Will the third time be the charm for judge-hopeful Sarah Kathryn Dugan?
The assistant state attorney, a felony prosecutor in Tallahassee, has been named a finalist for a Big Bend judgeship for a third time.
William N. Spicola, chair of the 2nd Circuit’s Judicial Nominating Commission, announced the finalists for circuit judge on May 12. The latest vacancy is due to the appointment of Judge Lance Neff to the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.
Along with Dugan, the other five finalists are familiar names, having also applied for judgeships in recent months:
James Beville, an assistant state attorney based in Quincy.
Chris Bufano, the county judge for Liberty County, named to that post by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June 2025.
C. Ian Garland, a lawyer in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
Khari James, an attorney with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Andrew King, an administrative law judge in Tallahassee.
Dugan is perhaps the best known; she was one of the prosecutors in the case against Donna Adelson – convicted of being one of the masterminds of the 2014 murder-for-hire of Florida State law professor Dan Markel, her ex-son in law.
How are judges appointed?
The opening will be filled by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has said he selects judges who share his originalist, textualist philosophy – interpreting laws as written, not legislating from the bench.
Also, the Republican DeSantis – who is term-limited this year – has repeatedly drawn from The Federalist Society’s ranks when appointing judges, favoring candidates who share its conservative legal philosophy and using that alignment as a key test for selection.
When the six finalists have been officially presented to the governor, he will have 60 days to decide.
What do circuit judges do?
Among other things, circuit judges handle felony and juvenile cases and civil lawsuits worth $50,000 or more.
Judges who are appointed must run as no party-candidates in the next general election. They then serve six-year terms.
The most recent salary information shows that circuit judges are paid $200,836 a year.
Where is the 2nd Judicial Circuit?
The 2nd Judicial Circuit includes Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties. It’s based in Tallahassee.
The chief circuit judge is Frank Allman, who acts as the court’s administrative head, including assigning judges to divisions such as civil and criminal, and overseeing the jury system.
Are there any other expected vacancies on the court?
Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey is stepping down at the end of the year after more than two decades on the bench, having first been appointed in 2005 and subsequently winning election to her seat in Tallahassee.
Her resignation letter to the governor effectively ends her 2026 reelection bid and is timed so that DeSantis will be able to appoint her successor, potentially averting a contested judicial race for the seat.
Her exit comes amid criticism from some Democrats and voting‑rights advocates who say the move is a maneuver to cancel an election she might have struggled to win, following news that a well‑funded challenger had entered the race and quickly outpaced her fundraising.
This story contains previously published reporting. Information on the applicants comes from The Florida Bar, LinkedIn and online searches. Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Donna Adelson prosecutor again a finalist for Big Bend judgeship
Reporting by Jim Rosica, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
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