STEVE HENDERSON – Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Courts

2025 Admin Order 25-21-b

Web Manager — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:53:43 +0000

Due to the upcoming division changes, the following caseload reassignments are ORDERED:

A. Judge Benjamin B. Garagozlo’s pending caseload will be reassigned to Judge Kristen Smith-Rodriguez, effective July 1, 2025.
B. Judge Steve Henderson’s pending caseload will be reassigned to Judge Kelly J. McKibben, effective July 1, 2025.
C. Judge Charlie Crawford’s pending caseload will be reassigned to Judge Steve Henderson, effective July 1, 2025,
D. Judge Kelly J. McKibben’s pending caseload will be reassigned to Judge Charlie Crawford, effective July 1, 2025.
E. Judge Kimberly Musselman’s pending caseload will be reassigned to Judge Benjamin B. Garagozlo, effective July 1, 2025.

DONE and ORDERED this 21st day of April 2025.

2026 Admin Order 26-16-b

Web Manager — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:12:44 +0000

IN RE: JUDGES – DIVISION ASSIGNMENTS

The following division assignments will be effective April 1, 2026

CIRCUIT CIVIL

Judge Blaue – Moore Justice Center
Judge Bookhardt – Moore Justice Center
Judge C. Jacobus – Moore Justice Center
Judge Paulk – Moore Justice Center

CIRCUIT CRIMINAL

Judge Crawford – Moore Justice Center
Judge Henderson – Moore Justice Center
Judge McKibben – Moore Justice Center
Judge Moody – Moore Justice Center
Judge Naberhaus – Moore Justice Center
Judge Speicher – Moore Justice Center

CIRCUIT FAMILY

Judge Dookhoo – Moore Justice Center
Judge Segal – Moore Justice Center
Judge Smith-Rodriguez – Moore Justice Center
Judge Studstill – Moore Justice Center

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Judge Serrano – Melbourne Courthouse

JUVENILE DEPENDENCY

Judge K. Jacobus – Melbourne Courthouse

JUVENILE DEPENDENCY

Judge Serrano – Melbourne Courthouse

PROBATE/GUARDIANSHIP

Judge Ballou – Titusville Courthouse

COUNTY COURT CIVIL

Judge Baker – Titusville Courthouse
Judge Harrell – Moore Justice Center
Judge Musselman – Moore Justice Center
Judge Peacock – Moore Justice Center
Judge Silverman – Moore Justice Center

COUNTY COURT CRIMINAL

Judge Brown – Moore Justice Center
Judge Garagozlo – Moore Justice Center
Judge Ingram – Moore Justice Center
Judge K. Jacobus – Moore Justice Center – Division being dissolved
Judge Koenig – Moore Justice Center
Judge Skinner – Moore Justice Center

DONE AND ORDERED this 27^th day of March 2026.

MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

2026 Admin Order 26-01

Web Manager — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:04:40 +0000

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

2026 Admin Order 26-21

Web Manager — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 18:23:31 +0000

It is hereby Ordered that the following administrative judges be appointed effective April 1, 2026.

CIRCUIT WIDE

Chief Judge Judge Melanie Chase
Deputy Chief Judge Judge Charlie Crawford
Civil Division Judge Scott Blaue
Diversity Liaison Judge Samuel Bookhardt, III
Family Division Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Hague Convention Representative Judge Jigisa Dookhoo
Trial Court Budget Commission (TCBC) Judge Kelly J. McKibben

BREVARD COUNTY

Appeals Division Judge Kathryn M. Speicher
Bar Bench Liaison Judge Tesha Ballou
Canvassing Board Judge Kelly Ingram
Canvassing Board Alternate Judge Clarissa Harrell
Conflict Counsel Fee Review/Registry Judge Steve Henderson
Criminal Division Judge Steve Henderson
Deputy Family Administrative Judge Judge Robert Segal
Drug Court (Adult) Judge Robert Segal
Drug Court (Juvenile) Judge Katie Jacobus
Law Library Board of Trustees Judge Jigisa Dookhoo and Judge Katie Jacobus
Legislative Liaison Judge Kelly Ingram
Professionalism Committee Judge Michelle Studstill
Public Safety Coordinating Council Judge Charlie Crawford and Judge Scott Blaue
Security Committee – Chair Judge Charlie Crawford
Security Committee – Circuit Rep Judge Kathryn M. Speicher
Security Committee – County Rep Judge Thomas J. Brown
Staff Attorneys Judge Michelle L. Naberhaus

BREVARD COUNTY – COUNTY COURT

Administrative Judge Judge Kimberly Musselman
Mental Health Administrative Judge Judge Thomas J. Brown
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge Kimberly Musselman

