1. Detention Review Hearings: The Clerk of Court shall schedule all juvenile detention review hearings to be conducted by a juvenile judge the next business day following a weekend. Juvenile detention review hearings shall begin at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays (with the exception of holidays) in courtroom JJC1, unless otherwise directed by the presiding juvenile judge. 
2. Shelter Review Hearings: The Clerk of Court shall schedule all juvenile shelter review hearings to be conducted by a juvenile judge the next business day following a weekend. Juvenile shelter review hearings shall begin at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays (with the exception of holidays) in courtroom JJC2, unless otherwise directed by the presiding juvenile judge.
3. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately and remain in effect until modified or rescinded.

DONE AND ORDERED this 9th day of February 2026.
________________________________
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

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

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 Katie Jacobus
Canvassing Board Second 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 Christina Serrano
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 John D. Galluzzo
Legislative Liaison – Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Mental Health – Judge John D. Galluzzo
Jury Management – Judge Donna M. Goerner
Professionalism Committee – Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Public Safety Coordinating Council – Judge Melanie Chase and 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

SEMINOLE COUNTY – COUNTY COURT
Administrative Judge Judge James J. DeKleva
Mental Health Administrative Judge Judge William S. Orth
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge William S. Orth

DONE AND ORDERED this 29th day of October 2025.

MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

Additional Information:

• 24-03-s 2nd Amended
• 24-03-s Amended
• 24-03-s 

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:

• Crusoe v. Rawls, 472 So.2d 1163 (Fla. 1985) (footnotes 2,3)
• Payret v. Adams, 500 So.2d 136 (Fla. 1986)