Longtime judge Laura Johnson retires, ending career that launched county domestic violence division

WEST PALM BEACH — Circuit Judge Laura Johnson, a former prosecutor and longtime champion for victims of domestic violence in Florida, officially retired in June, paving the way for others to seek her judicial post.

Johnson, 65, began her career as an attorney in West Palm Beach and ended it from atop the bench four decades later, at times overseeing cases with roots in Florida law she helped write. Johnson announced her retirement in April, thanking her colleagues for their dedication, assistance and friendship. Her last day was June 9.

"It has been my honor and privilege to work for the citizens of the great State of Florida for the past 40 years, serving the citizens of Palm Beach County as a judge for more than 20 years," she wrote. "I have had the opportunity to serve alongside some of the finest judges in the State of Florida."

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Judge helped launch courts' domestic-violence division

Johnson graduated from the Florida State University College of Law and was admitted into practice in 1983. She worked briefly at the Florida Office of the Attorney General before joining the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.

There, she prosecuted murders, sexual batteries and robberies before helping create and lead the office's domestic-violence division. Her transition into domestic violence in the mid-1990s launched her from the courtroom and onto a legislative committee responsible for writing domestic-violence laws that still exist today.

"Back at that time, we didn't use words like 'stalking' or 'injunctions,' " Johnson said Monday. "They just weren't part of our lexicon back then. We had to create definitions for all those things."

Two Palm Beach County court cases drew national headlines

She remained at the State Attorney's Office for 19 years before trading her role as the county's lead domestic-violence prosecutor for a spot on the county court bench in 2002. She oversaw hundreds of cases there, though two come to her mind in the wake of her retirement.

The first is the saggy-pants ban: Johnson tossed out a Riviera Beach ordinance that banned drooping drawers in 2009, deeming the ban unconstitutional and inspiring a slew of national headlines.

Next came the 2010 trial of a Palm Beach Gardens couple accused of hiring a trapper to round up and euthanize eight pesky ducks that lived in their neighborhood. The story packed the courtroom with duck lovers for days.

"County Court was never a dull moment," Johnson said.

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She resigned in April 2016 and ran unopposed to replace retiring Circuit Judge Jack S. Cox. As the only qualifying candidate for the ballot, the election was canceled and Johnson was elected automatically. While most of her career centered on criminal cases, Johnson oversaw a mix of civil, family and probate cases, too, energized by the young attorneys standing where she once did.

Johnson said she plans to keep working in some capacity, be it in mediation or by taking on a reduced caseload as a senior judge. For now, she's ready to spend time with her grandchildren.

"Working 60 hours a week, it's hard to find the time to do everything you want to do," she said. "I'm looking forward to taking a little bit of time off."

Retirement puts seat up for grabs for would-be judges

In the wake of her retirement, the local committee responsible for nominating her replacement has begun seeking applications.

The Judicial Nominating Commission has until Aug. 14 to provide Gov. Ron DeSantis with a list of her potential successors. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. July 24.

After interviewing applicants, the committee will recommend at least three, and at most six, candidates to DeSantis. The governor must appoint a judge from among the nominees within 60 days.

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post, a member of the USA TODAY Network. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County judge champion for domestic violence victims retires