SEMINOLE COUNTY

Appeals Division Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Bar Bench Liaison Judge Mark E. Herr
Canvassing Board Judge Carsandra Buie
Canvassing Board Alternate Judge James J. DeKleva
Conflict Counsel Fee Review/Registry Judge Jessica Recksiedler
Court Technology Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Criminal Division Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Drug Court (Adult) Judge Melissa D. Souto
Drug Court (Juvenile) Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Juvenile Division Judge William S. Orth
Jury Management Judge Donna M. Goerner
Legislative Liaison Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Mental Health Judge William S. Orth
Professionalism Committee Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Public Safety Coordinating Council Judge Melissa D. Souto
Seminole County Alliance Judge William S. Orth
Security Committee – Chair Judge John D. Galluzzo
Security Committee – Circuit Rep Judge Donna Goerner
Security Committee – County Rep Judge James J. DeKleva
Staff Attorneys Judge John D. Galluzzo
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge William S. Orth

SEMINOLE COUNTY – COUNTY COURT

Administrative Judge Judge James J. DeKleva

DONE AND ORDERED this 8th day of April, 2026.

MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

2026 Admin Order 26-18-B

Web Manager — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:30:13 +0000

CREATION OF DIVISIONS: The Felony Criminal Division of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Brevard County, consists of six divisions designated as Criminal Divisions H, N, O, S, T, and X. One of the judges serving in the Circuit Court shall be appointed as Administrative Judge by the Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUDGES: The judge of each Felony Criminal division shall be responsible for the progress and conduct of all cases assigned to that division from inception to conclusion, including, but not limited to, pretrial, trial, and post-trial motions, and shall exercise supervision over the preparation of all calendars and dockets of cases assigned to the division. Daily initial appearances at the Brevard County Jail shall continue to be handled by the county court judges of Brevard County. Felony arraignments and second appearances shall be handled by the assigned criminal division judge, or as scheduled on an Early Resolution docket.
ASSIGNMENT OF CASES FOR CIRCUIT FELONY:
1. The Clerk of the Court shall establish an Alphabet System for the assignment of felony cases. Case assignments shall be made based on the first letter of the defendant’s last name. The Alphabet System shall provide for the shifting of cases from one division to another to provide a balanced caseload.
2. The objective is for all criminal division judges to receive an equal number of cases. Upon the filing of an initial charging document with the Clerk’s Office (including those charging capital offenses unless the initial charging document is an indictment), the judge assignment shall be made by the following alphabet. Cases shall be divided equally among the six sitting felony judges (or their successors) at the Moore Justice Center, and they shall be defined as H, N, O, S, T, and X. Substantive new cases shall be allocated alphabetically by the defendant’s last name as follows:
  Judge Henderson Division H C, D, T
  Judge Crawford Division N L, M, N, O
  Judge McKibben Division O A, B, J
  Judge Moody Division S P, S, V, X, Y
  Judge Naberhaus Division T F, G, K, R, Z
  Judge Speicher Division X E, H, I, Q, U, W
3. Subsequent charging documents which identify additional defendants who are charged with offenses arising from the same incident shall receive the same judge division assigned as the defendant having the lowest case number. Subsequent cases charging unrelated offenses against the co-defendant shall be assigned by the Clerk as specified in paragraph III(B).
4. Any case arising from the direct filing of a juvenile case shall be assigned as specified in paragraph III(B).
5. Violation of probation (VOP) and violation of community control (VOCC) cases shall be assigned as specified in paragraph III(B).
6. Capital Cases:
  1. For the purpose of this Administrative Order, a “capital case” is only a case in which an indictment has been filed charging one or more defendants with first-degree murder.
  2. When an indictment is filed that includes a charge of first-degree murder, the case shall be assigned/reassigned in succession to those criminal division judges who are certified by the Supreme Court of Florida to handle capital cases, or their successors shall assume their position in the rotation. If an indictment includes more than one defendant, all co-defendants will be assigned to the same judge that was assigned to the first defendant listed in the indictment, and co-defendant cases should stay together if a reassignment of one or more is necessary. The judge shall be skipped in subsequent rotation assignments equal to the number of codefendants charged in the indictment. If the Chief Judge wishes to be part of the rotation, he/she will advise the Clerk, and the rotation succession shall be so adjusted. If a Notice of Intent to Not Seek the Death Penalty is filed by the State Attorney’s Office at the time of the indictment or after, then the case shall be assigned according to the capital case rotation.
  3. Any judge assuming a criminal division shall take the required course on handling capital cases before assuming the criminal division, if possible, but in any event shall take the course at the earliest opportunity. Each criminal division judge shall comply with all refresher education requirements. Until the time that the judge assuming a criminal division takes the required course, any capital cases assigned to that division shall be reassigned to a different division by the Chief Judge. Once the incoming judge is qualified, the Chief Judge will then reassign the cases back to that division.
7. Post-conviction Motions: Post-conviction motions are defined as motions filed after the judgment and sentence have been imposed. Post-conviction motions include but are not limited to motions to correct sentences pursuant to Rule 3.800(a), motions to correct sentencing errors pursuant to Rule 3.800(b), motions to reduce and modify pursuant to Rule 3.800(c), motions for correction of jail credit pursuant to Rule 3.801, motions for post-conviction relief pursuant to Rule 3.850 or Rule 3.851, motions for post-conviction DNA testing pursuant to Rule 3.853, and motions for rehearing regarding these motions.
  1. Capital Cases – Death Sentence Imposed: In capital cases in which the death sentence has been imposed, the case shall stay assigned to the original sentencing judge who imposed the death sentence, whether or not that judge is still presiding in the criminal division. If the sentencing judge is recused, disqualified, retired, or otherwise no longer serving as a circuit judge, the Chief Judge shall reassign the case to a judge qualified to conduct capital proceedings. See Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851(c)(1), (h)(1).
  2. Capital Cases Pending: If the death sentence has not been imposed and the case is still pending and unresolved, then the capital case shall not remain assigned to the judge when the judge rotates off the criminal bench. Rather, the case shall remain in the felony criminal division to which it was assigned.
  3. All Cases in which Death was not Imposed: For post-conviction motions in all cases in which the defendant was not sentenced to death, the case shall be assigned pursuant to paragraph III(B).
8. Incompetent Felony Defendants: In a felony case, when a defendant is found incompetent due to mental illness, intellectual disability, or autism, civilly committed as a sexual predator, or found not guilty by reason of insanity, the case shall remain with the assigned judge as set forth above in paragraph III(B).
9. The Clerk is directed to monitor the balance of case assignments on a quarterly basis, report the findings to the Chief Judge with a copy to each of the judges in the criminal department, and make any necessary adjustments in accordance with direction received from the Court to ensure a balanced caseload among the divisions. The Felony Division judges will meet semi-annually to recommend equalization adjustments to the Chief Judge. The Clerk shall promptly report any difficulties in maintaining a balanced caseload to the Chief Judge.
10. Nothing in this Administrative Order prohibits the assigned circuit judges from transferring or adjusting particular case assignments in the interests of justice and judicial economy. For defendants with multiple cases assigned to multiple divisions, a transfer or reassignment is not necessary to effectuate a plea resolution of all cases in one division.
ASSIGNMENT OF CASES FOR COUNTY CRIMINAL:
1. The Clerk of the Court shall also establish a system for the assignment of county misdemeanor criminal cases, county criminal traffic, civil traffic infractions, county non-criminal infractions, and municipal and county ordinance violations. Case assignments shall be made based on an alphabet assignment by the first letter of the defendant’s last name.
2. Upon the filing of an initial charging document with the Clerk’s Office, the judge division assignment shall be made by alphabet assignment.
3. VOP cases shall be assigned as specified in paragraph IV(D).
4. Cases shall be divided equally among the five sitting county criminal judges (or their successors) at the Moore Justice Center, and they shall be defined as 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Substantive new cases shall be assigned alphabetically by the defendant’s last name as follows:
  Judge Ingram Division 2 A, B, L, U, V, X, Y
  Judge Koenig Division 5 D, F, I, M, Q
  Judge Brown Division 6 H, J, N, O, P
  Judge Skinner Division 7 C, E, G, K, Z
  Judge Garagozlo Division 8 R, S, T, W
DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE: The Administrative Judge of both the Circuit Court and County Divisions, in addition to those duties specifically assigned herein, shall be responsible for the general supervision of that department and shall perform those administrative duties necessary to its efficient and effective operation in conformity with the applicable policies, procedures, and rules governing the administration of that department as contemplated by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.215(b)(5).
The Clerk of the Court is directed to modify its procedures as necessary to implement this Order.
This Administrative Order shall take effect April 1, 2026, and remain in effect until modified or rescinded.

