FLORIDA BAR JUDICIAL CANDIDATE PLEASE BEAR IN MIND YOUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER JUDICIAL CANON NO.7 IN PROVIDING ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. THE FLORIDA BAR DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ANSWERS NOR WILL THE BAR EDIT YOUR ANSWERS TO COMPORT WITH THE CANONS. Name: Jack N. Gutman June 6,, 2018 Date disclosure statement completed: County Court Judge, Group 8 Judicial position sought: Hillsborough County Jurisdiction: Jurisdiction(s) in which admitted to practice law: Jurisdiction Date Admitted Florida 1986 United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 2010 Florida Bar No. 602434 Years admitted to practice law: Years in the legal profession: Thirty One Thirty One Personal Statement: In 100 words or less, without discussing any particular issue that may come before you as a judge, explain why you believe you would be a good judge: I have practiced law in the Tampa Bay area for over 31 years. I have experience in both civil and criminal litigation and worked in both the public and private sectors. I attained leadership roles or senior attorney status in all organizations with which I have been associated. I have been recognized by my peers with the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell which represents the highest attainable rating for legal ability and ethical standards. I've been endorsed by five retired Circuit Court Judges, two past presidents of the Florida Bar and nine past presidents of the Hillsborough County Bar. 1
Prior Candidacy in Judicial Election(s): If you have run in an election for judicial office before, please list the court, relevant date(s) and position: Court Relevant Dates Position Prior and/or Current Judicial Experience: If you have held judicial office, please state the Courts involved, the dates of service, and the office: Court Relevant Dates Office Number of evidentiary hearings, trials and/or oral arguments over which you have presided: 0-5 6-15 16-30 31-50 51-100 101-200 201+ Please provide the number of jury trials and the number of bench trials over which you have presided. Current judges may respond to the following questions regarding legal practice only with reference to pre-judicial legal experience. Area(s) of practice: Civil Criminal Government Other 2
Please list the primary areas in which you have specialized or have legal expertise and allocate a percentage of your practice to each area. I have practiced in the area of criminal law for 15 years of my career. Approximately 12 of those years were as a State Prosecutor with three of those years spent engaged in criminal defense. Almost 17 years of my career has been in civil litigation. Ninety Percent of my civil practice has been in the area of Eminent Domain/Real Estate Valuation Litigation. The remaining ten percent has been in other civil areas such as Family Law, Foreclosures, and General Business Litigation. For the past 12 years I have been certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Court Civil Mediator and have mediated in excess of 100 cases statewide. Number of evidentiary hearings, trials and/or oral arguments in which you have participated as legal counsel: 0-5 6-15 16-30 31-50 51-100 101-200 201+ Please provide the number of jury trials 100 and the number of bench trials 150 in which you have participated. The above are estimates based upon a 31+ year career thus far. Number of arbitration hearings in which you have participated as legal counsel or hearing officer: 0-5 6-15 16-30 31-50 51-100 101-200 201+ Number of administrative hearings in which you have participated as legal counsel or hearing officer: 0-5 6-15 16-30 31-50 51-100 101-200 201+ To the extent applicable, please quantify any additional alternative dispute resolution/negotiation experience: I am a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. I have been certified since 2006 and have mediated in excess of 100 cases. The majority of mediations have been eminent domain and residential foreclosure cases. I have also completed the arbitration training offered by the Florida Dispute Resolution Center and am a qualified arbitrator. 3
Have you ever been Board Certified in any area(s) of practice? If yes, please identify: The area(s) of practice: When you were certified in each area of practice: Whether you are currently certified in those areas: Please provide the percentage of your practice that has involved representing plaintiffs 30 % and the percentage that has involved representing defendants 70 %. Undergraduate Education: Name of institution: Tulane University Degree received/major: Bachelor of Arts, Political Science Academic awards, recognitions, honors, leadership roles and participation in academic organizations: Dean's list multiple semesters, Chair- Student Disciplinary Honor Board, Second Vice President Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Big Brother-Little Brother Scholarship Award Recipient-Delta Tau Delta. 4
Law School Education: Name of institution: Degree received: University of Miami School of Law Juris Doctor Internships/in-school clerkships, academic awards, recognitions, honors, leadership roles and participation in academic organizations (e.g., law review, moot court, legal clinics): Inter-American Law Review. Moot Court, TAP (Trial Advocacy Program), Internship Dade County State Attorneys Office, Law Office of James Nelson, Law Clerk Number of hours devoted to public work while in undergraduate 0 or law school. 12 per wk as senior Additional Educational History (if applicable): Name of Institution Degree Received Special awards, recognitions, honors, or leadership roles (if any) Employment: Present employer: Pasco County Attorneys Office Number of years with present employer: Five Present position: Senior Assistant County Attorney Explain relevant experience or skills gained that you will bring to the bench: This October will mark the 32nd anniversary of my being admitted to the Florida Bar. My experience is broad and diverse. I have 15 years combined experience in Criminal Law both as a state prosecutor and defense counsel. I have 17 years civil litigation experience. I have tried to verdict in excess of 100 jury trials. I am AV rated by Martindale Hubbell Attorney peer review ratings service which represents the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards. I am a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Civl Mediator and have mediated over 100 cases since 2006. 5
