VOLUSIA EXPOSED

We (VolusiaExposed.Com) are in receipt of your February 11, 2025 notice of the pending March 3, 2025 meeting of the JNC. (see below linked copy)

During this March 3, 2025 meeting – the JNC will interview eleven (11) judicial candidates to fill two judicial openings within the 7th Judicial Circuit. The JNC will forward their recommendations – in the form of judicial nominees for Governor DeSantis’ review and appointments.

Within your notice – you “encouraged members of the judiciary, bar, and the public to contact the Commission regarding the qualification of any applicant for judicial appointment”.

We accept your invitation to provide commentary regarding Judicial Candidate Robin Hutcheson.

We first articulated our concerns regarding Hutcheson within our below linked January 2024 article.

The Credibility Of The Local Judiciary
Hinges On The Integrity Of Two Judicial Candidates

In short, we felt that Hutcheson was being less than truthful to the JNC – regarding a statement she made within her judicial application (see the above linked article for particulars).

Recently, your office has provided us with Hutcheson’s most recent JNC applications for both open judicial openings (county & circuit court).

Click below to review Hutcheson’s JNC application for the open Circuit Court seat.

Click below to review Hutcheson’s JNC application for the open County Court seat.

We refer you to question # 54 of both applications – which inquires, “to your knowledge, has there ever been a complaint made or filed (emphasis added) alleging malpractice as a result of action or inaction on your part?”

Hutcheson answers the question on both applications with a simple “NO”.

As was argued in our above linked January 2024 article – we opine that Mrs. Cathleen White’s August 27, 2019 complaint (see below linked copy) to State Attorney R.J. Larizza qualifies as a “complaint” – “made or filed” against Hutcheson whereas professional “malpractice” was alleged.

We will not waste your time going through the minutiae attached to Mrs. White’s concerns. However, should you desire a deeper dive into White’s allegations – feel free to review the above linked complaint and article.

The important fact in front of you – is the fact that Hutcheson did NOT document this “complaint” within her JNC applications.

Since this “complaint” was attached to an FDLE investigation (OR-14-0156) which eventually lead to the arrest of a former senior ranking member of the Port Orange PD (see below linked arrest warrant) – it would be difficult to believe that this complaint against her was simply an oversight, or forgotten by Hutcheson.

Hutcheson was against arresting the ranking officer (see below linked document).

In a November 11, 2019 memo - FDLE laid the blame for their early closing of the investigation against the senior Port Orange PD officer squarely on Hutcheson’s perceived failures (see below linked FDLE memo).

The Commission, and the governor, have the rightful expectations that all judicial candidates will be fully vetted – and that the candidates will honestly and fully answer all questions.

Therefore, we submit to the Commission that Judicial Candidate Robin Hutcheson does not meet Florida’s judicial ethical standards – and her name should not be forwarded to the governor for appointment consideration.

In 2015, the 5th District Court Of Appeal JNC forwarded Circuit Court Judge Jessica Recksiedler misconduct during her JNC interview (lying about traffic tickets) to the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) for review and disciplinary processing.

The Florida Supreme Court disciplined Judge Recksiedler with a public reprimand – within their reprimand – VolusiaExposed.Com’s participation was mentioned (see page 2 of the below linked document).

The Florida Supreme Court also archived our coverage of Recksiedler’s JNC interview (see below linked document)

The JQC also has jursidiction on judicial candidates – maybe the 7th JNC has a similar obligation to forward Hutcheson to the JQC for an ethics review?

Thank you for your time, and for this opportunity.

If you could, we would appreciate an acknowledgment that your office has received, and reviewed our above concerns.

VolusiaExposed.Com
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"Truth will ultimately prevail where there are pains to bring it to light" ~ George Washington - 1794