Supreme Court Justice Carlos G. Muñiz and 22 District Courts of Appeal judges are on ballots throughout the state. These are nonpartisan races.
Justice Carlos Muñiz, 57, is a graduate of the University of Yale Law School. According to his bio from The Florida Bar, Muñiz served on Secretary Betsy DeVos’ staff as the presidentially appointed general counsel of the U.S. Department of Education before his appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. Alongside that work and in private practice, Justice Muñiz worked in Florida state government as the deputy attorney general and chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi; as deputy chief of staff and counsel in the Office of the Speaker of the Florida House; as general counsel of the Department of Financial Services; and as deputy general counsel to Gov. Jeb Bush. To learn more about him visit the Florida Public Media Voter Guide.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal hears cases from the 6th, 12th, and 13th judicial circuits covering these counties: Pasco, Pinellas, Hardee, Highlands, Polk, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee. They hear most trial court decisions that are appealed.
You can read opinions they’ve issued here, including the most recent from Oct. 14 in the case of Ying Pang versus Northwood of Pasco Homeowners association. She has been living away from her Wesley Chapel home after refusing to pay HOA fees.
There are four appeals judges up for retention for the Tampa Bay area. They appear in alphabetical order.
J. Andrew Atkinson, 52, received a B.A. from Florida State University and a J.D. with honors from Nova Southeastern University. He was appointed to the Florida Second District Court of Appeal in 2018. According to the Florida courts website he began his legal career at the Florida Office of the Attorney General, working in the Criminal Appeals Division before serving as a Deputy Solicitor General. After clerking for the Honorable Melanie G. May of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, he served as Assistant General Counsel to the Governor before entering private practice at a statewide law firm. He later served as General Counsel for both the Florida Department of State and the Florida Department of Management Services.
Judge Atkinson is a U.S. Army veteran who graduated from Manatee High School.
Morris Silberman, 69, received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University, majoring in philosophy and political science. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1982. He was appointed to the court of appeal in 2001. The American Law Institute’s website says he served as a law clerk to Judge Herboth S. Ryder at the Second District Court of Appeal. He then worked with law firms in Sarasota and Clearwater. In 1988 he formed his own firm in Clearwater. Judge Silberman had general civil litigation practice with an emphasis on business and contract disputes, transactions, general representation, and appeals.
According to 2dca.flcourts.gov he has served as President of the Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeals (2021-2022) where he worked on improving judicial qualifications and standards and enhancing communication between courts and the public, which he feels lead to barriers. He also lectures on appellate practice, ethics, and professionalism, aiming to improve the quality and accessibility of appellate justice.
Daniel H. Sleet, 65, earned a B.A. degree in History from Furman University in 1984. He received his J.D. degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1987. Judge Sleet served as an assistant state attorney for the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office from 1987-1991. In 1991, he joined a private Tampa law firm practicing personal injury defense. He was certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a mediator and earned an A.V. rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2005, Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. He was reelected without opposition in 2008 where he served until Gov. Rick Scott appointed him to the Second District Court in 2012, where he chairs the Legislative Committee.
According to Familydiplomacy.com, Judge Sleet has been active in various local and national organizations, including the American Board of Trial Advocates, Hillsborough County Bar Association, and Furman Football Players Association. He’s also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, South Tampa Fellowship Church, and Mitchell Elementary Dad’s Club.
Andrea Teves Smith, 57, graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Business Administration. She earned her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law, where she was research editor on the Stetson Law Journal and President of the Moot Court Board. Gov. Rick Scott appointed her to the Second District Court in 2019.
She began her law career with a Lakeland firm where she later became a shareholder. Over her 19 years there, she maintained a commercial litigation and appellate practice in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. She earned Martindale-Hubbell's highest peer review rating of AV Preeminent, awarded to only those lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability.
In 2013, Judge Smith was appointed to the circuit bench of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, where she served for five years in the civil, family, and felony divisions. She served as the Administrative Judge for the Civil Division and as the Second District Court of Appeal Representative for the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges. She was retained by election in 2014. Judge Smith served on the advisory board of the Academy of Legal Studies at George Jenkins High School. She was also a member of the Lakeland Bar Association, Polk Association of Women Lawyers, and the Willson American Inn of Court. The Lakeland Ledger reported Smith donated time and resources to many different pro bono cases, and helped right the wrongs for people who felt helpless and desperate. A Facebook post says she was recognized as the first Asian Pacific appellate judge in Florida.
