United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The District was established on July 30, 1962, with parts of the Northern and Southern Districts transferring into the newly created Middle District

As of December 2021 the United States attorney for the District is Roger B. Handberg.

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida is one of three federal judicial districts in Florida. Court for the District is held at Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, and Tampa.

Fort Myers Division comprises the following counties: Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Glades, Hendry, and Lee.

Jacksonville Division comprises the following counties: Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Hamilton, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union.

Ocala Division comprises the following counties: Citrus, Lake, Marion, and Sumter.

Orlando Division comprises the following counties: Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia.

Tampa Division comprises the following counties: Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.

Current judges

As of March 7, 2024:

Vacancies and pending nominations

Former judges

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

Courthouse history

Completed in 1908 by architect John Knox Taylor, the historic Federal courthouse in Tampa stands as the only civic building constructed in the eclectic renaissance style. Initially serving as a U.S. Post Office, the courthouse moved two blocks down to its current location in 1998. Congress named the court in honor of long-time Tampa representative and University of Florida Law alumnus Sam Gibbons; the congressman is largely recognized as the founder of the University of South Florida.

U.S. Attorneys

• Edward F. Boardman 1961-69
• John L. Briggs 1969-78
• John J. Daley 1978-79
• Gary L. Betz 1979-82
• Robert W. Merkle, Jr. 1982-88
• Robert W. Genzman 1988-93
• Douglas N. Frazier 1993
• Larry H. Colleton 1994
• Donna A. Bucella 1994
• Charles R. Wilson 1994-98
• Donna A. Bucella 1999-2001
• Paul Ignatius Perez 2002?-2007
• James R. Klindt 2007
• Robert E. O'Neill 2007-2008
• A. Brian Albritton 2008-2010
• Robert E. O'Neill 2010-2013
• A. Lee Bentley III 2014-2017
• William S. Muldrow 2017
• Maria Chapa Lopez 2018-2021
• Karin Hoppmann 2021
• Roger B. Handberg 2021-present

Federal Defenders

• Robert W. Knight (1977-1983) (office established)
• H. Jay Stevens (1983-1999)
• R. Fletcher Peacock (1999-2007)
• Donna Lee Elm (2007-2021)
• Alec F. Hall (2021-Present)

See also

• Courts of Florida
• List of current United States district judges
• List of United States federal courthouses in Florida
• Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Frena (1993)
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

References

External links

• Official website for the U.S. District Court for the MDFL
• Official website for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the MDFL

1. United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2. United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
3. United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
4. United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
5. United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
6. United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
7. United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
8. United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
9. List of former United States district courts
10. United States district court
11. United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
12. United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
13. United States District Court for the Central District of California
14. United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
15. United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
16. List of courts of the United States
17. United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
18. United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
19. United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
20. United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama