence and stalking.
“I think compassion is the No. 1 quality a judge needs. Even though that might be a typical Tuesday or Thursday to the attorneys in the courtroom or to the judges, it can change that person’s entire life. If they’re convicted of a crime, is that going to affect them getting a job? Is that going to be able to affect them getting housing?” Torpy said during the forum.
Torpy is endorsed by Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey and former Melbourne Mayor Kathy Meehan, among others.
On the campaign fundraising side, Torpy reported $136,720 in contributions as of July 22, including a $100,000 loan to herself, according to Voter Focus. She reported $4,512 in in-kind contributions and expenditures of $59,202 as of that date.
Edwards reported $51,925 in contributions as of July 15, including $36,305 in loans from himself, according to Voter Focus. He reported $561 in in-kind contributions and expenditures of $14,177 as of that date.
Musselman reported $43,450 in contributions as of July 15, including $32,000 in loans from herself, according to Voter Focus. She reported $441 in in-kind contributions and expenditures of $16,851 as of that date.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Election 2022: Brevard judge candidates vie for county, circuit seats
