26-01 SUPERSEDES 25-01 AMENDED IN RE: JUDGES - APPOINTMENT OF CIRCUIT JUDGES TO HANDLE COUNTY COURT CASES IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS - ORDERED 01/01/2026 BY MELANIE CHASE.
Due to the fact that it is necessary, from time to time, for circuit judges to hear and determine matters of the county court when a judge of that court is not available, and in order to maximize the efficient administration of justice and judicial labor in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, it is thereupon ORDERED:
I. That qualified circuit judges in Brevard and Seminole Counties are authorized and directed to supplement and aid the county judges of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit by sitting as county judges in the following matters:
A. Initial and second appearances in criminal justice cases;
B. Misdemeanor crimes;
C. All tasks related to violation of probation for misdemeanor crimes;
D. County court civil infraction hearings.
II. For purposes of conducting the aforementioned proceedings, I determine the following circuit judges to be appropriately qualified:
The Honorable Tesha Ballou
The Honorable Scott Blaue
The Honorable Samuel Bookhardt III
The Honorable Melanie Chase
The Honorable Charles G. Crawford
The Honorable Jigisa Dookhoo
The Honorable John D. Galluzzo
The Honorable Donna M. Goerner
The Honorable Steve Henderson
The Honorable Mark Edward Herr
The Honorable Curt Jacobus
The Honorable Kelly J. McKibben
The Honorable Laura Moody
The Honorable Michelle L. Naberhaus
The Honorable William S. Orth
The Honorable George T. Paulk
The Honorable Jessica Recksiedler
The Honorable Michael J. Rudisill
The Honorable Robert Segal
The Honorable Christina Serrano
The Honorable Kristen Smith-Rodriguez
The Honorable Melissa D. Souto
The Honorable Kathryn M. Speicher
The Honorable Christopher Sprysenski
The Honorable Susan Stacy
The Honorable Michelle Studstill
III. When the circuit judges listed above conduct any of the county court matters listed in subsection I of this Order, the services of the circuit judge are to be:
A. Temporary;
B. Directed only to the specific classes of cases listed in subsection I of this Order;
C. Limited to assisting and supplementing the county court judges; and
D. Restricted to only a fraction of the pending cases.
IV. No circuit judge shall be assigned to perform solely county court work absent a special-order authorizing and directing said assignment (not to exceed sixty days in duration). Crusoe v. Rawls, 472 So.2d 1163 (Fla. 1985) (footnotes 2,3).
V. No circuit judge shall be given successive and repetitive assignments to hear all county court matters in any special district within the circuit, absent a special order of assignment (not to exceed sixty days in duration). Payret v. Adams, 500 So.2d 136 (Fla. 1986).
VI. When any of the circuit judges listed above conduct any of the county court matters as described in subsection I of this Order, that circuit judge shall have all powers and authority of a county judge in every respect. This authority includes, but is not limited to, the issuing of orders in the county court so assigned, as deemed necessary and appropriate.
VII. This Order shall be in effect on January 1, 2026, and for a period of six months from the date of its rendition.
DONE and ORDERED this 1st day of January 2026.
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE