Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints 12 judges to Florida courts, many tied to SB 2508’s expansion—highlighting Andrew Bain’s return to the bench.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has named a new slate of judges across Florida, including a high-profile return to the bench for Andrew Bain as courts absorb a sweeping expansion law.
The appointments. announced as DeSantis continues reshaping Florida’s judiciary. include a roster of 12 judges and address newly created seats that came online after the governor signed SB 2508 last year.. That measure was designed to respond to caseload pressures by expanding Florida’s judicial system. adding 22 new circuit court judgeships. 15 new county court judgeships. and two new Sixth District Court of Appeal positions.
Half of the appointees—six total—are taking posts created under SB 2508. making their selections a close indicator of how the administration plans to staff the expanded courts.. The governor’s choices also underscore a familiar dynamic in Florida politics: judicial appointments are frequently viewed not only as staffing decisions. but as signals of the administration’s broader approach to legal priorities and political alignment.
SB 2508 expands Florida courts—DeSantis fills new seats
Among the most closely watched of the SB 2508 appointments is Andrew Bain of Orlando. who is set to join the 9th Judicial Circuit bench in Orange County.. Bain’s path to the judiciary has been politically charged. and his repeated movement through the governor’s orbit is likely to draw continued scrutiny from Democrats and civil-liberties advocates. alongside support from allies who frame the selections as experience-driven.
Bain previously served on the Orange County Court beginning in 2020.. In 2023, DeSantis controversially appointed him as Orange-Osceola State Attorney after suspending Democrat Monique Worrell.. Worrell later defeated Bain by a landslide.. After that election. Bain publicly refused to help with a transition back to office—an episode that became part of the public record—before later agreeing to assist with Worrell’s transition.
Now. with a new judicial opportunity. Bain is returning to the bench. a move that raises immediate questions about continuity and credibility in a state where judges are expected to preserve public confidence regardless of political context.. Bain’s record has also included late-2024 controversy tied to whether he declined to prosecute a former state representative. a decision that opponents said reflected a troubling approach to accountability.
If critics view the appointment as “recycling” a politically fraught figure. supporters could argue that the governor is placing legal experience where it is most needed amid rising judicial workloads.. Either way. Bain’s selection makes SB 2508 not just a policy response to caseloads. but also a platform for political narratives about who gets to shape the state’s courts.
Other DeSantis appointments: circuit and county seats across Florida
The SB 2508 lineup also includes Mark Skipper of Maitland, named to the 9th Judicial Circuit. Skipper has served as a county judge since 2024 and previously worked for the Florida Department of Children and Families as a senior attorney.
Guy Flowers of Port Charlotte is set for the 12th Judicial Circuit, covering DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. Flowers has been a DeSoto County judge since 2022 and previously served as an assistant state attorney.
Dane Leitner of Jupiter will join the 15th Judicial Circuit, which exclusively serves Palm Beach County. Leitner is a GrayRobinson shareholder and a former Ward Damon partner.
On the county-court side, Hillary Ellis of Lakewood Ranch is headed to the Manatee County Court.. David Peters of Harmony is named to the Osceola County Court—positions that highlight how SB 2508’s expansion reaches beyond trial-level circuits into the day-to-day courts that manage a large share of Florida’s criminal and civil volume.
DeSantis also appointed judges outside the SB 2508-created seats.. In the 1st Judicial Circuit, he named Matthew Gordon, a Santa Rosa County judge since 2024, and lawyer Paul Bailey.. Gordon succeeds Judge Jan Shackelford, who resigned in January.. Bailey replaces Judge Linda Nobles, who resigned the same month as Shackelford’s departure.
Further east. Sonia McDowell and Theresa Savona are set for the 9th Judicial Circuit. with McDowell moving into a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Elizabeth Gibson in May 2023.. Savona will take the place of Judge Robert Egan, who retired April 23.. Andrea Johnson is slated for the 12th Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lon Arend.
In Palm Beach County Court, DeSantis named Marci Rex, an Assistant U.S. Attorney with 15 years of service, filling a vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Danielle Sheriff.
Why these selections matter beyond personnel
Florida’s judiciary is often described as an institution built to withstand political storms. but the staffing decisions that accompany major court-expansion laws can still shift the system’s tone.. SB 2508 was presented as a practical effort to address backlogs. yet the staffing choices that come with new seats inevitably influence how courts manage priorities. handle high-volume calendars. and interpret legal questions that will reach appeals.
For ordinary court users—defendants, plaintiffs, victims, and families—more judges can mean fewer delays.. That’s the real-world promise behind expanding circuits and county courts.. But for legal professionals. the emphasis quickly becomes whether new judges bring continuity in judicial temperament and clear courtroom management. or whether politically contested histories distract from the neutral role the bench is supposed to play.
In that sense, Bain’s appointment carries extra weight.. It’s not just a vacancy filled; it’s a storyline that has already involved the governor’s interventions in prosecutorial leadership and contested decisions about transition and enforcement.. Supporters of DeSantis may see it as a vote for experience and institutional familiarity. while opponents may argue the administration is using judicial expansion to cement political influence.
What comes next for Florida’s expanded courts
The next chapter will be how quickly newly appointed judges can stand up in their roles and how the expanded capacity affects case timing statewide.. Even with added seats on paper. court systems typically need time to stabilize dockets. staffing. and scheduling—especially when multiple circuits are simultaneously adjusting to new workloads.
DeSantis’s latest appointments also suggest a broader staffing philosophy: prioritizing candidates whose careers align with the governor’s legal ecosystem. whether through prior judicial service. prosecutorial experience. or state-government roles.. As Florida’s appellate courts and trial courts absorb the new structure created by SB 2508. the administration’s approach could shape not only outcomes in individual cases. but how the public perceives fairness and independence across the system.
For voters and legal observers, the immediate question isn’t simply who got a seat—it’s whether Florida’s judicial expansion delivers on its promise of speed and access while maintaining the steady public trust that courts depend on.