The Second Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission announced on Mar. 31 that it is seeking applications to fill a vacancy on the Second Circuit Court bench following the elevation of Judge Lance Neff to the District Court of Appeal. The commission has been asked by Governor Ron DeSantis to provide a list of highly qualified nominees for the position by Saturday, May 23, 2026.
This vacancy matters as it will impact judicial proceedings and leadership within the Second Circuit Court. The process aims to ensure that only candidates who meet all qualifications under Article V, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution are considered.
Applications must be complete and unredacted, submitted before 10 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026. Submissions should be sent electronically via thumb drive in PDF format—no paper copies will be accepted—to William N. Spicola at Komisar Spicola, P.A., located at 101 North Gadsden Street in Tallahassee. Applicants are required to use the current judicial appointment application available from the Office of the Governor; previous versions will not be accepted.
The commission will meet telephonically at 5 p.m. on April 20 for preliminary discussions with public access provided via conference call. In-person interviews are scheduled for May 11 in Tallahassee; however, applicants previously interviewed for other vacancies need not re-interview this time.
All questions on applications must be fully answered and include up-to-date contact information for references and legal colleagues to assist with background checks conducted by commission members. Digital photos must also accompany each submission. Applicants are instructed not to contact commissioners until nominations have been submitted to Governor DeSantis.
Except during deliberations, all proceedings of this nominating commission remain open to public observation and applicants should not expect confidentiality regarding their materials or status in the process.
