The League of Women Voters of Orange County will host a July 15 Hot Topics candidate forum — “Habeas Forum: Candidates for Ninth Judicial Circuit Court” — that focuses on three contested judicial races.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. at the Winter Park Events Center for a buffet lunch. The program starts at 11:45 a.m. at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park and ends at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 for League members, $37 non-members. Register at www.LWVOC.org/HotTopics.
Moderator is Judge Emerson R. Thompson, Jr. Attorney Temika Hampton-Johnson will face incumbent Judge Mikaela Nix-Walker in Group 1. A third candidate in that race, attorney Charles Hart, is not taking part in the forum. Attorneys Christina Arguelles and Christie Lou Mitchell are competing to fill an open judgeship in Group 2. Kamilah Perry, chief legal counsel and chief administrator of office operations for the State Attorney’s Office, will face Steve Kerestes, a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office, in an open Group 31 race. The races likely will be decided in the Aug. 18 primary.
Circuit judges hear criminal and civil cases and issue rulings on legal questions, evidence and procedure. They oversee jury selection, ensure fair trial processes, enforce court orders and issue writs when necessary. Circuit judges preside over trials in both jury and non-jury (“bench”) formats. They hear cases such as criminal felonies, juvenile delinquency and dependency, divorce, custody and visitation, probate, guardianship and civil matters over $50,000.
The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court is one of 20 judicial circuits in the state. Serving Orange and Osceola counties, the Ninth Circuit covers over 2,500 square miles and serves more than 2 million residents.
Among the issues to be discussed at Hot Topics:
- How work experience has qualified the candidates for the job
- What events have shaped their philosophies
- The extent to which the candidates have practiced in criminal and civil law
The forum will be streamed live on the League’s Facebook page Facebook and an edited version will be available on the League’s YouTube channel, League of Women Voters Orange County - YouTube.
Visionary sponsors: Phil and Jennifer Anderson. Silver sponsors: Lyn and David Berelsman; Voting Voices — Michele Levy, Charley Williams, Caroline Emmons-Schramm and Laurie and Richard Wack; The Kindred Three — Lee Rambeau Kemp, Sue Foreman and Joan Erwin; a new Silver sponsor group, Friends of the League — the Hon. Fred Lauten and Shelley Lauten, the Hon. Bob LeBlanc and Joanie Schuler LeBlanc, and Dr. Gloria Pickar. Bronze sponsors: Alex and the Hon. Cynthia Mackinnon.
The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida, is a nonpartisan civic organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.