List All Prior Employers and Occupations, Legal or Non-legal, for the Last Ten Years: Employer: Dorman & Gutman, P.L. Number of years employed with this employer: Seven Position/specialty: Partner practicing primarily eminent domain law and real estate valuation, Circuit Court Civil Mediator. Explain relevant experience or skills gained that you will bring to the bench: This October will mark the 32nd anniversary of my being admitted to the Florida Bar. My experience is broad and diverse. I have 15 years combined experience in Criminal Law both as a state prosecutor and defense counsel. I have 17 years civil litigation experience. I have tried to verdict in excess of 100 jury trials. I am AV rated by Martindale Hubbell Attorney peer review ratings service which represents the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards. I am a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Civl Mediator and have mediated over 100 cases since 2006. Employer: Office of the Attorney General State of Florida Number of years employed with this employer: Five Position/specialty: Senior Assistant Attorney General/Civil Division-Eminent Domain Explain relevant experience or skills gained that you will bring to the bench: Deputy Bureau Chief of Tampa eminent domain unit. In charge of handling complex condemnation cases and supervising a staff of attorneys, paralegals and other support staff. Gained skills in managing a staff of attorneys and legal assistants who had diverse backgrounds and issues that, from time to time would need to be addressed in a professional and constructive manner. This management experience has given me experience that will carry over in addressing with the diverse group of individuals that I will encounter as a judge in a large diverse county such as Hillsborough Employer: Office of the State Attorney-Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Number of years employed with this employer: 12 Position/specialty: Assistant State Attorney/ Felony Division Chief Explain relevant experience or skills gained that you will bring to the bench: For the first 15 years of my career, I was in court on a daily basis and appeared before many different judges. My regular court appearances before many different judges has allowed me to learn what works and what does not work insofar as the fair and impartial administration of justice is concerned. I have learned something from each judge I have appeared before over the course of my 32 year career. This experience will translate well in dealing with such issues as docket management, jury trials, non jury trials, motion practice, pro-se litigants and many other issues which effect the publics confidence in the fair and impartial administration of justice. 6
Law Organizations: Please list legal organizations in which you have been an active member for more than two years and all legal organizations in which you hold a leadership position or which required nomination to join: Organization Name The Florida Bar United State District Court for the Middle District of Florida Florida DRC-Certified Circuit Civil Mediator Florida Bar Eminent Domain Committee Florida Association of County Attorneys Hillsborough County Bar Association Florida Academy of Professional Mediators Dates of Participation 1986-Present 2010-Present 2006-Present 2001-Present 2013-Present 2017,2018 2017,2018 Office Held (If applicable) Honors and Publications: Please list relevant published articles or books that you have authored, speeches or lectures you have given, and honors, prizes or awards you have received: Title Date Additional Information AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings Meritorious Public Service Certificate Eminent Domain Lecture Mediation Lecture Eminent Domain Lecture 2003-Present 2002 2017 2011 2017, 2011 Highest Rating for legal ability and ethical standards Florida Bar Grievance Committee Chair Florida Association of County Attorneys CLE International -Eminent Domain HCBA Eminent Domain Section Eminent Domain Articles 2006,2010 HCBA Lawyer Magazine 7
Public Service Pro Bono, Volunteer Work or Military Service: Please provide the dates, activities and any special accomplishments, honors or leadership roles you have played in volunteer, public or military service organizations or in providing pro bono, volunteer, public or military service: Since 2005 I have served on the board of directors for the MacDonald Training Center Inc. (MTC). The mission of MTC is to empower people with disabilities to live the lives they choose. I am the immediate past chair of the board and have served on its executive and strategic planning comittees. I am currently chair of the advisory committee for the center's new EXCEL program which serves young adults on the autism spectrum in developing both job and life skills so they can transition to lives they choose in the community. I have previously served on a Florida Bar Grievance Committee from 2000 to 2002 and also served as Chair of committee 13E. Additionally, I have previously served as a teen court judge in the Hillsborough County Teen Court Diversion Program Health: Do you currently suffer from or have you suffered from any of the following ailments in the last three years: Dependence on narcotics, drugs or intoxicating beverages Pathological or compulsive behavior Memory loss or impaired judgment Yes No If yes, please identify the ailment and provide full details, including the relevant dates, including dates of diagnosis, if applicable, the treatment received and any additional relevant information: Discipline: If you have ever been found, either involuntarily or by consent, to have committed a violation of The Florida Bar Disciplinary Rules, the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration or the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct for which the discipline imposed was one of the following: (a) public reprimand; (b) suspension; or (c) disbarment, please provide the following information: Date of charge: Date of disposition: Rule(s) found to have violated: Discipline imposed for rule violation(s): Date reinstated to the Bar or bench: Any conditions imposed for reinstatement (e.g., financial penalty, probation or public service): 8
If you have been found to have committed a violation of the ethical or discipline rules, please explain the circumstances surrounding your discipline: For Current or Former Judges: Has the Florida Supreme Court, or a similar body in another state, ever ruled against you on a Notice of Formal Charges by the Judicial Qualifications Commission? If so, please explain the circumstances surrounding the charges and include a description of any discipline imposed: Military Discharge: If you served in the military and your discharge was anything other than honorable or you received a court martial, please provide that information here: Criminal Convictions: Have you ever been convicted or pled no contest to a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude? If so, provide the following information: Date of conviction or plea of no contest: Crime for which you were convicted or pled no contest: Sentence: Any additional conditions imposed: If you have been convicted or pled no contest to a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude and would like to explain the circumstances surrounding your criminal conviction, you may do so here: 9
CERTIFICATION I certify that the information given on The Florida Bar Judicial Candidate Voluntary Self-Disclosure Statement is complete, true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. 6 June 18 Executed this day of, 20. Name Jack N. Gutman Certification Confirmation (must be checked prior to submission): 10