DONE AND ORDERED this 27th day of March, 2026.

MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

2021 Admin Order 21-19-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:25:29 +0000

The court having determined that Judge Steve Henderson should not hear cases in which attorneys Christopher C. Martin, Bar#29198, Kaylee J. Taylor, Bar#117511, and Brook A. O’Sullivan, Bar#12727 appear, it is ORDERED that all pending or newly filed cases in which Christopher C. Martin, Bar#29198, Kaylee J. Taylor, Bar#117511, and Brook A. O’Sullivan, Bar#12727 appear as attorney of record for any party shall be reassigned to the next judge in rotation pursuant to pending or existing administrative orders. Done and Ordered this 15th day of March 2021.

2021 Admin Order 21-06-b

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:24:15 +0000

The court having determined that Judge Steve Henderson should not hear cases in which attorney Maria Vaeth Henderson, Bar#33524 appears, it is ORDERED that all pending or newly filed cases in which Maria Vaeth Henderson, Bar#33524 appears as attorney of record for any party shall be reassigned to the next judge in rotation pursuant to pending or existing administrative orders.

Done and Ordered this 5th day of January 2021.

2021 Admin Order 21-04 3rd Amended

Web Manager — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:24:03 +0000

EXCERPT: ” 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:
1. 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.

2. For purposes of conducting the aforementioned proceedings, I determine the following circuit judges to be appropriately qualified: (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information: