County Judge James McCune set to retire, hopes to stay active in the community

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Posted December 10, 2021 | By Matthew Cretul
matthew@ocalagazette.com

Marion County Judge James McCune announced his decision to serve the remainder of his term and not to re-file for reelection once it is complete earlier this month.

He said the decision to fill out his term was something he owes the community, and his decision not to seek re-election is to allow the next generation of judges to begin to make their mark.

“I think it starts with the firm belief that the position doesn’t belong to me, the position belongs to the people, and I’ve just been privileged to fill it for the last 19 plus years,” he noted.

“When I got re-elected five years ago, I feel like I made a commitment to the people to serve the term and that’s my intent to do so. But I also think I have an obligation to the people and to the institution, which transcends terms and transcends judges coming and going. I have an obligation to the institution to do my best to take good care of it. And that would include anticipating the need for a replacement, and facilitating that, that transition from one judge to another,” McCune continued.

McCune was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in February 2002 and was first elected in 2004. He was then subsequently reelected in 2010 and 2016.

He is thankful for his time on the bench, and pointed out “how grateful I am for having had this privilege to serve in this capacity.”

He said presiding over a courtroom, like any job, has its good days as well as bad, but in the end, the good days are extremely rewarding.

“There are times when you really do make a difference for the good. […] I do have people come back to me and thank me for helping them turn their lives around,” McCune said.

While his term runs through 2022, he has already started to recognize those with who he cherishes the time he has remaining in his role as county judge.

“I think I’m gonna miss the people I’ve been privileged to work with here, whether it be the clerks, the bailiffs, the court staff, the attorneys, I’m going to miss them, but I don’t know where I’m gonna end up. I mean, you know, I may not be that far away. I don’t know – I don’t know,” he said.

While he said he doesn’t fish or play golf, McCune is looking forward to spending time with his friends and family, and even doing some traveling.

He also said he doesn’t expect to stay in the retired mindset forever.

“I’m not comfortable with the notion of being an unemployed lawyer a year from now. However, I do have a license to practice law in three states, and I think I have a lot to offer, whether the not-for-profit world or the education world or whatnot.”