Bar submits 156 names for JNCs.

Out of almost 700 applicants, The Florida Bar has nominated 156 lawyers for 52 upcoming vacancies on Florida's 26 judicial nominating commissions.

The Bar Board of Governors, at its May 23 meeting, nominated six lawyers for the two vacancies on each of the JNCs. Gov. Rick Scott will make the final appointments for the four-year terms, which begin July 1. In addition to the appointments made from Bar nominations, Scott will directly appoint one additional member to each of the nine-member JNCs.

Board of Governors member Mary Ann Morgan headed up the effort to review the JNC applicants, and she noted almost half of the board members served on screening committees which review the applicants and recommended six lawyers for each of the JNCs.

Bar President Eugene Pettis had appealed to Bar members to apply for the JNC posts so the Bar would have a large pool from which to select diverse and qualified applicants. After his appeal, the number of applicants increased from around 180 to almost 700.

Those nominated are:

* Supreme Court JNC: Cynthia Angelos of Port St. Lucie, Robert A. Butterworth of Hollywood, Linda B. Edwards of Tallahassee, Manuel A. Reboso of Miami, Hala A. Sandridge of Tampa, and Robert C.L. Vaughan of Ft. Lauderdale.

* First District Court of Appeal JNC: Ginger B. Boyd of Destin, Timothy M. Cerio of Tallahassee, Thomas S. Edwards, Jr., of Jacksonville, Karla D. Ellis of Tallahassee, Michael R. Freed of Jacksonville, and Michael J. Glazer of Tallahassee.

* Second DCA JNC: David M. Caldevilla of Tampa, Theodore C. Eastmoore of Sarasota, Henry G. Gyden of Tampa, Melton H. Little of Bradenton, E. Blake Paul of Lakeland, and Dawn Siler-Nixon of Tampa.

* Third DCA JNC: Jeffrey S. Bass of Miami, Juan C. Enjamio of Miami, Eric A. Hernandez of Miami Shores, Regine Monestime of Miami, Mindy Lee Pallot of Miami Beach, and Peter Prieto of Miami.

* Fourth DCA JNC: Richard C. Hutchinson of Boca Raton, Paul O. Lopez of Boca Raton, Burnadette Norris-Weeks of Ft. Lauderdale, Todd S. Payne of Plantation, Kara B. Rockenbach of Singer Island, and Glenn J. Waldman of Weston.

* Fifth DCA JNC: Cynthia B. Beissel of Ormond Beach, Carsandra D. Buie of Sanford, Michael E. Marder of Windermere, Heather A. Owen of Ponte Vedra, Carrie Ann Wozniak of Orlando, and Melvin B. Wright of Orlando.

* First Circuit JNC: Bruce P. Anderson of Niceville, Michael J. Griffith of Pensacola, Kristin D. Hual of Pensacola, Karl W. Labertew of Pace, Dana C. Matthews of Santa...