Two incumbent judges secured their seats behind Southwest Florida’s judicial bench as the primary came to a close for the two 20th Judicial Circuit’s contested races.
The 20th Judicial Circuit covers Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. The term is for six years.
Judge James Stewart, who holds the Group 19 judicial seat, received 138,122 votes, which accounted for about 60% of the votes.
“I’m very humbled that the voters of Southwest Florida elected me and trust me to continue serving as one of their circuit court judges … This was a very challenging and stressful process to go through, especially covering five counties,” Stewart said.
Judge Amanda Levy-Reis, who sits at the Group 27 bench, received 142,658 votes, which was about 62.7% of the total votes casted for the seat. She did not respond to requests for comment.
Stewart lead the votes against Vera Bergermann.
And Levy-Reis ran against Ryan Kuhl.
Here is a little bit about the winners:
JAMES STEWART, INCUMBENT CANDIDATE FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE GROUP 19
Professional history
Stewart brings about two decades of experience to the circuit bench, specifically overseeing civil cases in the Collier County Circuit Court.
His judicial philosophy revolves around treating every person in the same way: with dignity and respect. Stewart “believes that public trust in the justice system is strengthened when the law is applied equally, consistently and without bias.”
Before he was appointed to the judge’s bench by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2025, Stewart served as a deputy chief assistant state attorney for more than 17 years where he he led, trained, managed and mentored other prosecutors.
Stewart has seen and handled thousands of criminal, civil and juvenile delinquency cases, and more than 100 jury trials.
Formerly, Stewart served as a chair of the Twentieth Circuit Grievance Committee “B,” which would evaluate and impose disciplinary action upon lawyers who may or may not have violated professional conduct rules.
Personal life and community involvement
Originally, Stewart is from Michigan. He earned his law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston.
Stewart has a wife, Ashli — who is also a Collier County lawyer — and two children.
His involvement in the community includes volunteering for mock trial competitions for local high schools and law school students.
AMANDA LEVY-REIS, INCUMBENT CANDIDATE FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE GROUP 27
Professional history
Levy-Reis was appointed to the court bench by DeSantis in 2025 and she would bring more than 20 years of experience in the legal field if re-elected.
Levy-Reis’s legal career was marked by public service. Just prior to her appointment, she served as a legal aid attorney at Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc., where she represented the underserved in family law cases and recruited attorneys to assist in pro bono cases.
Also having worked as a federal law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Eastern District of California, Levy-Reis said that “these experiences strengthened her conviction that a judge’s role is not to create policy but to faithfully interpret the law and uphold the Constitution’s clear boundaries.”
Levy-Reis has also garnered experience in the private sector, where she handled civil and commercial cases in both state and federal courts. She also served as a civil traffic hearing officer in Southwest Florida.
Personal life and community involvement
Growing up in Bonita Springs, the incumbent is a lifelong resident of the Southwest Florida region. She was a student in the Lee County School District and graduated from Estero High School.
She received her law degree from the Stetson College of Law.
Levy-Reis’s involvement in the community includes serving as the former president of the Southwest Florida Federal Court Bar Association, a master at the Calusa Inn of Court and a board member for Young Life, which is a Christian ministry that supports youth.
She volunteers at her church and participates in her children’s school activities.
Tayeba Hussein is a breaking news reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her at thussein@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Election results: Stewart, Levy-Reis return to bench in 20th Judicial Circuit
Reporting by Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
